Can't wait to hear about all the yummies inside. I'll have to make notes of which teas to try first! Enjoy!!!RussianSoul wrote:The Oolong Box has landed in Chicago!
Oh my...
What Tenuki referred to as a seed is not a seed, but a whole harvest!
And the Queen of Oolong would not be outdone, never mind!
As a result the variety and quantity of teas in the box is such that I feel a little dizzy. Remember that movie Moscow on the Hudson? The scene in the supermarket where he faints? Well, it is somewhat like that.
I couldn't decide where to start. So I left everything sprawled on the dining table and went to the gym. That calmed me down, and I was able to select my first tea - Iron Goddess King from New Century Tea Gallery. Here's the verdict - YUM!
Jul 10th, '08, 20:58
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We all hope to find out soon! Remember, if we don't hear from you in over a week, Victoria has your addy.RussianSoul wrote: That's my problem now. My inner voice (the one that always knows right from wrong - that one) tells me that it is majorly uncool to keep the Box longer than a week.
Feel free to take many pictures and videos and whatnot . . . help us pass the time . . . share the love! Enjoy yourself.RussianSoul wrote: Other people are waiting after all. But I estimate there are about 40 teas in it.
I tried two more today.
In the morning I brewed LiShan - Fu Shou from Floating Leaves. It immediately became my favorite Oolong and went to the top of my shopping list.
But in the afternoon I tried Wenshan Baozhong from Stephane of teamaster's blog and it blew my mind. Not that I am very experienced with Oolong, not at all, but I tried a few, maybe a dozen - maybe about twenty. I have never tried anything like this one - it is thick and sweet. And I don't mean a sweet note floating somewhere there in the middle of the tea taste, but SWEET, like in sweet things - amazing!
And one more thing - these two teas should be brewed gongfu style, you will get so much more out of them.
In the morning I brewed LiShan - Fu Shou from Floating Leaves. It immediately became my favorite Oolong and went to the top of my shopping list.
But in the afternoon I tried Wenshan Baozhong from Stephane of teamaster's blog and it blew my mind. Not that I am very experienced with Oolong, not at all, but I tried a few, maybe a dozen - maybe about twenty. I have never tried anything like this one - it is thick and sweet. And I don't mean a sweet note floating somewhere there in the middle of the tea taste, but SWEET, like in sweet things - amazing!
And one more thing - these two teas should be brewed gongfu style, you will get so much more out of them.
Jul 11th, '08, 19:51
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Thanks for the parameters! I will try it. Tomorrow. Mañana!tenuki wrote:Woopee, pictures! You need more leaf in that gaiwan girl!!! The whole gaiwan should be packed and the leaves should be gently pushing on the lid. I use about half a gaiwan of leaves, brew boiling water for ~30 seconds, then 20, 20, 25, 30, 35, etc. Try it, see what ya think.
Today I am so full of tea - nothing more fits!
Jul 11th, '08, 20:30
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I see I was a little unclear. fill the gaiwan just under half full of dry leaves (some say 1/3), the goal is for the leaves to entirely fill it in sort of a loose weave after they have unfurled. Too packed and it will get astringent/bitter too quick, too loose and you won't get the maximum strength for those short brew times. When you pack it this way you'll need to make sure you don't go much over 50 seconds for quite a few infusions, the 'goodness' window is a bit smaller at more leave / shorter infusions.RussianSoul wrote:Thanks for the parameters! I will try it. Tomorrow. Mañana!tenuki wrote:Woopee, pictures! You need more leaf in that gaiwan girl!!! The whole gaiwan should be packed and the leaves should be gently pushing on the lid. I use about half a gaiwan of leaves, brew boiling water for ~30 seconds, then 20, 20, 25, 30, 35, etc. Try it, see what ya think.
Today I am so full of tea - nothing more fits!
Anyway, there isn't a 'right' way, but the way I describe above is how I like it.
Today I tasted 3 teas.
Shan-Linn-Shee (Fir Creek) High Mountain Green Oolong – Teahome
The best toasty taste and aroma, just ever so (it is green though, which makes it so surprising.) This is the type of "toasty" taste I was trying to get from my roasted wuyi's, but instead was getting a mouthful of charcoal. I like this a lot better. Very smooth, ever slightly sweet, fruity, gentle. Conclusion – get some.
Orange Blossom Oolong - New Mexico Tea Co.
I started with less tea, only 3g, because the aroma of the dry leaf was very strong. Finally, a tea from Oolong Box that I don’t care for – to me it smells and tastes like Orange Crush cough drops with something burnt mixed in. For a while I thought I got a Magic Box, not an Oolong Box, I just loved everything I tried. This one proves that I am not insane. Conclusion – perhaps try again later, but it is not going on the shopping list.
Honorable Mention 2008 Baozhong - Floating Leaves Tea
Back to being excited - very smooth, buttery, slightly sweet, complex. I can drink this all day. Conclusion – buy it!
Shan-Linn-Shee (Fir Creek) High Mountain Green Oolong – Teahome
The best toasty taste and aroma, just ever so (it is green though, which makes it so surprising.) This is the type of "toasty" taste I was trying to get from my roasted wuyi's, but instead was getting a mouthful of charcoal. I like this a lot better. Very smooth, ever slightly sweet, fruity, gentle. Conclusion – get some.
Orange Blossom Oolong - New Mexico Tea Co.
I started with less tea, only 3g, because the aroma of the dry leaf was very strong. Finally, a tea from Oolong Box that I don’t care for – to me it smells and tastes like Orange Crush cough drops with something burnt mixed in. For a while I thought I got a Magic Box, not an Oolong Box, I just loved everything I tried. This one proves that I am not insane. Conclusion – perhaps try again later, but it is not going on the shopping list.
Honorable Mention 2008 Baozhong - Floating Leaves Tea
Back to being excited - very smooth, buttery, slightly sweet, complex. I can drink this all day. Conclusion – buy it!
I'm having the Shan-Linn-Shee (Fir Creek) High Mountain Green Oolong – Teahome - right now. To me it tastes a little flat like a thrid steep, lacking body.
Just a little sweet as you said. For me it's a no.
Just a little sweet as you said. For me it's a no.
- Victoria -
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
Jul 12th, '08, 19:34
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<sigh> if you would only brew some of these teas Gong Fu style occasionally a whole new world would open to you....Victoria wrote:I'm having the Shan-Linn-Shee (Fir Creek) High Mountain Green Oolong – Teahome - right now. To me it tastes a little flat like a thrid steep, lacking body.
Just a little sweet as you said. For me it's a no.
Last edited by tenuki on Jul 12th, '08, 19:43, edited 2 times in total.
Jul 12th, '08, 19:39
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Shan Lin Xis have become my favorite Gao Shan, wonderful body, good aroma and good long aftertaste. I'm actually liking them better than the Li Shans lately. I don't know if you noticed or not, but that particular one is a year old, went stale and was roasted by me just before I sent the box. That's probably the 'toasty' you are tasting, and yes, I like that too, it took me 3 roasting session to find it. However, the stuff you order fresh will be very good, but different, ie not roasted.RussianSoul wrote: The best toasty taste and aroma, just ever so (it is green though, which makes it so surprising.) This is the type of "toasty" taste I was trying to get from my roasted wuyi's, but instead was getting a mouthful of charcoal. I like this a lot better. Very smooth, ever slightly sweet, fruity, gentle. Conclusion – get some.
BTW - make sure you check out the NCTG Shui Xian Wu Yi in the box, that is a very good one without a lot of charcoal.
Last edited by tenuki on Jul 12th, '08, 20:14, edited 1 time in total.
Oy! You said yourself you started out this way. Give me some time. I'm enjoying plenty of them and enjoying them very much. I'm slowly starting with my gaiwan, it is possible I will still prefer the boldness and the full amount of complexities all at once in larger brew that I can linger over and enjoy.tenuki wrote: <sigh> if you would only brew these teas properly Vic a whole new world would open to you....
Here's the Tea Home Fir Creek:
.
Last edited by Victoria on Jul 12th, '08, 20:00, edited 1 time in total.
Jul 12th, '08, 19:50
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Well, I occasionally brew them western style too.Victoria wrote:Oy! You said yourself you started out this way. Give me some time. I'm enjoying plenty of them and enjoying them very much. I'm slowly starting with my gaiwan, it is possible I will still prefer the boldness and the full amount of complexities all at once in larger brew that I can linger over and enjoy.tenuki wrote: <sigh> if you would only brew these teas properly Vic a whole new world would open to you....
If you noticed I moderated my original post a bit. Do something different, something different will happen. ( Gong Fu Garden )
I like this tea but not by itself. I like mixing it w/equal parts of Oolong #8 or #40. It's also good as iced tea.RussianSoul wrote: Orange Blossom Oolong - New Mexico Tea Co.
I started with less tea, only 3g, because the aroma of the dry leaf was very strong. Finally, a tea from Oolong Box that I don’t care for – to me it smells and tastes like Orange Crush cough drops with something burnt mixed in. For a while I thought I got a Magic Box, not an Oolong Box, I just loved everything I tried. This one proves that I am not insane. Conclusion – perhaps try again later, but it is not going on the shopping list.
Thanks henley! Sounds like a good idea, I will try mixing and the iced version.henley wrote:I like this tea but not by itself. I like mixing it w/equal parts of Oolong #8 or #40. It's also good as iced tea.RussianSoul wrote: Orange Blossom Oolong - New Mexico Tea Co.
I started with less tea, only 3g, because the aroma of the dry leaf was very strong. Finally, a tea from Oolong Box that I don’t care for – to me it smells and tastes like Orange Crush cough drops with something burnt mixed in. For a while I thought I got a Magic Box, not an Oolong Box, I just loved everything I tried. This one proves that I am not insane. Conclusion – perhaps try again later, but it is not going on the shopping list.