Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

[David R.]

To christen it I broached a gem from Nada, Essence Of Tea - Handmade Bai Ji Guan. A great experience

A great tea indeed ! I wonder how the new 2010 Handmade Bei Dou Yi Hao is like...

[Herb_Master]

To christen it I broached a gem from Nada, Essence Of Tea - Handmade Bai Ji Guan. A great experience

A great tea indeed ! I wonder how the new 2010 Handmade Bei Dou Yi Hao is like...

You like it too! ?

The first reviewer was slightly disparaging

so I gushed a little with mine.

A Great Addition To My Yan Cha Shelf Review by Herb Master Wow, I agree with RC - only in that this BJG is darker in every sense than any of the other BJGs I have come across.

I find the level of oxidisation and roast gives a level of comforting warmth to the drinking experience without in any way overshadowing the flavours beneath.

The layered flavours and tastes rise and fall as one drinks revealing fleeting vegetal astringency at one moment, warm fruit at another and subtle mineral tastes as the fruit fades. Yet another sip and the roast predominates in the smoothest of ways and the mineral tastes linger long from the throat.

Later infusions sometimes throw forward some gentle exotic perfumes.

I love the lighter style Bai Ji Guan AND I love this richer version also. I need them both on my Yan Cha shelf.

After a winter's morning frosty ramble, this would rank alongside my favourite Tie Luo Han's to brew on returning home.
(Posted on 26/09/2011)



Not my favorite EoT yancha Review by RC I have had a couple of other BaiJiGuan yancha. While they were very light teas both in color and flavor, this seemed to be more oxidized and roasted, giving it a darker color. I found the tea to be too roasted for a BaiJi Guan and while this tea was ok I did not find it to be worth the price. The slightly cheaper, although still expensive, Lao Jun Mei is a much better option. I also liked the much cheaper half-handmade RouGui and ShuiXian better. (Posted on 12/09/2011)

[David R.]

Yes, I really loved it. I don't have my notes with me so I cannot describe it here more in details, but I remember my happiness while drinking it quite vividly !

It is my understanding that yancha are not to be drunk so young, especially the high fired ones. Roasting requires a period of rest proportional to its intensity.

Nada once told me that he wasn't sure about selling them so young at first, but he tought that witnessing the changes that occur during the first years was worth it.

I think that if you give to this Bai Ji Guan a couple or more years to rest a bit, it will evolve into a tremendous tea. But qualities are already noticeable.

[bryan_drinks_tea]

Last night I tried to enjoy some 2004 shui jin gui yancha. I made a serious faux pas, though. I attempted to re-roast the tea for one minute, which had disastrous results. I like it better with just the aged flavor. Thank heavens I only re-roasted what I was going to brew. I still have about 200 grams left of the stuff. the re-roasted version had no sweetness, no complexity, no nothing. it was just brown blandness. you live, you learn.

[Herb_Master]

How did you attempt your re-roasting?

Details, might help others of us who don't want to make the same mistake!

[teaisme]

yeah did you use a roasting cup>?

[AdamMY]

Having some of The Mandarins Tea Rooms Select grade TGY, outstanding! Granted I have not comparison shopped green TGYs because I just do not consume them often enough.

[Jspigs]

More ti kuan yin atm.

[debunix]

Lao cong Quin Ti 'Osmanthus Fragrance' Dan Cong from TeaHabitat. Floral, spicy, strong and delicious.

[teaisme]

a good sun moon lake green oolong mixed with bottom of bag Old Bush DanCong "Huang Jing" from houde

roughly 3/5 green oolong, 2/5 dancong

The florals actually complement each other very well, texture was a bit strange on first infusion, didn't seem to swallow it easy (but could be because of the perception in my mind that this would be a strange mix). Infusion 2,3,4 were all nice and went down easy. Brewed in bigger pot. What bitterness was in the dancong(when brewed long) has been toned down greatly by the balled oolong. Taste is predominantly the dancong but hints of the oolong do pop out, improved body. Satisfying mix.

[Herb_Master]

Imen's Huang Zhi Xiang 2008

100ml Chao Zhou Sandy Red Clay Tea Pot - Fang Gu

1/4 Full

No wash, 15s 15s 15s 20s 20s 25s 30s 45s 60s

First 2 infusions very aromatic, a touch too much perhaps.
Next 4 Infusions very, very good
Last 3 Infusions - like nectar, slipped down far too easily - I wish the pot had been bigger But if it had been bigger I would probably have called it a day after 5 infusions

I won't sleep if I have any more - as it is well after midnight, a quick gin cocktail before supper and a bottle of red wine with supper, and with a bit of luck I shall be asleep before 3am.

[debunix]

A very light, spicy Dong Ding from Norbu, brewed in a Seong-il pot and enjoyed from my Petr Novak Chawan. One thing I hadn't realized about the big Chawan before--while it does require some careful handling used for very hot tea, it also permits that tea to cool down sufficient for drinking quickly. And it's so pretty with tea in it.

[Herb_Master]

Using my Lucian Koonce cup for

Ai Jiao which I obtained from L M Chong at Jing Dian in Kuala Lumpur.
In the shop, Sally Translated it as 'Short legs' because it was so small compared to all the other old Yan Cha trees from the region. L M Chong (The lady in my Avatar) had overseen the leaves being picked from three 200 year old bushes just a couple of hundred yards across the same side of the valley from the Bai Ji Guan mother tree.

I see that Dragon Tea House has the same tea (but probably from much younger clones) and he calls it Dwarf Oolong.

I note that Stephane at Teamasters and Teaparker have some of the Taiwanese children that were taken to Taiwan 120 years ago, and they call it 'Little Foot'. Stephane goes on to relate that these trees, contrary to popular opinion, did not come from Wuyi but some 2 hours drive away.

Well, L M Chong showed me on the map where her Ai Jiao came from, also her Mother tree Bai Ji Guan, and A child Bai Ji Guan, all in the Inner Area of Wuyi.

I also bought some DHP from her, and when I asked her to show me on the map, she said no!, it was from well outside the map.

Whichever what way - this tea is going down well tonight

The first time I have tried it since in the shop in February. I think it is even more enjoyable now, than when she brewed it for me Maybe the roast has just subsided perfectly

Today, I walked home from work in a windy and wet storm
This tea is a beautiful Orange colour, with rich fruity, woody notes but all of a medium tonality that make it both refreshing and warming at the same time. Very invigorating, and very more-ish!

Lucien's cup is nice to drink from, but I prewarmed it for the first infusion - I won't do that again - despite thick walls it was quickly too hot to hold. Now, I am brewing in a 90ml Zhuni, and Lucien's Stoneware cup holds about 110ml, so I did not use a fair cup and filled it almost to the brim.

Now I am using the fair cup, and just filling the stoneware cup 1/3 full

[Herb_Master]

In the 3rd and 4th Infusions the woody, toasty notes dissipated, the fruit mellowed and minerals started showing.

By the 7th infusion, the fruit had faded and it was like drinking a really rich mineral water. Am I drinking the Yan without the Cha!
It certainly slips down wonderfully.

[Herb_Master]

Evergreen's 'Ji Pin Ban Tian Yao'

Not one of my favourites, Pungently Aromatic, slightly bitter/acrid.