Can't wait for it to get here! Thanx for the info about the sample bags. I found some this past weekend from one of the tea vendors.
Jul 16th, '08, 18:02
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Gainesville, Florida
Ooh, put me on that midnight train with Gladys all the way from LA back down home to Georgia.RussianSoul wrote:The Oolong Box is on its way to Georgia!
Wow, she is fabulous. Thanks for that link.Salsero wrote:Ooh, put me on that midnight train with Gladys all the way from LA back down home to Georgia.RussianSoul wrote:The Oolong Box is on its way to Georgia!
How about re-posting in TeaDay?
- Victoria -
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
She is really great!Salsero wrote:Ooh, put me on that midnight train with Gladys all the way from LA back down home to Georgia.RussianSoul wrote:The Oolong Box is on its way to Georgia!
But I've been thinking about Ray all day. Can you blame me?
Class all the way.RussianSoul wrote:She is really great!Salsero wrote:Ooh, put me on that midnight train with Gladys all the way from LA back down home to Georgia.RussianSoul wrote:The Oolong Box is on its way to Georgia!
But I've been thinking about Ray all day. Can you blame me?
- Victoria -
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
Jul 17th, '08, 00:46
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Gainesville, Florida
I have never liked Ray Charles for some reason... but ... that performance you reference on YouTube is fabulous. This is the first time I get Ray Charles. I'm sure that great flute is part of the reason. R_S you must be from Georgia SSR to be so tuned in to Ray.RussianSoul wrote:... I've been thinking about Ray all day. Can you blame me?
I thought I'd post my tasting notes as a form of entertainment while we are waiting for the Oolong Box to land in Georgia. These are the samples I tasted so far:
July 13: Wu Yi Shui Xian - New Century Tea Gallery
Gaiwan, gongfu, 4g, 90ml, boiling water, 30s.
Very smooth, nice, slightly toasty, no charcoal. Conclusion – nice, but not very special, to keep in mind for winter when I have a taste for wuyi.
July 13: Ali Shan High Mountain Golden Lily (Alishan Hochland Jinshuan) – TeaHome
Gaiwan, gongfu, 5g, 90ml, boiling water, starting with 30s.
Feels thick like mama’s chicken soup, has a pleasing roundness, sweet, vegetal, smooth – love it. Conclusion – absolutely buy it!
July 16: Feng Haung Dan Cong – Tea Spring
YiXing, 4g, 6oz, boiling water, 1m, 1m, 1.5m.
First two infusions - nice, but not very impressive, gentle oolong-y taste with no bite. Third infusion – bitter. Not impressed. I certainly expected more from a famous tea from a reputable vendor. Conclusion – learn how to brew Dan Cong before deciding to cross this out.
July 17: 2008 Dong Ding – Floating Leaves Tea
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, boiling, 30s, 20s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 1m, 1m
1st infusion – lovely, round, sweet, good body, honey, caramel, something baked. 2nd infusion – hmmm, a bit bitter, tastes like a generic oolong, maybe I overbrewed it. I did cooled tea with it for the gym, and then continued to brew it for 2 days: 7, perhaps even 8 infusions. It could go on some more, but I wanted a new tea. Conclusion – get some.
July 19: Oolong #18 (tenuki roast) – Adagio
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 20s, 20s, 30s, 40s
It is a nice rolled green oolong. I like it enough. If I haven’t tried FLT and Teamasters’ oolongs and some other gao shans I would have ordered it on the spot. Having tried some that are better pushes this one a little back.
July 20: Formosa Wu Yi – Floating Leaves Tea
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 20s, 20s, 30s, 40s
Certainly more green than any Wuyi I have tried so far. Which is OK by me – I like green oolongs better than dark. The leaf looks as if it was roasted, but the tea tastes mostly green and just a little toasty. It is round, a little fruity and a little nutty, and does not have that certain oolong bite and astringency. Among all wuyi’s I tasted I like this the best. Conclusion – it will go on the shopping list, but not as immediate priority.
To be continued...
July 13: Wu Yi Shui Xian - New Century Tea Gallery
Gaiwan, gongfu, 4g, 90ml, boiling water, 30s.
Very smooth, nice, slightly toasty, no charcoal. Conclusion – nice, but not very special, to keep in mind for winter when I have a taste for wuyi.
July 13: Ali Shan High Mountain Golden Lily (Alishan Hochland Jinshuan) – TeaHome
Gaiwan, gongfu, 5g, 90ml, boiling water, starting with 30s.
Feels thick like mama’s chicken soup, has a pleasing roundness, sweet, vegetal, smooth – love it. Conclusion – absolutely buy it!
July 16: Feng Haung Dan Cong – Tea Spring
YiXing, 4g, 6oz, boiling water, 1m, 1m, 1.5m.
First two infusions - nice, but not very impressive, gentle oolong-y taste with no bite. Third infusion – bitter. Not impressed. I certainly expected more from a famous tea from a reputable vendor. Conclusion – learn how to brew Dan Cong before deciding to cross this out.
July 17: 2008 Dong Ding – Floating Leaves Tea
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, boiling, 30s, 20s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 1m, 1m
1st infusion – lovely, round, sweet, good body, honey, caramel, something baked. 2nd infusion – hmmm, a bit bitter, tastes like a generic oolong, maybe I overbrewed it. I did cooled tea with it for the gym, and then continued to brew it for 2 days: 7, perhaps even 8 infusions. It could go on some more, but I wanted a new tea. Conclusion – get some.
July 19: Oolong #18 (tenuki roast) – Adagio
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 20s, 20s, 30s, 40s
It is a nice rolled green oolong. I like it enough. If I haven’t tried FLT and Teamasters’ oolongs and some other gao shans I would have ordered it on the spot. Having tried some that are better pushes this one a little back.
July 20: Formosa Wu Yi – Floating Leaves Tea
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 20s, 20s, 30s, 40s
Certainly more green than any Wuyi I have tried so far. Which is OK by me – I like green oolongs better than dark. The leaf looks as if it was roasted, but the tea tastes mostly green and just a little toasty. It is round, a little fruity and a little nutty, and does not have that certain oolong bite and astringency. Among all wuyi’s I tasted I like this the best. Conclusion – it will go on the shopping list, but not as immediate priority.
To be continued...
Not sure if TC was down or just my computer acting up but I can finally post again & say:
Oolong Box In Da House!!!
This thing is amazing! I'm embarrassed that I only have a few oolongs to add compared to what others put in.
May be bugging a few of you for directions on what to do w/the Asian teaware enclosed. Now what to drink first...
Oolong Box In Da House!!!
This thing is amazing! I'm embarrassed that I only have a few oolongs to add compared to what others put in.
May be bugging a few of you for directions on what to do w/the Asian teaware enclosed. Now what to drink first...After sorting thru all the selections, decided my first tea would be the Floating Leaves Baozhong. I've not had any Baozhong since May as part of the first box pass so this was long overdue! Also, my favorite lily finally bloomed but didn't bring it in soon enough to protect it from the critters. 
Riene, this is the glass teapot I told you about. It looks small but it holds 3 cups (teacups) of tea.
Riene, this is the glass teapot I told you about. It looks small but it holds 3 cups (teacups) of tea.
It is like a traveling teashop, isn't it?henley wrote:Not sure if TC was down or just my computer acting up but I can finally post again & say:
Oolong Box In Da House!!!
This thing is amazing! I'm embarrassed that I only have a few oolongs to add compared to what others put in.
How did you like this Baozhong? I am curious because I loved it.henley wrote:After sorting thru all the selections, decided my first tea would be the Floating Leaves Baozhong.
I have some more tasting notes from the Box:
July 21: Snow Pear Oolong Xue Li – Silk Road Tea
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 30s,
Meh. I really don’t know what to write about this one. It is not bad, but not anything special either. I may use the sample for chilled (don’t like iced) tea to take to the gym. I’d drink anything at the gym unless it is truly bad. Conclusion – love the name, but it’s a no.
July 22: Monkey Pick Oolong – New Century Tea Gallery
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 20s,
Nice. Gentle and smooth, full and round in the mouth, has delicate viscosity, nutty aroma, not particularly sweet, hot wet leaves smell of orchids. Conclusion – it’s a buy if I am placing an order with NCTG. I wouldn’t do an order for this alone.
July 23: Formosa San Ling Xi – Red Blossom Tea
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 15s, 25s, 45s
Slight viscosity, flowery and a little citrus (like lemon), very nice. Surprised at how much I liked it having never heard anything spectacular about this vendor. Conclusion – buy it if ordering anything from Red Blossom.
July 24: Formosa Fo Shou – Hou De
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 15s, 25s, 45s
I can tell it is a very good tea. Nice, no bite, no charcoal. Nothing bad about it. At the same time I don’t know what good to say about it. I don’t have a taste for dark oolongs at the moment. Maybe I will develop some appreciation later, but for now the conclusion is – no.
And I did another tasting of Feng Haung Dan Cong from Tea Spring. This time I have read Imen's blog, so I would have a good theoretical base
, and used Sal's helpful instructions:
July 28: Feng Haung Dan Cong – Tea Spring
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 20s, 25s, 30s...
First steep - an undistinguished faint tea. I didn't get the aroma that Dan Congs are famous for, not a special taste. Second steep - same, with slight bitterness. Third steep - bitter. I did not continue past that. The leaves in gaiwan did smell very nice, fruity and flowery and rainforest. Conclusion - this one is a no.
I am inviting other participants to share their thoughts on teas they tried and their tasting notes. I think it could be a lot of fun to discuss teas we all tasted and compare our thoughts.
Henley, here looking at you kid!
July 21: Snow Pear Oolong Xue Li – Silk Road Tea
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 30s,
Meh. I really don’t know what to write about this one. It is not bad, but not anything special either. I may use the sample for chilled (don’t like iced) tea to take to the gym. I’d drink anything at the gym unless it is truly bad. Conclusion – love the name, but it’s a no.
July 22: Monkey Pick Oolong – New Century Tea Gallery
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 20s,
Nice. Gentle and smooth, full and round in the mouth, has delicate viscosity, nutty aroma, not particularly sweet, hot wet leaves smell of orchids. Conclusion – it’s a buy if I am placing an order with NCTG. I wouldn’t do an order for this alone.
July 23: Formosa San Ling Xi – Red Blossom Tea
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 15s, 25s, 45s
Slight viscosity, flowery and a little citrus (like lemon), very nice. Surprised at how much I liked it having never heard anything spectacular about this vendor. Conclusion – buy it if ordering anything from Red Blossom.
July 24: Formosa Fo Shou – Hou De
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 30s, 15s, 25s, 45s
I can tell it is a very good tea. Nice, no bite, no charcoal. Nothing bad about it. At the same time I don’t know what good to say about it. I don’t have a taste for dark oolongs at the moment. Maybe I will develop some appreciation later, but for now the conclusion is – no.
And I did another tasting of Feng Haung Dan Cong from Tea Spring. This time I have read Imen's blog, so I would have a good theoretical base
, and used Sal's helpful instructions:July 28: Feng Haung Dan Cong – Tea Spring
Porcelain gaiwan, 4g, 100ml, off boil, 20s, 25s, 30s...
First steep - an undistinguished faint tea. I didn't get the aroma that Dan Congs are famous for, not a special taste. Second steep - same, with slight bitterness. Third steep - bitter. I did not continue past that. The leaves in gaiwan did smell very nice, fruity and flowery and rainforest. Conclusion - this one is a no.
I am inviting other participants to share their thoughts on teas they tried and their tasting notes. I think it could be a lot of fun to discuss teas we all tasted and compare our thoughts.
Henley, here looking at you kid!