my second pot (show off)

[jayinhk]

I personally would only use high fired red clay or porcelain for gaoshan. It has way too much complexity to mute it. Certain high fired zini clays also perform very well with gaoshan, but it depends on the clay and the firing. I like neiziwaihong for roasty Wuyicha and pu erh myself. It will work well with lower grade oolongs, but I find it too muting for fancy tea. I feel like muting good tea is a bit of a waste since if it isn't flawed, why mute any aspect of it?

Red clay can keep the heat up (important for gaoshan) without muting too much of the aroma and complexity.

I like to use a gaiwan sometimes and clay sometimes with my gaoshans. I find that the clay does take a bit of the creaminess out on the initial tasting, but this allows me to concentrate on some of the other notes that are covered by the creaminess.
Of course, that is what this pot was bought for in the first place, and why I chose it specifically for gaoshan

Sounds good to me. I love gaoshan, but it gives me a heck of a caffeine kick.

[ethan]

This is an interesting discussion which makes me think I might desire a teapot that does not exist. First I express my gratitude, thanks; now I say why I might be foolish.

I want to weaken a bitter taste that often comes with some very good oolong, such as a dayuling I bought about 1 1/2 years ago which was light-bodied, slightly sweet, with hints of a vegetal character and minerals, freshness, good mouthfeel; then the weak bitter taste that gets stronger (which is all that I want to mute). I have 2 tiny yixing pots that help with bitterness a bit but not enough.

With oolong like this, I usually use porcelain & like others find this allows aroma etc. to shine. My hope is to have what I like while weakening what I don't like. Perhaps that is asking a lot of a clay. But I will try a lot of pots before giving up.