Aug 1st, '08, 15:34
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Aug 1st, '08, 18:16
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augie
Aug 9th, '08, 19:00
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Location: Portland, OR
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ABx
Don't forget to post back here with your impressions 
Even if you feel like you're too new to try to make real worthwhile tasting notes, just the process of paying attention to, and trying to articulate, the aroma, taste, texture/mouthfeel, and aftertaste can do a lot for your appreciation of the tea. It can also help other newcomers who might come across this thread
Regarding the prices, more often than not these can have to do with quality. Even when it's from the same farm/estate, each farm/estate usually makes multiple grades of the same tea. There were some, though, that weren't worth it to me until after I learned to brew well (e.g., gongfu) and/or appreciate more of the nuances that can make a tea different (sometimes even obviously).
When you're ready to get some more, you might consider getting some Wuyi yancha from Jing or Grand, if you want to explore yancha more. They have some great ones for reasonable prices (lower than TeaCuppa's, but they're all high quality). The main thing is that they sell 100g bags which will give you an opportunity to explore them more, and many have a few years of aging already. Shipping takes quite a while (Grand actually does have expedited shipping, but you have to email him first to arrange for it), but it's worth it.
Even if you feel like you're too new to try to make real worthwhile tasting notes, just the process of paying attention to, and trying to articulate, the aroma, taste, texture/mouthfeel, and aftertaste can do a lot for your appreciation of the tea. It can also help other newcomers who might come across this thread
Regarding the prices, more often than not these can have to do with quality. Even when it's from the same farm/estate, each farm/estate usually makes multiple grades of the same tea. There were some, though, that weren't worth it to me until after I learned to brew well (e.g., gongfu) and/or appreciate more of the nuances that can make a tea different (sometimes even obviously).
When you're ready to get some more, you might consider getting some Wuyi yancha from Jing or Grand, if you want to explore yancha more. They have some great ones for reasonable prices (lower than TeaCuppa's, but they're all high quality). The main thing is that they sell 100g bags which will give you an opportunity to explore them more, and many have a few years of aging already. Shipping takes quite a while (Grand actually does have expedited shipping, but you have to email him first to arrange for it), but it's worth it.
Thanks for the advice. I didn't get the tea yet, but i probably will soon, and i have got a nice yixing pot for the brewing I will be getting it at about the same time (hopefully tomorrow) i get some relatively cheap Oolong from a local source (Tie Guan Yin and Darjeeling) so i will also try to compare the two, from a newcomers point of view. I will definitely write my reviews here if i have time.
I will be getting it at about the same time (hopefully tomorrow) i get some relatively cheap Oolong from a local source (Tie Guan Yin and Darjeeling) so i will also try to compare the two, from a newcomers point of view. I will definitely write my reviews here if i have time. Aug 10th, '08, 22:29
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Darjeeling Oolong seems very interesting. I've not heard very much good things about it but I hope you will enjoy it. [/quote]I will be getting it at about the same time (hopefully tomorrow) i get some relatively cheap Oolong from a local source (Tie Guan Yin and Darjeeling)
The noise comes from the other side of the mirror
Yeah, beside the low price you can taste the pure Chinese tea too.cgencer wrote: If you ask the sender to mark package as gift and declare low value, you won't have to pay any customs. with the $ exchange rate as low as it is, the resulting price should be very favorable , even with the shipping..
There is another shop you can visit(it's manufacturer):
http://www.yunxiangtea.com
Aug 11th, '08, 10:45
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Joined: Apr 6th, '08, 19:02
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chamekke
Or a pinned thread. It could also include info about Adagio conversions (so that the first-timer gets a $5 discount), the first-time-only Den sampler kit, that kind of thing.augie wrote:We need to set up an excel spreadsheet with discount codes!!!cgencer wrote:If you're going to order from TeaCuppa, use the gift certificate TEACUPPA for $5 discount.I wish I'd known that too!
______________________
"Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cosy, doesn't try it on."
- Billy Connolly
"Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cosy, doesn't try it on."
- Billy Connolly
Aug 12th, '08, 06:54
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Hyllan
Sadly I haven't yet tasted a Darjeeling oolong that I felt was worth the money (and I've tried three different ones). In fact, I've had better green Darjeeling tea. They probably need more time to perfect the process.
I would not buy Ti Guan Yin from "the teashop around the corner". It might be rather stale.
Shui Xian is usually not too expensive but a nice everyday oolong. For a "darker" oolong I think that would be a good beginner's choice.
For a lighter oolong, Hou De, which has already been recommended, has some cheaper offerings like the "2008 NanTou Oolong, Dong-Ding style" and "2008 Spring Nantou Jade Oolong, Machine-Harvested". They both cost $15 for 4 oz (~ 110g).
If you're looking for a European online vendor then Le Palais des Thés (http://www.palaisdesthes.com/en/) in France usually have a steady quality. They have oolongs in a wide price range.
I would not buy Ti Guan Yin from "the teashop around the corner". It might be rather stale.
Shui Xian is usually not too expensive but a nice everyday oolong. For a "darker" oolong I think that would be a good beginner's choice.
For a lighter oolong, Hou De, which has already been recommended, has some cheaper offerings like the "2008 NanTou Oolong, Dong-Ding style" and "2008 Spring Nantou Jade Oolong, Machine-Harvested". They both cost $15 for 4 oz (~ 110g).
If you're looking for a European online vendor then Le Palais des Thés (http://www.palaisdesthes.com/en/) in France usually have a steady quality. They have oolongs in a wide price range.
Well its not a bad tea shop, it is the biggest dedicated teashop in the country after all.
And the Darjeeling is awesome. Maybe we just had different teas, or have different tastes. I think it was ABx who said that it was quite similar to normal Darjeeling, and i agree, but thats not a bad thing in my book.
I didn't get any samples from Teacuppa btw, but their shipping is both fast and cheap so i won't complain.
And the Darjeeling is awesome. Maybe we just had different teas, or have different tastes. I think it was ABx who said that it was quite similar to normal Darjeeling, and i agree, but thats not a bad thing in my book.
I didn't get any samples from Teacuppa btw, but their shipping is both fast and cheap so i won't complain.
Ok i probably won't have time to review the teacuppa teas so i will just talk about the teas i tried.
I think you can consider them as a low to medium grade but relatively fresh TGY and a medium grade fresh Darjeeling Oolong.
The first impression of TGY was: I HAD THIS BEFORE. As soon as i smelled it i knew that i had tried this Oolong before Even though it was at least a year ago, i knew it instantly.
The TGY was very floral, especially in the first 2 steeps. The smell of the wet leaves was too much, it almost had a scent of rot in it (though wet leaves never smell as good as the tea from my experience).
The smell and taste of the actual tea was better, yet still a bit overpowering in the first steep. Very floral and quite sweet.
I made the tea gong-fu style, as authentic as possible, but i only washed it for 5 seconds. If i had washed it for 15 seconds i would probably have got rid of that first steep which i wasnt crazy about.
The 3rd and 4th steep were the best, the sweet floral taste was present but not overpowering and it also had a fruity taste to it, which i didn't notice in the first two steeps. The 5th and 6th steep were also ok, but a little too mild in flavour for me.
The tea leaves seem excellent for gong-fu, they swelled up and filled the entire teapot. The tea doesnt seem worth authentically gong-fu'ing though, i will probably drink it as an everyday tea and make it in big quantities, but still throwing away the initial rinse. Im not sure if i will buy more of this tea, i like it, but right now there are just too many teas i prefer over it.
I also did the Darjeeling gong-fu style. It doesn't seem as fit to gong-fu though, since the leaves didn't really swell up, and they kind of blocked the filter, making it hard to get all liquid out. Also the tea didn't seem to progress very much through the steepings so i won't talk about each steep.
The actual taste was like i said awesome. This tea was harvested may 08, so that might have a big impact in the taste.
My first impression was classic darjeeling with a different aftertaste.
After some more tasting i also discovered some floral notes and a honey-like taste.
I will definitely recommend all darjeeling lovers to try darjeeling oolong at least once.
I will definitely get this tea again.
I hope someone can use these reviews, and please don't be too hard on me if i said something stupid, this is my first time seriously trying Oolong tea.
so i will just talk about the teas i tried.I think you can consider them as a low to medium grade but relatively fresh TGY and a medium grade fresh Darjeeling Oolong.
The first impression of TGY was: I HAD THIS BEFORE. As soon as i smelled it i knew that i had tried this Oolong before
Even though it was at least a year ago, i knew it instantly.The TGY was very floral, especially in the first 2 steeps. The smell of the wet leaves was too much, it almost had a scent of rot in it (though wet leaves never smell as good as the tea from my experience).
The smell and taste of the actual tea was better, yet still a bit overpowering in the first steep. Very floral and quite sweet.
I made the tea gong-fu style, as authentic as possible, but i only washed it for 5 seconds. If i had washed it for 15 seconds i would probably have got rid of that first steep which i wasnt crazy about.
The 3rd and 4th steep were the best, the sweet floral taste was present but not overpowering and it also had a fruity taste to it, which i didn't notice in the first two steeps. The 5th and 6th steep were also ok, but a little too mild in flavour for me.
The tea leaves seem excellent for gong-fu, they swelled up and filled the entire teapot. The tea doesnt seem worth authentically gong-fu'ing though, i will probably drink it as an everyday tea and make it in big quantities, but still throwing away the initial rinse. Im not sure if i will buy more of this tea, i like it, but right now there are just too many teas i prefer over it.
I also did the Darjeeling gong-fu style. It doesn't seem as fit to gong-fu though, since the leaves didn't really swell up, and they kind of blocked the filter, making it hard to get all liquid out. Also the tea didn't seem to progress very much through the steepings so i won't talk about each steep.
The actual taste was like i said awesome. This tea was harvested may 08, so that might have a big impact in the taste.
My first impression was classic darjeeling with a different aftertaste.
After some more tasting i also discovered some floral notes and a honey-like taste.
I will definitely recommend all darjeeling lovers to try darjeeling oolong at least once.
I will definitely get this tea again.
I hope someone can use these reviews, and please don't be too hard on me if i said something stupid, this is my first time seriously trying Oolong tea.
Last edited by Grubby on Aug 12th, '08, 21:02, edited 3 times in total.