Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

[Tead Off]

I've mentioned a 2015 Mim First Flush a while ago. I just finished another small pot and noticed an overall improvement of those leaves, mainly a change in the taste profile; the delicious fruity notes stand out more clearly and distinctively than back then (same pot, water and brewing parameters). Those tiny first flush leaves can change dramatically within a couple months. I keep them in small multilayer aluminum pouches with very little air inside and check back every month in order not to miss the climax of their development.
Still thinking about how to preserve some of the Liza Hill SF, my tea of the year so far. I might vacuum pack it 10-20g wise, deep freeze half of the batch, keep the rest in the cellar and once in a while invite some friends to revisit and compare them.

I have several 2010 teas that have been inside metal canisters that are still good to drink, even a white tea! No special packing other than that. The japanese suppliers are big on freezing their teas for storage so you might give it a go.

[kuánglóng]

I've mentioned a 2015 Mim First Flush a while ago. I just finished another small pot and noticed an overall improvement of those leaves, mainly a change in the taste profile; the delicious fruity notes stand out more clearly and distinctively than back then (same pot, water and brewing parameters). Those tiny first flush leaves can change dramatically within a couple months. I keep them in small multilayer aluminum pouches with very little air inside and check back every month in order not to miss the climax of their development.
Still thinking about how to preserve some of the Liza Hill SF, my tea of the year so far. I might vacuum pack it 10-20g wise, deep freeze half of the batch, keep the rest in the cellar and once in a while invite some friends to revisit and compare them.

I have several 2010 teas that have been inside metal canisters that are still good to drink, even a white tea! No special packing other than that. The japanese suppliers are big on freezing their teas for storage so you might give it a go.

I will J., thanks. I usually have some kilograms of DJ lying around the house, but no experience with deep freezing them. I usually vacuum pack or just heat seal those I want to keep longer in those multilayer aluminum bags I've mentioned.
Re. keeping them in their original packaging I don't have any probs with moisture over here but back in foggy Darjeeling it was a real issue. Keeping them stored 100g wise on shelves for months, wrapped in kraft paper, like some sellers seem to prefer it, is far from an ideal solution even for short time storage, especially under those conditions up there. I've had some exquisite leaves die on me within days in those packs. Never again.

[kuánglóng]

Just had some organic 2015 FF Nagri EX3 SFTGFOP1 in a small celadon gaiwan. Impressive old school stuff with a decent level of oxidation for a 2015 First Flush; reminds me of what FFes were like back in the day which isn't a bad thing .

[Tead Off]

Just had some organic 2015 FF Nagri EX3 SFTGFOP1 in a small celadon gaiwan. Impressive old school stuff with a decent level of oxidation for a 2015 First Flush; reminds me of what FFes were like back in the day which isn't a bad thing .

Shouldn't this be posted in Black Tea topic? Even what Himalayan growers call oolong is still closer to the black tea genre in most cases.

[Frisbeehead]

The book I'm reading right now talks about this sort of.

Around 1850 Robert Fortune took seedlings and plant specimens of Da Hong Pao and sent it to India for replanting and cultivation. Over the years since this happened, it's been cross bred with many different tea plants that had already been growing there, most of which being the Darjeeling and Assam bushes.

I suppose that the spirit of DHP lives on in some of the higher quality black teas out of India. Though it has been quite a long time since that happened, so I'm not sure how much the plant may have crossbreed by this time.

[kuánglóng]

Just had some organic 2015 FF Nagri EX3 SFTGFOP1 in a small celadon gaiwan. Impressive old school stuff with a decent level of oxidation for a 2015 First Flush; reminds me of what FFes were like back in the day which isn't a bad thing .

Shouldn't this be posted in Black Tea topic? Even what Himalayan growers call oolong is still closer to the black tea genre in most cases.

Good question, J.
The Nagri I've mentioned is a special production (EX3), handrolled, with the oxidation level of the mixed leaves all over the map, most leaves though are still pretty greenish, none of them fully oxidised and the brew, even after an extended steep doesn't look red but rather bright green-yellowish. To me this tea, and most other first and in between flushes from Darjeeling qualify as Oolong teas just like any stuff from China or Taiwan that goes by that name. The only similarity to what we usually call black tea is the relatively tiny size of the leaves and tips. It all depends on our definitions and those I care to remember mainly focus on oxidation levels and processing rather than provenience, varietals, plucking system, etc...
To me it would feel sort of weird to post comments on teas like this under 'black teas' but OTOH I'm not enough of a separatist to feel or express the need for an extra forum.

Anyone?

[BW85]

The book I'm reading right now talks about this sort of.

Around 1850 Robert Fortune took seedlings and plant specimens of Da Hong Pao and sent it to India for replanting and cultivation. Over the years since this happened, it's been cross bred with many different tea plants that had already been growing there, most of which being the Darjeeling and Assam bushes.

I suppose that the spirit of DHP lives on in some of the higher quality black teas out of India. Though it has been quite a long time since that happened, so I'm not sure how much the plant may have crossbreed by this time.

I never heard that it was da hong pao that Robert fortune took to India, not saying it's not true, just hadn't heard that type specifically (also what is DHP, see other thread ) ... That being said, if he took a wuyi varietal to India and tea was produced with those genetics, that wouldn't mean the tea is oolong. Oolong has very specific processing that makes it what it is. As an example in wuyishan they don't only produce yancha oolong but red tea also

I don't consider FF or any lightly oxidized Darjeeling an oolong, but just a lightly oxidized black/red tea, as the processing fits more into that category

[Frisbeehead]

The book I'm reading right now talks about this sort of.

Around 1850 Robert Fortune took seedlings and plant specimens of Da Hong Pao and sent it to India for replanting and cultivation. Over the years since this happened, it's been cross bred with many different tea plants that had already been growing there, most of which being the Darjeeling and Assam bushes.

I suppose that the spirit of DHP lives on in some of the higher quality black teas out of India. Though it has been quite a long time since that happened, so I'm not sure how much the plant may have crossbreed by this time.

I never heard that it was da hong pao that Robert fortune took to India, not saying it's not true, just hadn't heard that type specifically (also what is DHP, see other thread ) ... That being said, if he took a wuyi varietal to India and tea was produced with those genetics, that wouldn't mean the tea is oolong. Oolong has very specific processing that makes it what it is. As an example in wuyishan they don't only produce yancha oolong but red tea also

I don't consider FF or any lightly oxidized Darjeeling an oolong, but just a lightly oxidized black/red tea, as the processing fits more into that category

In the book "For All the Tea in China" it is claimed that Fortune did bring the DHP cultivar to India. Of course, they did not produce oolong with it, and instead it must have been mixed in with the other tea cultivars they had and used to make black tea.

What I meant was that the "spirit" of Wuyi lives within the black teas that have traces of those original DHP bushes. Not that the tea they produced was oolong.

It was more of a small, somewhat related anecdote anyway. This book has been a fun read so far. She got the information for the book from Fortune's journals and a few other sources I believe. Unfortunately, as it is not written as a historical account, she does not cite any sources and only mentions them in the foreword I believe.

[BW85]

In the book "For All the Tea in China" it is claimed that Fortune did bring the DHP cultivar to India. Of course, they did not produce oolong with it, and instead it must have been mixed in with the other tea cultivars they had and used to make black tea.

What I meant was that the "spirit" of Wuyi lives within the black teas that have traces of those original DHP bushes. Not that the tea they produced was oolong.

It was more of a small, somewhat related anecdote anyway. This book has been a fun read so far. She got the information for the book from Fortune's journals and a few other sources I believe. Unfortunately, as it is not written as a historical account, she does not cite any sources and only mentions them in the foreword I believe.

I'll have to look for that book, might be a good read

[kuánglóng]

Just in case, written by the man himself (free - out of copyright)
"Two Visits to the Tea Countries in China and the British Tea Plantations in the Himalayas"
Part I
http://ia600505.us.archive.org/21/items ... 85fort.pdf
Part II
http://library.umac.mo/ebooks/b25540889.pdf

[kuánglóng]

It's been a strange day and I'm on a trip into the past with some Sea Dyke shui xian (paper box).

[Frisbeehead]

Just recently started drinking phoenix oolongs. At the moment I'm drinking a Mi Lan Xiang from 2007. It has a fruity aroma, and has a sort of fig like flavor. It's balanced nicely with a very slight bitter aftertaste.

Yet another category to explore

[kuánglóng]

Just finished a long session with some old friends and a selection of different yanchas. Our common favorite was an aged Lao Cong Shui Xian but I can't remember where I got it from, sigh.

[debunix]

Huang Jin Gui, Anxi oolong from Norbu. It's a relatively light roast, but not like a green TGY, and a little tricky to get just right. This morning I'm brewing it in an unglazed bizen-style pot by Petr Novak and it is bringing out the best in the tea--a lovely fruitiness that is refreshing, not a plumminess like a very highly oxidized oolong or aged puerh, nor a sweet floral note like a fine green TGY, but a little tart, a little sweet, with earthy base notes. Very nice. Starting my second session with the same tea, because the first was just so good.

So nice to have cooler weather and to be able to enjoy hot tea all day long.

[Zacherywolf7]

Twice roasted Spring Dong Ding from floating leaves:http://www.floatingleavestea.com/index. ... cts_id=270

Its oolongs like these that make me wonder why I even drink puerh. It smells like honey and baked goods but the thing that makes it go above and beyond is how it goes down the throat. It is the best throat feeling I have ever experienced I want to say. It is so thick and voluptuous and makes it so incredibly endearing and brings up a rich thick honey aftertaste. The first sip I took I was instantly relaxed. Totally drinkable now. I have 60 grams of the three roasted being aged for what I plan to be a couple years, can't wait. The price can't be beat either.