Official what Oolong are You Drinking Right Now?

[jayinhk]

That's a valid point too. Here in HK, there's a store that specializes in high roast TGY that sounds like the stuff you described. Black, and the leaves stay rolled when brewed. It's actually very nice tea, though, and a lot of TCers have asked me to get them some as they don't ship. Perhaps giving the tea a year might help things..or maybe it'll still taste like popcorn.

[wyardley]

The Sea Dyke red tin stuff is lower fire than the super heavy-fire stuff. It's a relatively balanced roast, though not a super high-end tea.

[debunix]

Here is the Sea Dyke vs the charcoal in the guise of tea version: the SeaDyke is on the left.

[debunix]

Today, I opened a new package of Balhyocha from Yi Ho Yeong via Morning Crane Tea. First brewing in a Shawn McGuire shibo is a little thin due to not being bold enough with the tea quantity, but late at night, I was trying to avoid excessive caffeination. Lovely tea, tart, fruity, sweet, mellow, as expected. I love Balhyocha.

Earlier today, more Sea Dyke TKY brewed in a thermos for a busy afternoon at work. Basic, earthy, pleasant, never brilliant, but ever-so-reliably steady and good.

[Alucard]

Just finished a session of Traditional Roast Tie Guan Yin from Norbu. Now I'm having Tie Guan Yin - Taiwan Med Roast also from Norbu as a comparison. Both are different from each other and good. The Taiwan roast is more refined in flavor. Two thumbs up.

[ethan]

Reading Alucard's post about medium-roast Tie Quan Yin, I wondered where mine was. I had put the foil pack between some packs of dark roast. Anyway, from Taiwan but not via Norbu, I'd say I am getting "refined" drinking also. This is very close to the dark roast TGY that I have been drinking & also very good. 3 satisfying infusions from a minimum amount of leaf in 92C water for as little as 15 seconds.

[debunix]

Reading Alucard's post about medium-roast Tie Quan Yin, I wondered where mine was. I had put the foil pack between some packs of dark roast. Anyway, from Taiwan but not via Norbu, I'd say I am getting "refined" drinking also. This is very close to the dark roast TGY that I have been drinking & also very good. 3 satisfying infusions from a minimum amount of leaf in 92C water for as little as 15 seconds.

The Norbu version of this is what I have gone to over the past couple of years when I want a more refined experience than the everyday drinker from SeaDyke.

[jayinhk]

Drinking a medium-high fire TGY I bought in Muzha with ethan. Far more complex in hongi than zini, but harsher and I still don't get the huigan I got in Taipei when tasting this tea. Still, this pot makes this tea much more interesting to drink! Definitely very distinct from Fujian TGY.

[Bok]

Drinking a medium-high fire TGY I bought in Muzha with ethan. Far more complex in hongi than zini, but harsher and I still don't get the huigan I got in Taipei when tasting this tea. Still, this pot makes this tea much more interesting to drink! Definitely very distinct from Fujian TGY.

If with a good pot it still tastes different, it might also be that they gave you a lower quality than what they prepared for you... not unheard of, especially if you buy close to where the tea is grown.

One reason my Taiwanese relatives never let me buy any tea when we pass by plantations in the mountains, the risk of getting ripped off is much higher there than in a shop in the city. Mostly because the good tea is immediately reserved and sold off to longstanding customers and professional tea traders.

[jayinhk]

Drinking a medium-high fire TGY I bought in Muzha with ethan. Far more complex in hongi than zini, but harsher and I still don't get the huigan I got in Taipei when tasting this tea. Still, this pot makes this tea much more interesting to drink! Definitely very distinct from Fujian TGY.

If with a good pot it still tastes different, it might also be that they gave you a lower quality than what they prepared for you... not unheard of, especially if you buy close to where the tea is grown.

One reason my Taiwanese relatives never let me buy any tea when we pass by plantations in the mountains, the risk of getting ripped off is much higher there than in a shop in the city. Mostly because the good tea is immediately reserved and sold off to longstanding customers and professional tea traders.

I've heard that bounded around, and thought the bait and switch might have been the case, but the tea definitely tastes the same. Also if I was a tea farmer I'd definitely rather sell retail, since the margins are much higher. I don't think that is a hard and fast rule. It is a nice TGY for sure and the only one we bought in Muzha-- the rest were crap.

[ethan]

Difficulty in getting a drink that matches what Jay & I were served in Muzha is not surprising. Circumstances there that are different than when we are at home are:

We drank 3 infusions of each tea sampled w/o clearing our palates w/ water or food between teas;

Teas were usually prepared in well-seasoned yixing dedicated to one tea;

Infusions were combined in glass servers (except when I succeeded in preventing stacking);

Pots may not have been emptied completely of one infusion before hot water was added for an additional infusion;

Better timing: How long leaves were allowed to steep was impossible to note as conversation & activity in the shop made it seem there was casual variation in times; however, I doubt preparation was as casual as it seemed. A finger touch on a pot to judge how hot it was; a look to see if water on its outside had dried; or, perhaps even a clock that Jay & I did not notice, may have been used for quite deliberate timing.

Of course, even if we find perfect teaware & timing, the water we use is different.

Fortunately, the tea is so good that I am almost always getting an equally good result from my preparations though the results may be different. The one big difference does not involve that tea nor yixing, but Mrs. Chen preparing dayuling in a porcelain bowl stirred a few times w/ a porcelain spoon. Sometimes she left a reserve; sometimes she did not. I have not equalled the quality of that session----yet.

[jayinhk]

Difficulty in getting a drink that matches what Jay & I were served in Muzha is not surprising. Circumstances there that are different than when we are at home are:

We drank 3 infusions of each tea sampled w/o clearing our palates w/ water or food between teas;

Teas were usually prepared in well-seasoned yixing dedicated to one tea;

Infusions were combined in glass servers (except when I succeeded in preventing stacking);

Pots may not have been emptied completely of one infusion before hot water was added for an additional infusion;

Better timing: How long leaves were allowed to steep was impossible to note as conversation & activity in the shop made it seem there was casual variation in times; however, I doubt preparation was as casual as it seemed. A finger touch on a pot to judge how hot it was; a look to see if water on its outside had dried; or, perhaps even a clock that Jay & I did not notice, may have been used for quite deliberate timing.

Of course, even if we find perfect teaware & timing, the water we use is different.

Fortunately, the tea is so good that I am almost always getting an equally good result from my preparations though the results may be different. The one big difference does not involve that tea nor yixing, but Mrs. Chen preparing dayuling in a porcelain bowl stirred a few times w/ a porcelain spoon. Sometimes she left a reserve; sometimes she did not. I have not equalled the quality of that session----yet.

With roast TGY brewed gongfu style...you can't leave anything in the pot or it'll get too strong and bitter. I always try to get every last drop out when brewing gongfu style!

Most people time mentally. I actually count in my head and focus on the numbers alone--meditation of sorts.

[ethan]

Imperial pearl from Mountain tea. I drink this highly oxidized oolong several times a week. Today 2 minute infusions are so pleasing. I've steeped the orangish brown leaves for 2 1/2 minutes most of the time; yet, I forgot that one can emphasize the tart flavors easily. W/ all the black & dark-roast teas I drink lately, lighter tart flavor is welcome.

[debunix]

Imperial pearl from Mountain tea. I drink this highly oxidized oolong several times a week. Today 2 minute infusions are so pleasing. I've steeped the orangish brown leaves for 2 1/2 minutes most of the time; yet, I forgot that one can emphasize the tart flavors easily. W/ all the black & dark-roast teas I drink lately, lighter tart flavor is welcome.

Yesterday, after lots of SeaDyke TKY and Lao Cha Tou shu puerh in recent days, I enjoyed some handmade Korean Balhyocha from Morning Crane for the same reason. It is so refreshingly different, but so alike to the very highly oxidized oolongs like the Imperial Pearl or the Red Alishan I've gotten recently from Norbu (and FYI, he now has a 2015 Fall Red Alishan on his site, definitely need to get some of that with an order soon). They are so different from the earthier traditional roasts and yet still so forgivingly oolong.

[jayinhk]

Just bought 500g of 2016 medium-high roast, old tree dancong from a dealer in Chaozhou. Here's hoping SF Express in Chaozhou don't reject the shipment!