Official what Black (Red) Tea Are You Drinking Right Now?

[Tead Off]

2013 Jun Chiyabari Himalayan Orange. A 2nd flush tea that is perhaps a bit different than all the others I've been drinking. This tea is tippy without the stem, 2 leaves, and a bud. The aroma of the dry leaf is significant with a decidedly citrus quality. 3g/90ml Yixing, 30 sec delivers a deep and more complex brew than the others. There seems to be more distinct high and low notes to the flavor that envelops your tongue, resting there for quite some time. However, there is an astringency there that is not present in the other teas. It is sort of like a wet mouth with a drier throat. Perhaps brewing it with a lighter hand might help this astringecy. It's odd that there are no stems which could account for the astringent quality. But the resulting flavor far outweighs the astringent aspect. No duds with these eastern Nepali Dhankuta teas.

[ethan]

Teadoff, Drinking the same HOR as you: Lately I have been using about 1 gram for 90ml for a 2-minute infusion. This smaller amount of leaf does not lead to astringency. The lengthier steeping allows me to taste the fruitiness fully. For me the first infusion is definitely best. I often don't prepare more than one. This tea w/ age has a greater aroma for the dry leaves but less aroma prepared. I agree w/ you that this tea is unique.

[Tead Off]

Teadoff, Drinking the same HOR as you: Lately I have been using about 1 gram for 90ml for a 2-minute infusion. This smaller amount of leaf does not lead to astringency. The lengthier steeping allows me to taste the fruitiness fully. For me the first infusion is definitely best. I often don't prepare more than one. This tea w/ age has a greater aroma for the dry leaves but less aroma prepared. I agree w/ you that this tea is unique.

Why would a watered down version allow you to taste the fruitiness fully? It doesn't really make much sense to me. I can understand that your taste may want a lighter drink, that's fine. But the depth of the tea and the full flavor that it might have is revealed with more leaf to water in shorter brews, giving me at least 6 full flavored cups before tapering off. Astringency is part of the nature of tea. But as I said, the flavor far outweighs any astringency and I could brew it slightly lighter and get even less astringency and still keep the rich, deep, flavor throughout the brews.

The oolong that I gave you is also very rich and deep. I also prepare it in the way I described for the blacks. In fact, this has become my preferred brewing pattern for Himalayan teas including whites.

[ethan]

I finished the tea that you gave me quite a while back.

This HOR is the 10 kg. I got from Jun Chiyabari, I think about 18 months back. Anyway, when I did not drink any tea for 2 months, returning to drinking found me less able to enjoy what you might call full flavor--I find it harsh. SOMETIMES, I should say, because how tea feels & tastes to me has been remarkably inconsistent lately.

Almost always: A tiny bit of astringency is okay w/ me, but certainly not a lot. I can enjoy light tea, thin flavors...what may seem almost like a juice or something else after melted ice has diluted the beverage. I'll play some more w/ the HOR but until I am back in the USA I don't have all of the teaware that helps me find & repeat better & best results. I also want a nose that is not being ravaged by sleeping w/ air con on high. (My girlfriend wins all battles in the bedroom)

Anyway, Teadoff, what you say makes sense, but my senses are not always sensible.

[Tead Off]

Also, perhaps traveling with tea is not the best way to enjoy and savour it.

[kuánglóng]

Also, perhaps traveling with tea is not the best way to enjoy and savour it.

To me it's the other way around. I enjoy tea even more when I'm on the road.

With temperatures below freezing black is back - with a vengeance; can't drink anything else these days. Apart from Lapsang darker reds still don't work for me but I'm moving from one pot of Keemun or Lapsang to the next and don't even miss my beloved Darjeelings or anything else too much in that freakin cold weather.

[Tead Off]

Also, perhaps traveling with tea is not the best way to enjoy and savour it.

To me it's the other way around. I enjoy tea even more when I'm on the road.

This is not my experience. Different water and climates can totally throw the experience off. But, if it works for you, that's nice.

[kuánglóng]

Also, perhaps traveling with tea is not the best way to enjoy and savour it.

To me it's the other way around. I enjoy tea even more when I'm on the road.

This is not my experience. Different water and climates can totally throw the experience off. But, if it works for you, that's nice.

Those factors are certainly challenging, but they can lead to new experiences and knowledge and if I couldn't enjoy my tea on the road I wouldn't even think about travelling (52 countries and counting).

[pedant]

when i have tea on the road, i'm not expecting optimal results, but i really enjoy it (esp. on vacation, traveling with friends, etc.).

finally getting around to trying out my thunderbolt order. definitely satisfying my dj cravings.

arya pearl (ex-1) 1st fl 2015 white tea
a very mellow, chilled out white tea. vegetal with a decent amount of dj pepperiness. not setting off fireworks in my mind, but it is pretty nice, and i'm definitely enjoying it. the residue emits a strong, sweet aroma in the empty cup.

castleton moonlight imperial (DJ 122) 2nd fl 2015
wow. this is an interesting, well balanced dj tea.
good biscuity, brisk body with some tartness and just enough fruitiness to keep me interested (although i would prefer more). it's not missing anything

singbulli emperor (ex-11) 1st fl 2015
pretty decent. classic 1st fl dj taste

i think i'll have to experiment with some different brewing params

[kuánglóng]

when i have tea on the road, i'm not expecting optimal results, but i really enjoy it (esp. on vacation, traveling with friends, etc.).

Well, enjoyment is the only relevant aspect ayway, innit?

finally getting around to trying out my thunderbolt order. definitely satisfying my dj cravings.

arya pearl (ex-1) 1st fl 2015 white tea
a very mellow, chilled out white tea. vegetal with a decent amount of dj pepperiness. not setting off fireworks in my mind, but it is pretty nice, and i'm definitely enjoying it. the residue emits a strong, sweet aroma in the empty cup.

castleton moonlight imperial (DJ 122) 2nd fl 2015
wow. this is an interesting, well balanced dj tea.
good biscuity, brisk body with some tartness and just enough fruitiness to keep me interested (although i would prefer more). it's not missing anything

singbulli emperor (ex-11) 1st fl 2015
pretty decent. classic 1st fl dj taste

i think i'll have to experiment with some different brewing params

Nice to hear you enjoy your DJs, pedant. Same over here, constant spontaneous fiddling with the parameters. I often drink another tea or a glass of water as some sort of reference or contrasting/counterpointing element in parallel to my DJs or oolongs.
I just brewed up my first pot of DJ (1st flush Risheehat) after 4 or 5 cold days with nothing but Keemuns and man, do I enjoy it. It's like meeting a friend you haven't seen for years, lol.
As to the Castleton Moonlights, they do vary quite a bit. I was lucky enough to try their first prototype many years ago. They have come a long way since then

[pedant]

I just brewed up my first pot of DJ (1st flush Risheehat) after 4 or 5 cold days with nothing but Keemuns and man, do I enjoy it. It's like meeting a friend you haven't seen for years, lol.

As to the Castleton Moonlights, they do vary quite a bit. I was lucky enough to try their first prototype many years ago. They have come a long way since then

interesting! are you aware of a 'concept' behind the moonlight series? what can you say about its evolution or about it in general?

[.m.]

WuYi Black Tea from TheChineseTeaShop. Very rich and incredibly satisfying.
Have been drinking this since the christmas, using a big pot (180ml) western style, going for about 6 infusions, with the later ones extending over several minutes and still good, with no off taste at all. I havent had much luck with their cheap aged puerh offerings (you get what yo pay for), but this tea hits the spot.

[KaiRong]

Wuyi Jin Jun Mei. I got it from my Chinese investor friend. Seems like it's the real deal, as it tastes much much better than the so-called Jin Jun Meis you can usually buy. It has less golden buds than the cheaper ones.

[CWarren]

Edited

[kuánglóng]

I was running out of the nice Risheehat 1st flush DJ I posted about some weeks ago so I ordered some more from the same vendor and received ... meh ... some totally different, less than mediocre tea. This has happened for the second time now, and I really feel like dropping those folks a line or two. The tea already ended up in the garbage.