Friday TeaDay 9/04/09 China's 10 Famous Teas?

[Chip]

Good TeaDay everyone. Please do drop in and share what is in your cup throughout the day.

Yesterday we began discussing tea and China. We discussed whether we had favorite teas that were from China. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's TeaPoll and discussion topic. China's 10 Famous Teas (see post for info). How many have you tried? Please share with us. You can view the 10 most famous teas here:
http://teaspring.com/
And the 10 most famous teas according to TeaSpring are:

Xi Hu Long Jing
Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun
Huang Shan Mao Feng
Tai Ping Hou Kui
Lu An Gua Pian
Xin Yang Mao Jian
Qi Men Hong
Jun Shan Yin Zhen
Da Hong Pao
An Xi Tie Guan Yin

I am looking forward to sharing this TeaDay with everyone. Bottoms up.

[Salsero]

All except Xin Yang Mao Jian, though I am more familiar with some than with others.

Here are some spent leaves of the famous yellow Jun Shan Yin Zhen from the list. They are just the tiny growth tips with no real leaf to open up at all! Thanks to Steve and Bill for this sample.

(Click the photo for a closer look.)

[brlarson]

I haven't yet tried Xin Yang Mao Jian nor Lu An Gua Pian. I need to work down my Chinese yellows greens and whites before I add any new Chinese greens, so I won't get to these two until after Thanksgiving.

I just shared Zencha's Ultimate shincha as a late night snack.

[Drax]

I've at least tried four...

Tai Ping Hou Kui
Jun Shan Yin Zhen
Da Hong Pao
An Xi Tie Guan Yin

But I may have tried more.... I'd have to look back at my notes. Hmm.

This morning's been a really slow start. Not sure why. Ugh.

[Herb_Master]

I am not sure whether to say 2 or 6

My first holiday in Malaysia whilst wandering around Tea Shops I was encouraged to sample

Long Jing
Bi Luo Chun
Mao Jian
Mao Feng

but fell in love with

Traditional Tie Guan Yin
Da Hong Pao

The last 30 months has seen me consume many variants of the 2 oolongs, most of the TGY is the modern non traditional kind. Both continue to hold my affections so deeply that the Mao Feng and Long Jing remain unopened in the darker recesses of my tea cupboards.

[Proinsias]

10!

Though I think mao jian is the only one lurking in my cupboards just now.

I would have thought Yunnan pu'er should be in the top ten

[Trey Winston]

I think I may possibly have tried only one of these, the Long Jing. Where do I turn in my TeaNerd card and License to Sip?

I can't find the Japanese sencha I'm currently enjoying anywhere on the list. I think I know why, too.

[Chip]

I have had all 10. And the list contains a lot of my fave Chinese teas. It is unfortunate that many of the teas on the list are also counterfeited.

I began the TD with a new tea, Zencha's Fuga Limited Edition. Seems there was an abundant crop, and Zencha is offering this FF at a great price. My first impressions are that it could be an Aracha fukamushi, aka Deep steamed Farmer Tea. I will have to ask.

The sencha was pretty good, but I will have to adjust the brewing a bit. SweeTea would agree while Wulong would not have a clue.

[brad4419]

None

I do drink long jing but not the Xi Hu long jing. Im staying away from the more expensive teas right now and hoping I can afford them in the future. Im planning on trying some Lu An Gua Pian next spring, teaspring has it for $9.40 for 50g.

no tea yet.

[leiche2]

Two for me: Qi Men Hong, Anxi TGY, but I've also had Long Jing (just not the Xi Hu type). I'm not generally big on white, yellow, or green teas, so I'm not at all surprised at the low number. I need to get my hands on some Da Hong Pao, though.

No tea right now, but I did start the day with an Irish Breakfast blend. I'm thinking of brewing up a pitcher of mugicha right now--it's a little warm.

[Victoria]

Only these four - I think. Not 100% sure. I'm pretty bad with names.

Huang Shan Mao Feng
Lu An Gua Pian
Da Hong Pao
An Xi Tie Guan Yin

Adagio Black Dragon Pearls again to start my day.
So delish!

[entropyembrace]

Two for me, I've had the Xi Hu Long Jing and An Xi Tie Guan Yin.

I've done better in other 10 famous tea lists that didn't focus so heavily on green teas, though oddly enough I've never gotten around to trying the Da Hong Pao...I like Wu Yi but it seems like the other varieties look every bit as interesting and cost less so I tend to go for them...really enjoy Bei Dou

Today I'm drinking one of the famous teas... An Xi Tie Guan Yin.

[depravitea]

I think only these three...
Long Jing
Mao Feng
Tie Guan Yin

It seems some of the entries on the list vary from (internet) source to source. On Wikipedia I noticed Pu Erh is one of the China Famous...

[Chip]

Everyone talks about the 10 famous Chinese Teas. It is also well known here in China, but there is not official or steadfast list. Everyone and every company has their own list. I too have my own. It is a matter of taste, and what is currently popular. Up until a few years ago, Puer was thought of as a farmer's tea and was not taken seriously, now it's one of the hottest teas, so a lot of lists currently have Puer on it.

Yes, it seems the list is a bit of a marketing ploy, maybe, maybe not.

Yutaka Midori from O-Cha in my cup currently.

[Intuit]

Variable quality to Western markets and demand/pricing have dulled any interest I may have had in chasing down 'top 10' teas on any list.

LongJing
Bi Luo Chun
Huang Shan Mao Feng
Qimen Hong
Da Hong Pao (small sample only)
An Xi Tie Guan Yin

Heavily roasted dark chinese oolong, long and wiry leaves in my cup. Can't remember what this is...lost the tea label during container transfer when sorting and pitching teas to fit limited storage space after relocating earlier this year. *red-faced*