Taste, color and smell difference between teapots

[dangert]

I have noticed that there is a huge difference between liquor of the same tea brewed in my two yixing teapots. They teapots have similar volumes (~120ml), I don't now much about first one (besides $50 price):

Cheaper teapot

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Cheaper teapot - front view

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, but the second is a dicao qing clay xishi from Chen ($110):

Chen's xishi

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The first teapot is in use for about a year, the second one is almost new. The strange thing is that liquor from a cheaper teapot is much more robust and pronounced, with very clear smell. I was expecting wonders from Chen's teapot, but I'm afraid I am a bit disappointed. The tea is premium lightly roasted Anxi Tie Guan Yin.

[tingjunkie]

The first teapot is in use for about a year, the second one is almost new.

I think you answered your own question. A decent yixing pot will season over time- that's the point of using yixing in the first place. Give the new pot a chance to gain some character through use, and you should be happy with the results.

As far as price though- I'm beginning to learn that the prices of yixing are completely all over the map, and that you really can't judge a pot by price alone.

[wyardley]

Agree with most / all of what tingjunkie said above. And like with tea, there are a lot of factors that go into pricing...

Also, certain types of clay are more absorbent than others. You may find that with an unroasted or lightly-roasted tea that you will get better results with porcelain and / or a less porous clay.

Just because a pot is more expensive or uses better quality clay doesn't mean it will well suited for all types of tea.

[dangert]

Thank you for your replies. I hope that tea will get better over time also in the new pot. The strange thing, still, is that I kind of remember that the taste in the old teapot was not that "thin" even at the very beginning. But that must be wall thickness and different clay. What really puzzles me is the color - the difference is huge and the tea from the new pot is pale compared to the old one.

It is interesting to know what is the type of clay the old pot is made of. I will post the bottom mark in a separate post.

[dangert]

Also, certain types of clay are more absorbent than others. You may find that with an unroasted or lightly-roasted tea that you will get better results with porcelain and / or a less porous clay.

I never drink green teas from yixing and all my teapots are dedicated to Tie Guan Yin - the only oolong I drink.

I drink oolong from glass teapot at work and sometimes use a porcelain gaiwan for Tie Guan Yin at home - mostly for tasting a new tea. I can't say that I prefer any of these methods over yixing - there is some magic in the clay.

[dangert]

It appears that I had a taste problem with my Kamjove kettle that gave a strange off taste and odor to the water. After boiling lemons the water was back to normal and also the tea from new Chen's teapot! The color is now much nicer and the taste is much more balanced. I would say it is already surpassing the old teapot (which is what I expect from better clay).

[tingjunkie]

Glad you figured it out. Give us a full report on the new pot when you can- I've been interested in that particular type of clay from Chen.