The priciest foods on earth. Ti Guan Yin makes the list! :-D

[LaybackPandas]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/3 ... lide_image

third picture.

[aKnightWhoSaysNi]

Haha, that's neat, but we all know that the world's most expensive tea is probably of the pu'ehr varietal

Edit: on second thought, the most expensive tea would probably be true Da Hong Pao.

[Janine]

I'm sure top grade teas sell for more than that TiGuanYin ... without ever hitting the open market

[Oni]

There are I bet hundreds of top grade competition winning teas that all cost around 300 $ and above for a 100 grams, I think they didn`t do enough research, at houde there is a sample from a 50`s hong yin - 10 grams for 355 $, now this is more than 10 times as expenceive.
These 10 `st articles are hardly credible, the jurnalist who write these do not do enough research, they only write because of the sensation, and because it sells, the guinness world record book does more research, but that is not always up to date, there is always a superlative to a superlative somewhere in space and time.

[gingkoseto]

Expensive, it depends on in which sense.

I liked TGY only to a limited extent until I found better and better source for it. Then for the same satisfaction level that I can appreciate, I think TGY is a lot cheaper than most Taiwan oolong of similar grade.

I think Wuyi Yan Cha is one of the most expensive in tea world. Exactly the same tea of same grade, today's price can be 3-5 times of several years ago. I blame tea fans for all their fever!

[chrl42]

These TGY sometimes hit Mailiandao, on secret auction then disappears

Yeah, I also think priciest varitey might be of Puerh, (perhaps Golden Melon Tribute?) 'sepecially when the price gets higher as time goes by.

Before 04, when mother DHP trees were still being plucked, auction price was some 30g = 30,000 USD

In 04, priciest Tai Ping Hou Gui was auctioned at 50g = 61000 RMB (appx. 10,000 USD) to some rich filmmaker...

But I heard there are lotta black voices in auction

[TIM]

Expensive, it depends on in which sense.

I liked TGY only to a limited extent until I found better and better source for it. Then for the same satisfaction level that I can appreciate, I think TGY is a lot cheaper than most Taiwan oolong of similar grade.

I think Wuyi Yan Cha is one of the most expensive in tea world. Exactly the same tea of same grade, today's price can be 3-5 times of several years ago. I blame tea fans for all their fever!

Oxidized Oolong prize are going sky high this year in China. Just finished some sample of a new Wuyi oolong called Jin Jun Mai. A $28000 per pound RMB = to around US $6 dollars per gram.... I rather have my Eastern Beauty.

Inside a 200 yrs old tea room in Shanghai.

[gingkoseto]

Oxidized Oolong prize are going sky high this year in China. Just finished some sample of a new Wuyi oolong called Jin Jun Mai. A $28000 per pound RMB = to around US $6 dollars per gram.... I rather have my Eastern Beauty.

Inside a 200 yrs old tea room in Shanghai.

Lucky you!
Jin Jun Mei (Mai) is a branch of lapsang souchong. I've never had it but think it does look very much like oolong - probably exactly oolong level of oxidation. And it's super expensive! Even the regular grade can get easily $1000 per pound. Some Chinese people say it's so expensive that it's the perfect tea for bribing government officials

[shah82]

Well, Dragon Tea House can send some of that jin jun mei for $36/100gms.

I suspect that Upton's Chun Mee might also be the same. Now I've had a sample of that (which probably needed to be gong-fu'ed and not 1/2 liter mug'd) and it didn't justify itself in taste.

Super-expensive tea is nice, especially if you brew it right, but past a certain point, it's simply adding gold dust to your food.

[AdamMY]

Well, Dragon Tea House can send some of that jin jun mei for $36/100gms.

I think it should be noted that just because two teas have the same name doesn't mean they were processed with the same skill, or even grown under the same conditions. So How can you be sure that it is the same jin jun mei?

I mean You can find TGY for very little if you know where to look, but clearly its not the same tea that is exchanging hands for hundreds as is the topic of this thread.

[gingkoseto]

Well, Dragon Tea House can send some of that jin jun mei for $36/100gms.

I think it should be noted that just because two teas have the same name doesn't mean they were processed with the same skill, or even grown under the same conditions. So How can you be sure that it is the same jin jun mei?

Jin Jun Mei theoretically is a commercial brand, so literally only tea from that company can be called this name, and all their teas are labeled with their grades. On the other hand, the manufacturer of the tea claims this tea is a resurrection of a traditional method, then theoretically other people, if knowing that method, can make almost the same and a lot less expensive tea. But then of course the manufacturer of Jin Jun Mei claims their method is a family secret without anyone else knows...

I remember there is a post from a few years ago, long and argumentative (not sure against whom though), written by a guy who claims his family is the only true heir of lapsang souchong. I suspect that guy is related to the company that makes jin jun mei.

[Maitre_Tea]

of course, there's the possibility of the DTH one using different Chinese characters...

[Janine]

Is there any particular reason why oxidized oolongs in particular should skyrocket in price? I think I've heard that it rained a lot in Taiwan so that the current oolongs from there are disappointing ...

[chrl42]

Lucky you!
Jin Jun Mei (Mai) is a branch of lapsang souchong. I've never had it but think it does look very much like oolong - probably exactly oolong level of oxidation. And it's super expensive! Even the regular grade can get easily $1000 per pound. Some Chinese people say it's so expensive that it's the perfect tea for bribing government officials

Definately my favorite Hongcha so far,

I'd have it anyday over top-graded Qeemen or those smokey Lapsang Souchong... good Jin Jun Mei turns golden than ever..hmm fruity smell