Quick and Dirty Oolong Question

[rjiwrth]

I've spent most of my time in the Japanese green realm and need to place an order for some Oolong asap. My eyes are tired from weeks of researching the Web for what teaware to select for my yearly Spring purchases and trolling for hours over posts in TC . I don't know squat about the characteristics of different roastings, but know what I like. Would someone make a recommendation to me based on what I'm looking for? I could sift through all the posts, but frankly I'm cheating and asking my TC friends for help.

I love deep, dark, complex flavors. If it's helpful, my favorite Puerh to date is the 2003 HK Henry Special (Unfortunately Hou De has not responded to a total of 5 emails over the past 3 months requesting more of it..but that's another issue). I love the deep perfume-y and woodsy aromas and flavors. If it tastes like patchouli or vetiver, I'm in heaven

Anyone care to assist? Thank-you in advance...

[debunix]

I love deep, dark, complex flavors. .... I love the deep perfume-y and woodsy aromas and flavors. If it tastes like patchouli or vetiver, I'm in heaven :D

Four different options come to mind: almost any Wuyi oolong--Da Hong Pao, Rou Gui, Shui Jin Gui, Ban Tian Yao--complex, spicy, fruity, toasty--of these, the Da Hong Pao "Supreme Wuyi Big Red Robe" from Wing Hop Fung has consistently been my favorite, although my first infusion of a Rou Gui yesterday from Houde was very interesting. Unfortunately, I can't find that one on the WHF-affiliate Birdpick.com website. But a high-quality Da Hong Pao from any reliable vendor should be similar.

A traditional roast Ti Guan Yin or Ti Kuan Yin--I don't know where to find that online, but I've had decent examples from Peets and still enjoy my old standby red label tin version (http://tinyurl.com/mapuou. Everything I've seen online is the lighter roast style, also gorgeous, but not the dark flavor you seem to be looking for. This is the toastiest and most pu-erh like to me.

Ting Tung oolong and Oriental Beauty are a toasty but lighter and fruitier, almost peachy, in addition to the toastiness. I've gotten my Ting Tung from TenRen, although I did not care for the rose-infused Oriental Beauty I got from them (they were out of the straight version); I just got a surprisingly wonderful version from Yunnan Sourcing last week (http://tinyurl.com/ycheadw).

The most complex flavors in oolong, though, have been the Phoenix Mountain Dan Congs I've gotten from Tea Habitat, which are very spicy and less toasty. The mellowest one I got was a 'commercial' Honey Orchid (not the 'single bush' version) http://tinyurl.com/yhc7qt7. I've seen a lot of other retailers carrying teas labeled Honey Orchid Phoenix Oolong that may be similar but have only had the one from Imen so far.

[Maitre_Tea]

If it's helpful, my favorite Puerh to date is the 2003 HK Henry Special (Unfortunately Hou De has not responded to a total of 5 emails over the past 3 months requesting more of it..but that's another issue).

actually, they have both samples (http://www.houdeasianart.com/index.php? ... cts_id=764) and cake (http://www.houdeasianart.com/index.php? ... cts_id=763) in stock

[shah82]

I was going to say...since I *just* ordered a sample b/c I like similar flavors.

Anyways...I think you might be better off with blacks rather than oolongs, especially for the buck. Puer that isn't diddled-with young sheng tastes much more like deep blacks than like oolongs to me.

From Houde, pretty much all three of their black teas should appeal to people who like their mainstay products of oolongs and puer. San Xia is the simplest and it has a very woody smell and herby/woody taste. The others are very sweet gongfuable blacks that give about 7 servings.

From Teaspring, the Zhu Hai Jin Ming is pretty deep as well as being intricately flavorful.

You may also like Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong, a lightly smoked lapsang, or certain keemums. Several assams, like Jutlibari, I think would appeal to people who like woody puerh.

Now, for oolongs...try subcontinent oolongs. Meghma oolong and other nepalese oolongs tends to be bass flavor and sweet, and those will be cheaper than trying to get yancha and tgy. Those two are the only oolongs that'd give anything much like puer upon roasting. Try Teamaster's 2005 heavy roast tgy--I think that's the cheapest version of quality tgy/yancha roast at $25/100g last I saw. Dongdings are pretty good roasted, but I don't think they tend to be very deep besides the roast taste.

[beecrofter]

Pick up a Feng Fu sample pack from

http://www.teafromtaiwan.com/index.php? ... ucts_id=52

for a whopping $9.29 delivered it's nice foray into oolong.

[rjiwrth]

I love deep, dark, complex flavors. .... I love the deep perfume-y and woodsy aromas and flavors. If it tastes like patchouli or vetiver, I'm in heaven

Four different options come to mind: almost any Wuyi oolong--Da Hong Pao, Rou Gui, Shui Jin Gui, Ban Tian Yao--complex, spicy, fruity, toasty--of these, the Da Hong Pao "Supreme Wuyi Big Red Robe" from Wing Hop Fung has consistently been my favorite, although my first infusion of a Rou Gui yesterday from Houde was very interesting. Unfortunately, I can't find that one on the WHF-affiliate Birdpick.com website. But a high-quality Da Hong Pao from any reliable vendor should be similar.

A traditional roast Ti Guan Yin or Ti Kuan Yin--I don't know where to find that online, but I've had decent examples from Peets and still enjoy my old standby red label tin version (http://tinyurl.com/mapuou. Everything I've seen online is the lighter roast style, also gorgeous, but not the dark flavor you seem to be looking for. This is the toastiest and most pu-erh like to me.

Ting Tung oolong and Oriental Beauty are a toasty but lighter and fruitier, almost peachy, in addition to the toastiness. I've gotten my Ting Tung from TenRen, although I did not care for the rose-infused Oriental Beauty I got from them (they were out of the straight version); I just got a surprisingly wonderful version from Yunnan Sourcing last week (http://tinyurl.com/ycheadw).

The most complex flavors in oolong, though, have been the Phoenix Mountain Dan Congs I've gotten from Tea Habitat, which are very spicy and less toasty. The mellowest one I got was a 'commercial' Honey Orchid (not the 'single bush' version) http://tinyurl.com/yhc7qt7. I've seen a lot of other retailers carrying teas labeled Honey Orchid Phoenix Oolong that may be similar but have only had the one from Imen so far.

Wow, thanks, Debunix. Well thought out and I appreciate the links added. Very informative...

[rjiwrth]

If it's helpful, my favorite Puerh to date is the 2003 HK Henry Special (Unfortunately Hou De has not responded to a total of 5 emails over the past 3 months requesting more of it..but that's another issue).

actually, they have both samples (http://www.houdeasianart.com/index.php? ... cts_id=764) and cake (http://www.houdeasianart.com/index.php? ... cts_id=763) in stock

Thank-you soooo much. I don't know why I couldn't find that on the site, but there it is.

[rjiwrth]

Pick up a Feng Fu sample pack from

http://www.teafromtaiwan.com/index.php? ... ucts_id=52

for a whopping $9.29 delivered it's nice foray into oolong.

I like that idea...there's a Chong Pei sample pack too that really looks interesting, particularly the Dong Ding Ming Xiang.

[entropyembrace]

I suggest Muzha Tiequanyin and Special Roast Dong Ding from Floating Leaves Tea...both excellent roasted oolongs Special Roast is very smooth with fruity undertones below the roasted taste...Muzha is a bit rougher and has a sort of leafyness that reminds me of walking in the woods in autumn...I think it would be better aged a couple of years to smooth out the roughness from heavy roasting but it´s still very enjoyable now