Sky Crane Honey Green tea from Taiwan

[rhondabee]

I bought a sample of Sky Crane Honey Green tea from Ishopo, a tea vendor in Taiwan. I'm a regular green oolong tea drinker, and it has been a long time since I've had any green tea. This tea is grown and processed in Taiwan, so kind of a rare green tea. It is supposed to be hand picked and organic. The tea is whole leaf and twisted. It is very inexpensive compared to the high mountain oolongs from Taiwan. I actually like it a lot, although it is not as "full mouth feel" as the oolongs I've had. The scent of the brewed tea smells like a combo of honey/cinnamon and it has a very sweet aftertaste. Very pleasant, smooth tea to drink.

Anyone else try this tea? Not sure how it would compare to other green teas from China or Japan.

[Victoria]

Thanks Rhonda, that sounds interesting. I may have had this or something similar from the NW Tea Co. It was included as a sample with my oolong, and I was not paying too much attention, other than it said High Mountain Green, I thought it was an oolong. So I brewed it up as such, and wow, I was surprised. So being brewed at a higher temp than I would brew a green, it still was quite good.

I just might do some sampling there since you endorse them, I can see the good variety. Nice that you can buy in several size choices. I'll try this one.

Thanks!

[Alex]

Just the name makes me want it. Sounds lush!

[virago_ns]

It is supposed to be hand picked and organic.

I don't see organic in the description of the tea. Is it elsewhere on their sight? I'm big into organic teas and this one has caught my eye.

[debunix]

While I cannot claim any familiarity with this particular tea, I did just have my first Taiwanese green tea a few weeks ago, Jin Xuan Spring 2010 Taiwan Green Tea from Norbu, and was amazed by how much it resembled an Alishan oolong, in being quite honey-sweet. If the Sky Crane Honey is anything like that, it's well worth seeking out more....and the Jin Xuan already sold out at Norbu (the spring, so they got more of the winter picked version of the same tea, whew).

[Chip]

I also never had this one, but my general experience with Taiwan greens is to use them when they are FRESH. I used to have a tendency to save the best teas for last, or at least to spread them out. I discovered they can fade pretty fast.

Sounds like a good Taiwan green, thanks for sharing it with us!

[debunix]

Good point. Will make some of the Jin Xuan this evening....too late for the afternoon, oolong already in progress

[Tead Off]

While I cannot claim any familiarity with this particular tea, I did just have my first Taiwanese green tea a few weeks ago, Jin Xuan Spring 2010 Taiwan Green Tea from Norbu, and was amazed by how much it resembled an Alishan oolong, in being quite honey-sweet. If the Sky Crane Honey is anything like that, it's well worth seeking out more....and the Jin Xuan already sold out at Norbu (the spring, so they got more of the winter picked version of the same tea, whew).

Jin Xuan is an oolong, not a green tea. It is oxidized but on the greener side. It is also known by the name Golden Lily.

[debunix]

Greg very clearly describes it as a green tea made from a varietal that usually is made into an oolong, and it seems from some googling that the Jin Xuan name is applied to several types of oolong made from the leaves from the same bush. It makes sense to me that a green tea from the same plant might have the same name.

Is there some other reason, besides the common name, that you would call it an oolong tea?

Edited for refresher brewing notes: definitely tasting like a green tea, a particularly mellow and delicious green tea, however.

[rhondabee]

It is supposed to be hand picked and organic.

I don't see organic in the description of the tea. Is it elsewhere on their sight? I'm big into organic teas and this one has caught my eye.

The description does state it is organic:

http://www.ishopo.com/Product.aspx?Tea= ... 3B03C9F61D

But I'm not sure if this is certified organic.

It really has a lovely scent.

[Tead Off]

Greg very clearly describes it as a green tea made from a varietal that usually is made into an oolong, and it seems from some googling that the Jin Xuan name is applied to several types of oolong made from the leaves from the same bush. It makes sense to me that a green tea from the same plant might have the same name.

Is there some other reason, besides the common name, that you would call it an oolong tea?

Edited for refresher brewing notes: definitely tasting like a green tea, a particularly mellow and delicious green tea, however.

If it is indeed a green tea, not a green oolong, it's the 1st time I've ever seen a Jin Xuan that was not an oolong. This tea is also shaped in the same way oolongs are. I'm wondering if there is the possibility that the vendor misunderstood their source. This tea is usually referred to as a green oolong. OTOH, maybe I'm totally wrong and this is a new tea to me. Anyone else ever see this before?

[Chip]

... not exactly, but I did have true green TKY which was interesting.

[Tead Off]

Usually when a tealeaf is processed into different types they use another name for the tea, like gyokuro, sencha, etc. to distinguish the difference.

[debunix]

As far as I can tell by the taste, this is truly a green tea, much closer in flavor to a Dragon Well or Bi Lo Chun than to an oolong, with the same sweetness, and edge of bitterness if oversteeped, and a very delicate greener than amber liquor; though it is an exceptionally delicious green tea, that does have a flavor that reminds me of--but it not the same as--an Alishan oolong. Unfortunately, as Greg notes, he sold out of this one almost immediately, and I only have my one small bag, so I am not going to part with any to allow the skeptics to try it for themselves!