Tuesday TeaDay 7/6/10 10 famous teas of China?

[Chip]

Greetings TeaFriends. I am pleased to announce today is TeaDay! Please come in and share what is in your cup throughout the day.

Yesterday we discussed MidYearTerms for our brewing prowess. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.

Today's teaPoll and discussion topic. Have you ever heard of China'a 10 most famous TEAs? Do you enjoy teas from this list? What do you think of this list?

Here is the list according to TeaSpring.com.
Xi Hu Long Jing Green
Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun Green
Huang Shan Mao Feng Green
Tai Ping Hou Kui Green
Lu An Gua Pian Green
Xin Yang Mao Jian Green
Qi Men Hong (Keemun) Black
Jun Shan Yin Zhen Yellow
Da Hong Pao Oolong
An Xi Tie Guan Yin Oolong

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

[Victoria]

Yes, I've heard of it and have tried quite a few. I'd like to try more.
TKY being my favorite of course.

[entropyembrace]

I´ve heard of it before...and of a few different versions...this version is the one I think of as being the most "authentic" whatever that means

I drink a few of the teas on the list...Keemun, TGY and the Long Jing. I haven´t tried many greens yet and I like Wu Yi oolongs but the DHP always seems overpriced compared to other types so I never buy it.

[Cael]

I have tried a couple, like the Qu Men Hong. I would like to try more.

[artmom]

Don't believe I've heard of this list. I drink quite a bit of Qi Men Hong (Keemun) Black, though and have tried the TGY.

No tea yet today; it's only 3:30 a.m.

[Trioxin]

Never heard of the list, but I've tried a lot of the teas on it.

Currently drinking Uji Sencha Miyabi. Such pretty colors.

[brlarson]

I haven't tried Lu An Gua Pian Green yet, but it's on my list.

Breakfast tea is a sample of Huang Zhi Xiang dancong from Tea Habitat.

[artmom]

A nice cuppa' Black Dragon Pearls from Adagio, with just a pinch of MF Marco Polo dropped in, this morning. I do see a nap in my future, though, as I only got about five hours sleep.

[laura99]

I have not seen the list before, and TKY is the only one I have tried.

I started today with Black Dragon Pearls as well artmom! Getting low, so its close to time to deciding which of all these yunnan's I like the best

Working on multiple steeps of Classic YM Shincha from O-Cha now. Yum!

[debunix]

I found this article on wikipedia quite interesting, where they compile a series of the 'Ten famous teas' list, because there are many versions, and they make a list compiling the teas that show up on the most of the various versions. Even when you look at Anxi Tie Guan Yin, on every list, can you say you've had it if you're only drinking the newer greener version, or only a deep traditional roast? And how many clones generations past the originals does a Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) count?

The hardest part I have with these lists if figuring out which of the teas on them I have had, because the spelling and proprietary names make them so variable. So far, I've had some version of most of them, and enjoyed them, but am still missing--or confused about--several of the greens.

The lists are fun to use as a guide to not missing something special. Other than the keemun, which is pretty much a hopeless case as a black tea, most of these that I have tried have remained regulars in my tea cupboard. The exceptions are Keemun, which is a black tea, and just not to my liking, and the Jun Shan Yin Zhen, which I tried a version of recently and gave away on TeaSwap because it was unbearably bitter. But I will try it again from another vendor someday, because I figure the teas on the list are worth at least that much effort, and because I've loved the other yellow teas that I've had.

But the start of this TeaDay, as usual, belongs to Shincha.

[Skippyandjif]

I have heard of the list, and tried bi luo chun, longjing, and keemun. I love all three! The greens are tied for "favorite" of the trio, though. I really want to try some yellow tea next, because I've heard good things about it.

Incidentally, I'm having keemun this morning! (Completely not on purpose... I brewed it like ten minutes ago and am now waiting for it to get less mouth-scalding. )

[Chip]

My personal observation of this famous tea list, it varies quite a bit from Chinese vendor to Chinese vendor, seems the list will include teas they offer. So, there is the basic framework, that is quite ammended. But does not appear to be "the official list" that is the law of the land.

I have tried all the famous teas on this list dominated by greens, in fact 3 out of 4 of my fave Chinese greens are on the list.

Oh also however beginning the TD with shincha, a trial tasting of Takumi from Zencha.

[Amaikokonut]

Hmm, quite an interesting list....

I am still trying to figure out what tea to have this morning. I should probably find something I can finish off -- there are so many tiny sampler baggies and tins littering my teaspace!

[geeber1]

Hmmmm, Chip, I was noticing a lot of greens there.

I think I've tried a few, but it's hard to tell with so many different names floating around.

Adagio Black Dragon Pearls this morning. Artmom, Laura 99 and I were having a virtual TeaParty!

[nickE]

Yep I've heard of the list, and tried a few of them. Long Jing & TGY are probably my faves from the list though.

No tea yet today as I slept in. It's too hot to do anything anyway. Thinking of some shupu later.