Finding Tea In Old Chinese Medicine Shops

There are not so many places in North America where you can just stumble upon nice, forgotten, aged tea. Even thoughtout Asia these days, finds of old forgotten treasures are rare. Once in a while you hear of people hitting jackpot (see here and here). But your chances of this are slimmer than winning the lottery. In North America your chances are almost 10 000 times less likely. However, coming across some forgotten 10-20 years aged teas for the original asking price is not that far fetched here in North America.

The best place to look are those old, run down, Chinese herbologist shops in town. These shops frequent the Chinatowns of North America- almost every city has one. Chances are that you will probably only come across cheap, poorly produced shu puerh that smells like medicinal herbs or poor, mass produced Tie Guan Yin that is now just a few years old. These old, and often overlooked shops are also your best chance for finding some treasures.

One happened to stumble upon some, yet to be sampled, aged teas that are in the 8-20 year category- a 2004 Xiaguan "Zhi" tou, a very worn 250g box of Anxi oolong, and two sun faded and stained 325 g cylinders of Taiwanese oolong. These teas were found in one of these run down shops. The owner seemed happier than ever that one was clearing out all that was left of his old tea which he explained has been sitting up on that shelf for years and years.

One sampled the Anxi and it tasted solid. Be prepared for tasting notes of these mystery teas over the coming weeks and months.

Feels good to be back behind the tea table.

Peace

The Qi of Wild Tea and A Tasting of 2010 Fujian Wild Oolong

One received an interesting sample from Gingko of Life In Teacup a few months back. The well written initial posting by Gingko on the background of this tea brought up many interesting questions about wild tea. Questions such as, Why do the local people believe that wild tea has better health benefits than cultivated varieties?, and Why do these locals believe that tea (especially wild tea) is good for treating Liver conditions?

One thought it a good idea to discuss these questions before going into a tasting of this very enjoyable, unique, wild oolong (Thanks Ginko).

Why does wild tea have better health benefits than cultivated varieties?

There are many reasons why wild tea has better health benefits than cultivated varieties. All of the reasons share a similar similar core- wild teas are most in harmony with nature leading to the absorption of more of nature's energy thereby containing more powerful and effective chaqi. Wild teas have evolved and adapted to the climate, soil, and seasonal variances and therefore, contain in them, a natural energetic resistance towards environmental pathogenic factors which are said to not only negatively impact the health of plants and animals but humans as well. The use of artificial pesticides not only make the tea less pure but also make it less in tune with the rhythms of nature. Plants that are artificially harvested and especially plants that have been sprayed follow an artificial rhythm, not entirely set by nature becuase of their influence by man. A tea that has grown wild for many years in a certain area will have adapted to that area's environment, it is the same way that a people of a certain area have learned to adapt to that same environment because they share that environment. So consuming local wild tea harmonizes you and protects you from local climatic, environmental, and seasonal change which is thought to make your body more resistant to environmental changes that can lead to illness.

Why is tea (especially wild tea) good for Liver conditions?

Firstly it should be noted that the "Liver" in traditional Asian thought is very different than "Liver" organ in contemporary western medicine- they have different functions. Tea is thought to be closely connected to the Liver of traditional Asian thought. Tea is green, it is of the Wood Element, its energy is abundant in the spring, it is thought to store qi, it soothes the emotions and spreads qi throughout the body. The Liver also shares these qualities. Therefore it was thought that the consumption of tea could regulate an imbalance of energy of the Liver by harmonizing the Liver's functions to its own innately healthy functioning. The above mentioned explanation of wild tea makes it, quite naturally, more effective at harmonizing such imbalances.

So does the 2010 wild Fujian oolong noticeably share some of these qualities???... lets boil the water, tear open the sample pack and enjoy this interesting tea to find out.

The dry leaf is an beautiful, uncut mixture of diverse green colours and leaf shape from pale to dark greens to delicate very small leaves to medium-largish harder leaves. They carry a spicy savory smell that is unique. They contain the fresh forested odours of a very young sheng puerh as well as sweet creamier notes of a Taiwanese oolong. This enjoyable juxtaposition of sheng puerh like qualities and Taiwanese oolong like qualities would play out in not only the smell of the dry leaves but also in the taste and feel of this tea throughout the session.

The first infusion presents creamy sweetness first with acidic spicy tanginess that moves from this initial sweetness and follows tastes of pear and pineapple. These tastes have a simple stand alone quality about them that makes them more individual and discernible in the mouth. It finishes sweet, simple, and flat in the mouth mainly covering the tongue in a thin film.

The second infusion starts much like the first infusion with a sweet and tangy start which fades into more spicy notes which overlap a predominately sweet base. The very sweet tangy taste reminds one of that sugary powered iced tea that you can find in supermarkets all over America. The sweet flavours really stand out because it feels like there is not much depth to anchor them down.

The third and fourth infusions are much of the same although the initial sweet tangy taste becomes slightly flatter. The following taste is still very strong and simple with spicy tropical fruits in a mouthfeel that has now became more full now coating the front and tongue but still somewhat evading the back and throat areas. The aftertaste develops a sweet-bland finish- even floral notes can be found in this sweet bland aftertaste. The chaqi is giving off a slightly floating lightheaded feeling and body sensation. Some strength pushes at the digestive center but this effect is somewhat mild.

The fifth, sixth, and seventh infusions stay much the same with tones of melon and banana noted in the simple stand offish sweet flavour. In the sixth, a sturdy, young bitterness starts to encroach on these tastes and in the seventh, the bitter taste is an element which shares room with still very noticeable sweet flavours.

This tea is taken to nine infusions still with sweet creamy tropical tastes still enjoyable amid bitter flavours. This oolong has great stamina which carries these simple but delicious tastes. The qi of this tea is strong, vibrant, and very relaxing even after nine infusions.

Link to Sir William of The Leaf's Tasting Notes

Peace

2010 Spring Gao Shan Luanze Li Shan Oolong

Spring is here, flowers are blooming, the air is filled with fresh aromatics of spring. Drinking high mountain spring oolong is certainly a wonderful way to harmonize the light, playful turning of spring. One had sampled the 2010 Fall Gao Shan Luanze Li Shan Oolong from Teamasters a few months ago to relieve nasal congestion and vowed to enjoy this 2010 spring sample with a clear head (and sinus). So on a cloudy, rainy, spring day one opens this sample pack and hopes that it will bring some cheer to an otherwise gloomy day. With this Teamaster's offering of hand picked, low ozidized, 2200-2300 m elevation Li Shan oolong- things are certainly looking up!

The dry leaves deliver a grassy scent which turns floral with high sweet notes under a veil of faint roasted tones. It carries a smell of soft supple richness under smooth high tones. One was so mesmerized by this odour that a picture of the dry leaf was completely forgotten! The smell expands as the rolled balls contact preheated yixing and hints at honey florals to come.

The first infusion comes with light soft muted florals. There is a slow moving sweet juicy tangerine taste that stretches into the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is full and soft.

The second infusion has a light creamy start which evolves into a sweet, mellow, almost tangerine, taste. It feels very round in the mouth finishing with a smooth creamy nuanced fruit taste. Florals are left on the breath minutes later amongst a mouthfeel which has definite staying power. The chaqi is evident as a mild light headed euphoria sets in.

The third infusion starts with the same slightly sweet and creamy start. The taste is full and supported by faint deeper fruits that linger just below the surface of this tea. It finishes sweet and juicy with that same full satisfying mouthfeel. From it develops a rich melon fruitiness with faint florals following and wallowing in the mouthfeel.

In the fourth and fifth infusions the mouthfeel is most obvious as it is noticeable as soon as the liquor touches the mouth. Soft smooth flavours, creamy flavours of bananas and flowers finish juicy and with more melon fruit notes. The mouthfeel continues to support and nurture these fresh tastes. There is a very non-acidic orange taste that stays on the mouth for quite some time. One takes some time to fully take in the fresh spring odour the leaves emit from the warmed pot.

In the sixth and seventh infusions the light, smooth, slightly creamy non-specific fruity and floral notes continue to greet you at the start. They are now somewhat diminished but still ride on enjoyable mouthfeel. The initial smoothness develops a tapioca smoothness as tastes of banana, pineapple, and florals occasionally pop into the forefront.

The eighth infusion sees the nice mouthfeel supporting no prominent flavours so the session is brought to a close.

Peace

2010 "Zealong Pure" New Zealand Oolong

If you missed the very detailed post on Zealong and New Zealand oolong a few days back please do have a look. If you caught that article and are still curious please continue to read. If you don't care about reading a review on an over-hyped oolong from a novel place you may also wish to opt out. If you simply read anything on tea or are a fan of the blog then read on...

Let's get the kettle boiling on this sunny spring day and enjoy some of this interesting little tea, "Zealong Pure", the greenest that Zealong has to offer...

Before we toss the dry leaf into the pot lets first take some time as the water comes to a boil to appreciate the dry leaf. The odour of these very green stemy balls has a starchy subtle ginger sweetness that is more starch than ginger.

The first infusion is prepared and comes out very light with a substantial milky sweet flavour which turns into airy floral sweetness. This taste disappears on the breath. There seems to be a very soft spicy tone in the taste as well something just lurking beneath the surface. The aftertaste is so faint after the initial flavour presentation that it feels as though there is a void in the mouth- only ghostly bland taste can be found.

The second is prepared and starts off slightly spicy in the mouth with a soft vegital base. The spice drops off fast leaving faint floral vegital notes that bridge the gap to the aftertaste. A very soft melon/ green grape aftertaste is left behind in a blandish base flavour. The mouthfeel is very light, so is the weather outside.

The third infusion has a slightly spicy, somewhat sweet, unpretentious, daisy-like floral quality to it. The aftertaste contains very very light florals even slightly melon tastes. More melon accumulates on the breath as minutes between cups goes by. A light slightly oily mouthfeel continues showing up and is mainly in the front 3/4 of the mouth.

In the fourth infusion, tight honey and faint, but fairly long, florals stretch into a longish buttery aftertaste which slowly evolves into melon. The very light mouthfeel spends most of its time in the front part of the mouth.

The fifth infusion is somewhat buttery but not really sweet and has more of a wood taste all the way though. It finishes a soft, bland melon in the mouth. The sixth infusion holds on to a glimmer of woody honey taste in the initial flavour, but is primarily a bland tasting water.

Link to William of the Leaf's Tasting Notes

Peace

Everything You Need to Know About Zealong, An Oolong from New Zealand, and A Tasting of Their 2010 "Zealong Dark"

What better way to usher in Spring than sipping oolong from a cup? This is what one has been doing off and on for the past few months thanks to some rather interesting oolong purchased from local dealer, Tula Teas, at the Victoria Tea Festival.

Zealong tea has been creating somewhat of a stir around the tea world as noted by Marshal'N on his blog and Nigel Melican in a recent Cha Dao interview. This is mainly because the tea actually is quite respectable. In fact the founder of the company, Vincent Chen, has taken painstaking efforts to ensure the highest quality possible which involves flying in experienced oolong pickers from Taiwan to pick the tea, working with teamasters on a day by day basis to get the production just right, carefully considering which variety of tea plant to grow, and using the highest food certification and tracking available as well as laying the groundwork for organic certification. There is no question that he also chose the location just as carefully.

What is most interesting about this tea is that it is perhaps the only tea of significant quality produced in the Southern Hemisphere. With that said, it is grown far enough south in the Southern hemisphere that the tea plants naturally experience some seasonal fluctuations. These fluctuations naturally occur in opposite months than what we experience in the Northern hemisphere. There are three picking seasons for these New Zealand teas as follows- Spring pick in November, Summer pick in January three or so weeks after mid Summers day, and Late Summer/ Early Fall pick in mid-March.

It is important to note that tea grown in their gardens in the Waikato region, New Zealand doesn't undergo complete hibernation in the Winter season because it simply doesn't get cold enough. But due to lower ground temperatures, shorter days, and less sunshine, their Winter season considerably slows the growth of the tea plants.

The people at Zealong claim that they don't notice any seasonal variations between these seasons and cite three possible explanations- the temperate climate stays warm enough that the bushes don't go into hibernation, the geographical location is 11-12 degrees closer to the equator than Taiwan or Fujian, they don't use quick fix chemical fertilizers (like urea) to stimulate growth and consequently the tea plants grow a bit slower. From what one knows and has experienced about tea, it seems that the first Spring flush should still contain a better pick (even if just slightly better), something that can be tracked through their ISO-22000 HACCP tracking numbers on each bag (this also prevents them from mixing two different lots or picking days together in one bag).

Some other points to clarify about Zealong oolong include differences between the three oolongs they sell and the three different packaging options they offer. They offer "Zealong Pure", "Zealong Aromatic", and "Zealong Dark". These types have nothing to do with picking seasons nor quality and basically indicate the level of roasting/ oxidization that each receive in production with "Pure" receiving the least oxidization/ roasting while "Dark" receiving more with "Aromatic" somewhere in the middle. The people at Zealong stated that it is the teamasters discretion as to which types are produced with each days batch and they consider many variables when making this decision.

Regarding the packaging, it comes in three different presentations and cost ranges. The most sharp, the most expensive, and with the biggest carbon foot print is the award winning black gift boxes that are sure to impress. The second packaging option is called "Everyday Zealong" and is about half the cost of the black gift boxes. "Everyday Zealong" comes in a resealable vacuum bag and is geared to those who would consume this tea on a regular basis in hopes that they wouldn't go bankrupt. The third packaging option is to order it from a local dealer where they receive large bulk shipments of the tea, repackage it in their own packaging, and sell it for about half the cost of the "Everyday Zealong". This packaging option supports local tea dealers and is the cheapest option. The people at Zealong said that there is no difference in quality between any of these packaging options.

There is always benefit to supporting local dealers and since Libby of Tula Teas lives literally just one block away- you can't get any more local than that!

So now that the air is cleared on Zealong, let's try some of their tea...

On a rather dark spring day these dry leaves of this Zealong Dark carry a slight roasted odour that is slightly milky and soapy with very soft cereal notes inside. Although roasted, you can still smell some faint green- a certain freshness about it. Poured into heated yixing the roasted odour is amplified and a sweet citrus pomegranate is also released into the surrounding air.

The first infusion is sweet, light, with an indistinct, very faint, floral and fruit taste that is quite mild in nature. These tastes moisten the throat while stimulating mainly the front half of the mouth. The aftertaste is very faint as well with a taste of sweet green grapes sometimes disappearing on the breath.

The second infusion presents sweetness mixed with muted cereal and slightly woody notes. The wood notes drop off into dryness in the mouth where a distinct sour-sweetness of green grapes remain. The taste of ripe black plum is left on the breath. The mouthfeel is thin and coats mainly the front and roof of the mouth. The sweet and sour finish is distinct-the fruity black plum taste rides upon green grapes in this sweet and sour profile. The aftertaste takes to the breath for quite some time imparting light, woody, cereal notes but mostly that distinct black plum/ green grape fruitiness.

The third infusion starts initially with watery tastes that are a soapy white grape. A very sweet, slightly woody, taste with flashes of creamy butter develop. The sweet fruit notes extend long into the aftertaste with a weak mouthfeel that only pleases the front half of the mouth.

The fourth infusion has more of a cereal honey start with very little sweetness or fruit initially. Then comes short, soft flashes of fruit and sweetness before empty space is filled with some faint floral sweet notes which stretch into a honey sweetness in the mouth. The chaqi of this tea is very mild, very light making one feel just slightly airy and carefree.

The fifth things begin to fade with a predominantly woody taste- the sweet flavours pretty much gone. It slightly drys the mouth before returning with a slight non-specific fruity taste perhaps a banana-grape taste.

The sixth and seventh infusions have buttery, woody, even mushroom notes that sometimes even hint at rose. There is a honey wood aftertaste that is weak with little sweet taste remaining.

These leaves are left to steep overnight and in the morning a thick grainy honey fades into emptiness in the mouth. There is a soft finish of mushrooms and honey.

Sir William of the Leaf's Tasting Notes

Peace

Drinking Oolong Tea For Nasal Congestion: A Tasting of 2010 Teamasters Fall Gao Shan Luanze Bi Li Shi Oolong With a Stuffy Nose

This sample was sent with a few others from Stephane of Tea Masters Blog a few weeks before Christmas- an early Christmas gift no doubt. The label says that is was picked on September 5th, 2010. Fighting a mild cold, one deliberately chooses this tea.

Taiwanese Oolong is said to travel to the nose, opening it with its strong floral fragrances. One has experienced some fatigue over the last few days and today ones sinuses feel completely clogged. The following notes should be taken for what they are, from someone whose sense of smell and taste is compromised. But not for long...

From what one can make of them, the dry leaves smell of deep, gritty raison with a long, barely sweet, chalky smell. There is a slight straw-floral smell in them like that of wildflowers on the prairie- not the vibrant, exotic florals usually associated with Oolong.

The first infusion has a tangy-sweetness that fills the mouth. There is a cool, clean crispness about this tea- slight buttery vegetable flavours, celery flavours underscore faint but creamy florals. The mouth feel is soft and oily in the mouth. The aftertaste is a pasty dry vegetable taste with a gritty sweetness. After the first few cups, the qi of this tea ascends the head and into the scalp. Ones face flushes with a soft heat and a sweat is broken. Ones stuffed up sinuses release and one can breathe again! One gets some tissue while the kettle boils for the second pot.

The second infusion is tangy with a soft bitter sweetness. There is a strong presence of vegetables- celery, corn, daikon in the mouth and aftertaste. The aftertaste is full of nuance with an interesting rubbery vegetable taste containing little sweetness. It almost tastes like bubble gum that has been chewed awhile, most of its taste has past but it remains gummy with faded nuances and just slightly sweet. The mouthfeel continues to be soft and oily, it finishes cakey in the mouth.

The third infusion is prepared with a stiffly nose, loosened from the chaqi first few infusions. The taste contains a tangy- fruitiness which is predominant here. There is a crisp, cleanness about this tea amongst its bitter sweet flavours. A melon tone noticed in the initial sip lingers for a while in the sweet aftertaste.

The fourth infusion sees light florals dominating as they lighten into the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is juicy and light. The aftertaste is an extension of these floral notes.

The fifth infusion sees more dirtier and grittier florals develop. Slight rose is detected under creamy dry buttery notes. The sixth infusion entertains with deeper, spicier notes that are most prominent here. There is soft buttery florals in the distance.

The tea is taken through a few more infusions as well as an overnight steeping. Sweet, chalky, faint creamy florals have just a slight tanginess to them.

Over the next week one never developed that plugged sinus sensation- it took a few more days before the nose would stop running though!

Link to Michal's (Poetry In Tea) Tasting Notes

Link to Petr's (Pots and Tea) Tasting Notes

Peace

20 Year Old Tie Guan Yin

One received this sample when in search for old puerh. It was kindly sent with other puerh samples from Daniel of Vancouver's famed The Chinese Tea Shop. According to his webpage it took a long time to acquire this tea, which came from an old source. It has been charcoal roasted the traditional way and re-roasted every 3 years or so. With all the talk on Life In Teacup about whether Tie Guan Yin ages well, and being that it is seasonally the most appropriate time to consume such a tea, it feels like a good time to give it a whirl.

On this cool early autumn day, with water boiling, lets sit down, slow down, and enjoy some tea...

The dry leaves are oily, dark brown pellets full of sweet, spicy, fruity notes. Upon closer inspection the leaves are a very dark brown. The smell is deep, spicy apricot and apple. These leaves receive a quick rinse before the fist infusion inducing a cloud of smells.

The first infusion is prepared with just off boiling water. A fresh, malty chalkiness lightly coats the whole mouth with a lingering vanilla note. It has much flavour to pick on with a baked spicy and very light, sweet fruity notes apparent as well. The flavour and feel has an aged hardiness to it yet still retains its elegance. The thick but very slight aftertaste stays around for a long time while transmitting more of the dominant vanilla, and now, coca sweetness. A sweat breaks instantly. The chaqi moves, rises, disperses- the light, aromatic, floating, dispersing energy is powerful and calming. It's direction is quickly outward and upward. Ones forehead immediately perspires.

In the second infusion malty-thick, viscous, slippery flavours slide over the mouth- completely embracing it. A light sweetness with thick malty bottom comes over the mouth like a wave leaving behind the deep, mysterious, and chalky. Light into dark, light into deep, summer into fall. The tea reaches deep into the throat. The aftertaste is just a continuation of the initial sip.

The third infusion has an initial flavour that bends to more of a caramel-maltiness. There is a fresh quality that presses against the heavy, viscous bottom of this tea. A gritty, chalky nature is revealed in the full mouthfeel and throatfeel of this tea. The chaqi induces a sweat every time the first cup of a new infusion is consumed. Besides dispersing up and outward, the chaqi also warms and strengthens the middle jiao as it slowly creates a comforting warming sensation in the guts.

The fourth infusion has the vanilla notes more prominent. The taste becomes a bit more creamy with deeper notes becoming less overpowering. The mouthfeel becomes more sticky and slick. The aftertaste is as full as ever with chocolate vanilla notes burrowing deep into the throat.

The fifth infusion tastes lighter and fresher with ghostly, but still very present, deeper notes hanging on. The finish is still that sweet, light, ethereal, vanilla coco. The mouthfeel is thinner initially and thickens out in the throat. The qi here is warming and disperses slower now. A hot flash now hits the head minutes after finishing the pot. Now the warming- middle nature of the chaqi is more predominant over the dispersing nature.

In the sixth and seventh infusions the tea develops a woody, slightly spicy character with the vanilla and chocolate notes just present as a back taste. It finishes dry and slightly bitter. The mouthfeel is lighter and sharper. The aftertaste is deliciously long and starts to develop a sharp tartness. The flash of heat comes much later and is just slightly noticeable now. Strong relaxation is induced.

This tea is taken a few more infusions. This last push contains sharper, thinner flavours of spicy wood with even some subtle fruity notes.

Peace

2009 Winter Dong Ding Competition Grade III Oolong On A Chilly Summer Morning

One woke with a chill this morning and as a result remained barefoot on the hardwood just enough to put warm wool socks on. A medium roasted spring oolong would be a good remedy for this summertime chill.

One finds this one-pot sample from Life In Teacup and pours the whole sample of dark roasted pellets into the large yixing pot. The smell of the medium to high roasted dry leaves is muted with some grape smells escaping the roasted vacuum. One cuddles close to the teapot as the water boils inside.

The first pot is a very simple, quiet ordeal with bland-grainy body and a slippery roasted taste. It is immediately apparent that this is not a spring but a winter oolong.

No matter, the second pot is prepared and pours a brown-yellow. It offers dry, bland, grainy notes with ghostly sour apple underpinnings that slip away before fully realizing them. The lips dry and the front of the mouth is partially stimulated as the aftertaste of a sandy roast runs across ones breath.

The third is more of that simple cereal dryness. The mouthfeel in the front also has a simple dimension to it. By the fourth infusion there isn't much left in the cup but one feels warm and ready to start the day.

The hot water is left in the fifth infusion for a long while. When one comes back to the pot it yields a thin, watery soup with a soft roasted, hollow honey taste. One sips and enjoys this last simple pot throughout the morning.

Peace

2009 Fall (mid Sept) Teamasters Luanze Oolong, Feng Huang, Taiwan

If this tea sample didn't say “Fall (mid Sept)” on its wrapper one would swear it a Spring oolong.

The dry leaves smell a faint, sweet raspberry muddled in soft, creamy deep mountain tones. One meditates deeply on the smell and can sense the mountain air where these leaves must have lavished in.

These leaves unfurl in yixing with the urging of slightly cooled hot water.

The first infusion reveals the typical milky, creamy sweetness of Taiwanese oolong. This one is nice and sweet accompanied with a bland taste which thinly coats the mouth and covers the lips. A ghostly, juicy raspberry taste adds additional freshness.

The second infusion has more bitter notes which play well with bland and sweet. Milky, fresh, light, slightly fruity, berry sweetness is divided by bitter notes. A flowery summer and roasted almond scent adds to the light, spring feel of this oolong.

In the third infusion, hidden within the wonderful depth of this tea, the flowery notes blossom in the mouth. This taste climbs into the sinuses where it lingers for quite sometime, a nice reminder of what was, what still is.

The fourth brings sweet, light,grainy, fruity honey notes. It has a bitter sharpness about it that keeps the lighter flavours in check. The aftertaste is more cereal-honey.

The next few infusions the flavour shortens, thins, as it is backed by bitter and bland. The aftertaste is a faint floral reminder of what it once was. The chaqi is a touch warming, bright, clean, clear.

The last infusions last hours not minutes and still manage to push out sweet, thick-honey taste with hints of creamy floral over a nice viscus mouthfeel. This thick, buttery floral honey taste is enjoyed all day long.

Stephane are you sure you didn't put some spring oolong in this fall package?

Peace

2009 Fall (mid Sept) Teamasters Hung Shui Oolong, Feng Huang, Taiwan

Stephane kindly sent this sample, this wonderful sample...

Directing them into yixing, the dry leaves smell a roasted sweet grain- first suggestion of roasting. Boiling water is left to cool just for a bit before it awakens these roasted pearls.

The first infusion is a touch chalky with notes of light creamy hay sweetness- honey sweetness. Immediately this first light brew feels very harmonious in the mouth, in the soul.

The second infusion brings with it bitter but smooth flavours of roasted honey with the softest faint fleeting floral taste that brightens the nose.

The roast of this tea is what harmonizes it, makes it feel so whole, so complete. It brings out the flavour without drawing attention to its 'roasted' character.

The third infusion has a smooth un-offending bland nuance to it which plays with sweet tones of sweet grainy honey. Soft roasted barley lingers on the breath.

The cha qi is warm and soothing as it reassures ones active mind. The roasting of autumnal oolong does much to harmonize its energy. If an optimal roast is achieved, this tea being a prime example, the energy of the tea becomes more complete. Ascending and descending energies complement not only the flavour but also the qi.

In the fourth infusion this tea's flavour starts to become sneakier, its thick, viscus feel in the mouth is still quite satisfying.

The fifth and sixth infusion bring only grainy, rough, earthy tones with very little sweet notes to be found. A few faint, gritty honey tastes break through.

The seventh infusion is left overnight. One awakes to thick, oily, yummy, honey water. An earthy floral taste makes its last attempt in this cool cup of tea.

One enjoys the cool tea in this way, admiring the brilliantly roasted wet leaves so early in the morning.

Peace

2008 Sinouk Champasak (Southern) Lao Organic Oolong

This was one of two very small bags of tea from Sinouk that one purchased while traveling throughout Lao. This Oolong was recommended by the Sinouk retailer. One is quite fond of the rather simple but interesting taste of the semi-oxidized tea from this Southern area of Lao that one posted about earlier this month.

These leaves are full, wiry, dark, and unbroken. The smell exudes that characteristic scent of Paxsong tea- a lingering coffee tone with hints of milky chocolate and overpowering raisin. Cue Salivation.

One puts three scoops of these space consuming leaves into the pot, water is added, then poured into a serving pot, then into ones cup. This cycle repeats itsself, mindlessly, mindfully.

The first sip of this tea is unforgettable as it really tastes quite different then most oolong. It has a rather unique woody-smooth, coffee-raisin taste that is a touch sweet and sometimes ending a touch bitter.

This tea has a slight roast to it. The nice roastiness of raisin and more slight bitter chocolate stay on the breath for sometime afterward.

Later infusions allow this tea to evolve slightly with raisin notes out pacing coffee and chocolate. Even some subtle soft, sour citrus notes can be noticed creating space and depth between sweet raisin and bitter-roasted coffee.

This tea becomes a touch smokey and throaty, or is it roasty and full? Sometimes it's really hard to tell with this tea. In the end this effect allows for somewhat of a fullness presenting mainly in the mouth that makes this one rather enjoyable. It seems to meld perfectly with the flavours of this tea.

It's chaqi is very noticeable but not distracting. Very similar in fact to the hong cha type of energy found in its semi-oxidized sibling.

As many sessions drag on with this oolong it develops flatter, vegital notes that sneak out under the dominating roasty- raisin and fading coffee. This tea can be enjoyed like this for a very long time as its stamina is quite good.

And so one enjoys it this way for quite some time.

Peace