Norbu Tea

I got a free sample of this with my last order from Norbu, and tonight, when my tongue was overdone with tasting several puerhs together, I tried just a pinch of it as a change of pace. I prepared it with probably about half a gram of tea to 2 oz boiling water (it was late, and I didn’t want to be up all night), and after about 2 minutes steep the liquor was deep orange red, and delicious. Fruity, sweet, no astringency at all (not that I expected any, really, given the dilution I started with), and a second infusion was equally delightful. Not sure about the wine-like aspect, but this was a quick & dirty sipping, so I’ll have to try it again, more carefully, and take better notes to see if I can identify that.

I will certainly get a little more of this tea for a change of pace, and I suspect it will make a nice alternative to my golden Yunnans for take-a-thermos-to-work days.

I have been enjoying the Lao Ban Zhang Mao Cha for several months, since I first tried it as part of a tasting on egullet.org, so with my last order from Norbu, I tried a couple other Mao Cha, to see how they compared.

2010 Shi Tou Xin Zhai Mao Cha, Nan Nuo Shan, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan
2009 Lao Ban Zhang Mao Cha from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan*
2009 Wulian Shan Mao Cha from Dali Prefecture, Yunnan

This is my first brewing of other two young shengs. As expected, these are wonderful teas, with more capacity for infusions than I have space in my bladder, even with the very small gaiwans, so sometime after 10 or 12 infusions, I stopped drinking the full infusions, and did a series of longer steeps, discarding the liquor, and then did a final infusion, which I estimate to be about the 20th for each, so I could finish the tasting, get the photos of the spent leaves, and go to bed!

Overall? I love all of these. The Shi Tou Xin Zhai is the most approachable in the early infusion, and is one I’ll take to work to share in some one on one meetings with other tea lovers—it’s less likely to bite back if I get a bit distracted. But at the however-many-it-finally was infusion, when all were pretty dilute and mostly had just a gentle sweetness left, I found a little more depth or complexity in the LBZ in than the other two. So….if you’re anxious about bitter, start with the Shi Tou. If you’re already a connoisseur of young sheng, and want the maximum complexity, go for the LBZ. And if you’re undecided, get the Wulian, or better yet, enjoy all of them.

Tasting setup

Used 1.0 grams of tea in small 40 mL gaiwans
Infusions 205°F/96°C-212°F/100°C
2 rinses at about 10 seconds each, before first 10 second infusions

2010 Shi Tou Xin Zhai Mao Cha, Nan Nuo Shan, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan

Dry Leaves: long dark twists of intact leaves with some stems, sweet woody anise scent
Liquor, 1st infusion: light tan liquor, sweet anise flavor predominates
Liquor, 2nd infusion: the anise sweetness continues to make this one mellower than the other two
Someplace about the 8th or 9th infusion: still the mellowest of them, even after the dregs in the cup sat a bit and bitterness started to come into play; how is it that the youngest is the least harsh?
Liquor, many?-th infusion: sweet, dilute, still that lovely hint of anise
Wet Leaves: olive green leaves with reddish accents, woody earthy spicy scent

http://www.well.com/user/debunix/recipes/ShengMaoChaTasting7.31.10.html

Another stellar series of infusions today. Have to move the rating on this one up a little more again. So smooth, rich, mellow, anise/earthy/caramelsweet.

Should order some more of this with my next order from Norbu. Just don’t read this and buy it all before I get more!

This tea is just so very very nice. Today I bulk brewed up a thermos of it, starting with cooler water, because I was simultaneously drinking some Bi Lo Chun, and then ramping up the temp for the last few infusions to nearly boiling. As always, this is a lovely tea, but what was a little unusual and different is that somehow the flavor has a very strong sweet/caramel/woody note that was so strongly reminiscent of the 2008 Yi Wu bamboo aged puerh I’ve been drinking that I could have sworn it was the same tea. And since I love that Yi Wu, this was a good surprise.

I have been enjoying the Lao Ban Zhang Mao Cha for several months, since I first tried it as part of a tasting on egullet.org, so with my last order from Norbu, I tried a couple other Mao Cha, to see how they compared.

2010 Shi Tou Xin Zhai Mao Cha, Nan Nuo Shan, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan
2009 Lao Ban Zhang Mao Cha from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan*
2009 Wulian Shan Mao Cha from Dali Prefecture, Yunnan

This is my first brewing of other two young shengs. As expected, these are wonderful teas, with more capacity for infusions than I have space in my bladder, even with the very small gaiwans, so sometime after 10 or 12 infusions, I stopped drinking the full infusions, and did a series of longer steeps, discarding the liquor, and then did a final infusion, which I estimate to be about the 20th for each, so I could finish the tasting, get the photos of the spent leaves, and go to bed!

Overall? I love all of these. The Shi Tou Xin Zhai is the most approachable in the early infusion, and is one I’ll take to work to share in some one on one meetings with other tea lovers—it’s less likely to bite back if I get a bit distracted. But at the however-many-it-finally was infusion, when all were pretty dilute and mostly had just a gentle sweetness left, I found a little more depth or complexity in the LBZ in than the other two. So….if you’re anxious about bitter, start with the Shi Tou. If you’re already a connoisseur of young sheng, and want the maximum complexity, go for the LBZ. And if you’re undecided, get the Wulian, or better yet, enjoy all of them.

*Actually, turns out the LBZ is sold out. Greg tells me that the Lao Ban Pen Mao Cha on the site is very close, and maybe better. I have a hard time believing anything could be better, but as good, maybe….

Tasting setup

Used 1.0 grams of tea in small 40 mL gaiwans
Infusions 205°F/96°C-212°F/100°C
2 rinses at about 10 seconds each, before first 10 second infusions

2009 Wulian Shan Mao Cha from Dali Prefecture, Yunnan

Dry Leaves: long dark twists of intact leaves with some stems, scent sweet and vegetal and like clean earth
Liquor, 1st infusion: light tan liquor, sweet, vegetal, bit of astringency
Liquor, 2nd infusion: spicy, herbaceous, sweet with astringency and some bitterness
Someplace about the 8th or 9th infusion: sweet, earthy, again, a little spicy/herbaceous accent that in addition to and distinct from the astringency that forms part of the aftertaste of the LBZ
Liquor, many?-th infusion: sweet, dilute, mellow
Wet Leaves: olive leaves with reddish accents, sweet spicy vegetal scent

http://www.well.com/user/debunix/recipes/ShengMaoChaTasting7.31.10.html

i love this tea…i brew it a few different ways all with the same result…delicious!….there is a subtlety with this tea that intrigues me…

Working on a gongfu cha session with this tea, but again failed to weigh it before starting the infusion. Net 3-4 twists of braid about 1 1/2 inches long, in small gaiwan, with tap water about 205 degrees. Very nice. Also not keeping track of the duration of the infusions…..

This is spicy/earthy/fruity/umami tea. So nice, mmmmm. It does get a little too intense when I forget that it is infusing for a few minutes, but diluting about 1:1 brings out the good stuff again, easily. An excellent companion for overlong paperwork sessions.

Still didn’t get around to weighing, but I have been enjoying this one again off & on today, with a small gaiwain and the pino set to near boiling. I’d guess I had about 2 grams of leaf in a 75mL gaiwain, and I probably infused at least 10 times before lunch, let it sit for another 8 hours, and am back to it again, and am now on the 3rd or 4th infusion of round 2. Sweeter, still grounded with some earthiness, but gently woody, not musty at all. Very very nice. And I’ve kept at it long enough for the pretty twists to be opening into pretty intact looking olive colored leaves.

I’m in love, and I only have a small sample, but is there really room in the cupboard for another beeng?

The is a very cool tea. My first brewing today was just with a small amount of leaf, carelessly done between other tasks getting ready for work, and to fill the thermos. Not what the tea deserves, but I was tired of waiting for a quiet evening gongfu session, which rarely occurs. So….the bulk brewing alternative was tried, and even thus, this tea is a winner. Didn’t measure grams for the 32oz or brewing times, because it was done in such a hurry.

Warm, earthy, just lightly smoky, a little sweet, a little melon-fruity.

I think the gongfu should be very revealing. But I’m torn between practical considerations—should use the small gaiwans to keep the total volume realistic—and aesthetics—I want to watch the lovely twists of leaves open more fully in a glass container.

Hmmmm…

Apparently made from the same wild varietal as the Ya Bao tea buds that I’ve enjoyed so much, but compressed and aged. Greg describes a ‘lemony’ flavor and there certainly is a lemony aroma to the dried compressed leaf material, which looks rather coarse and quite clearly includes the fuzzy pale buds along with darker leaves.

Used 3.6 grams of tea in a 2.5 oz/75mL gaiwan (the proportions Greg recommends on the Norbu site) with water just off the boil. Flash rinsed, waited 2 minutes, another flash rinse (wanted to see the leaves open up for the rinsing, but it is still quite compressed, so I’m giving up), and then short steeps—first 15 seconds, up to a minute by the 4th or 5th.

It’s mellow, sweet, floral, and yes, lemony. Quite interesting. It reminds me a lot of the silver needle tea I was drinking earlier today, and like the silver needle, it is delicious with chocolate. It really does not in any way resemble puerh, despite being aged and compressed, except that it does shine here in these short steeps.

The liquor is a rich amber, and the leaves at the end vary from green to tan.

All in all quite interesting and tasty.

Photos here:
http://www.well.com/user/debunix/recipes/2005YeShengWildTeaLog.html

You know, when I run out of this, I’m going to have to buy more of it. Currently there’s only one tea that I replace regularly (Earl Grey Creme – my morning staple), but I really feel like there will be something significant missing from my tea cabinent and my life if I don’t get me some more Ali Shan from Norbu after this. I’m upping the rating for this reason.

Also, I seem to have developed sixth sense for this tea. I no longer time it. I’ve never gotten a REAL water temp on it. I just kind of wing it each time and it has never failed me. In fact, it gets better every time.

It’s also become my work tea. It is so forgiving and giving at the same time. I can get three, four steeps out of this at work easy. At home I may even stretch it to five. I can use such a small amount of leaves (last night at work I used a teaspoon for an 11 oz mug and did three solid steeps). At work, I add a little cold water from the fountain to the mug, set the basket in and then pour in the hot water from our hot water contraption. It’s so easy. For ever steep I just add a little time.

Can I please tell you… this is the only tea that never gives me that weird choke type feeling at the back of my mouth if it’s been steeped too long/too many times/wrong temp water/etc. I don’t even know what to call that feeling, but I dislike it. This is the only tea I drink (besides southern style sweet) that never does that to me.

This tea is such a winner. I am in love. Don’t tell my boyfriend. He hates this tea enough as it is.

This company makes me smile. I work in customer service, and let me tell you, I don’t believe in it. I could be the sweetest thing on the planet and people still get pissed off. But the people at Norbu… I like them. I got this tea in about one business day. And it was on sale, meaning I wasn’t supposed to get a resealable pouch, but they included it anyway. And they gave me two samples.

It made my day when I got this package, folks. Made my day. It was just nice to get my little box full of my tea plus two I wasn’t expecting. I’ve never ordered tea online before. I stick to what I can smell, inspect, touch. The only thing I tend to get off the internet is books because you can read the descriptions just the same as in a store. But this has turned me into an internet shopper. I am completely happy with my order and the whole process of getting it. (:

So on to the tea. When I opened the vacuum-sealed packet, it smelled so wonderful. I was very afraid of anything looking green after a mishap with some sencha, but this smelled lovely. Sweet, lightly floral, maybe a touch of fruit? I’m so bad at weeding out smells. Anyway, it was wonderful. I put a heaping teaspoon of the adorable little green balls into my giant teaball and prepared.

I used not quite boiling water. I don’t know what temperature. I just boiled it and then added a handful of ice cubes. My first steep was for about two minutes. The first sip scared me a little. I got a hint of that sencha taste (I’ll explain my problems with that when I get to reviewing that tea…) but I chugged on, thinking surely this won’t be the same! It smells so lovely! It must be better than this. And sure enough, it was. It’s perfumey, almost. A floral perfume, but in a good way. There’s also that slight almost fruitiness that I think I taste but I’m not quite sure? And a slight, slight base of the general ‘tea’ taste.

Second steep is the same temperature water for four minutes. It’s slightly less perfumey. In fact, the floral taste has evened out very nicely with whatever that other flavor is. What is it? Is it fruity? I honestly can’t tell!

I can tell I’m easily going to get a third, maybe fourth steep out of this one. Maybe I’ll find that fruit. Next time I think I’m upping it to two teaspoons to see what it does. Mmmm. This is turning me on to oolong big time.

I opened one of my last vacuum-sealed packages of this over the weekend, and have already indulged 3 times. I have a lovely new little porcelain teapot (1) that is fantastic with this tea, and last night it just kept going and going and going, a dozen infusions, the last of them still sweet—so different from the Alishan oolongs that keep their spiciness longest—and then I ran out of gas before the tea did.

Yes, I rate this one 100, perfect, nirvana, because I lack the imagination to see how it could get better than this tea, brewed in this pot, drunk from this cup (2), with this cat (3) on my lap.

(1) Pot
http://www.flickr.com/photos/debunix/5847746556
(2) Cup
http://www.flickr.com/photos/debunix/5859058796
(3) Cat
http://www.flickr.com/photos/debunix/3713650278

Like the 2009 vintage, this is a glorious tea, rich, sweet, floral, a little spicy, and all around brilliant. Tonight I ran out of bladder capacity and hot water at the 6th infusion, but I have little doubt that it will keep going well beyond that.

I used 1 gram of tea per ounce/30mL of 190 degree water, for 30 seconds, and gradually increase the infusions to a couple of minutes by the 10th or so.

(TTB 1.2)

Pretty tasty, good classic oolong aromas and flavors. Kinda floral and vegetal. The liquor is much lighter than I expected and I’m not getting as much flavor as I expected or would like. Although, the lightness can be kinda pleasing since it isn’t too overwhelming. Even though, I think I may try another infusion to see what else I can get from it.

BTW, I have been drinking tea since my last tasting note, I’ve just been really bad about logging them. More to come + probably some backlogs…

Smoky, earthy, delicious, sweet, a very mellow bulk brewing this afternoon, when I decided I didn’t want shu pu again in the thermos.

Tried to brew some of this up tonight, and am so frustrated. It smells so good, and tastes so good, but I burnt my tongue on some pizza today, and I can’t take the heat tonight. Bummer.

I’ve already brewed this one a time or two, but didn’t take many notes. I was particularly interested in this one because it is from a famous name factory and it is a raw sheng, not a ripe shu.

I started with little more than I really wanted—that’s the way the beeng broke—4.2 grams into a 75mL gaiwan. Rinsed with boiling water for a good 20 seconds, because the beeng was fairly tightly compressed. Giving it a couple of minutes to hydrate before the first infusion.

A first infusion at 200+ degrees and 20 seconds was a bit unpleasantly strong, as I was forgetting the very concentrated starting material. Should have broken it up into smaller bits, because this really is too much tea for the gaiwan. Regrouping with a 10 second infusion (measuring to the start of the pour from the gaiwan), now the flavors are still strong, but the sweetness is more apparent, along with earthiness and a hint of smoky. The liquor is a pale amber. And because it is infused in boiling water, I have to remember to wait, to not burn my tongue—brewing cooler green, white, and oolong teas there is no such wait required, and it’s hard to discipline myself when the first sips are so nice. 2nd infusion is earthy/sweet/smoky/caramel/vegetal. 3rd, 4th, 5th are very similar, as long as I remember to keep them extra short because of the excess of leaf.

The leaves are fairly broken up, a medium olive green with hints of reddish tints here and there.

I’d recommend a more typical 1 gram per ounce/30mL leaf to water ratio, short infusions with hot water, and a good long time available to enjoy the many infusions from this tea. It is a stronger than my favorite white bud sheng puerh, earthier with more astringency, a deeper rounder flavor overall.

Quite a nice tea, and one that I think I will keep checking in on from time to time, to see how it matures. That’s in part because I currently have more puerh than I can drink in a reasonable period of time, but also because it’s a famous label tea that I expect to be able to find information and comparisons for in years to come.

An exceptionally nice session with this tea yesterday, brewed up a thermos full and still the leaves had power for a few more infusions. It was sweet and spicy and there is a new earthiness starting to appear, and the smoky starting flavor is less apparent. And now, the dilemma: continue drinking, or stop and wait a year or three more? I like it so very much as is…..

Enjoying a gongfu session with this tea again. I love the mildly smoky start and the sweet finish, and tonight, I just forgot the third or fourth infusion as I was doing something else, returned five minutes later, and it was a little overdone—improved with a bit of dilution—but even before dilution, not bitter. I think this is one whose maturation would be interesting to follow, but I will probably drink it all, bit by bit, long before it is old enough to vote.

Working on a nice gongfu session with this tea. I do have to be a bit careful, as Greg suggests, to avoid bitterness, but most infusions are delicious, sweet, a little smoky, earthy, a little fruity, very nice. It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything but bulk brewing with this one, and it’s rewarding to discover it again.

Drank again this afternoon, a thermos full. So very mellow and nice.

This is a tea that demands a little attention and respect, because it can get bitter if you don’t pay attention. But when I get it just right, it is smoky, earthy, sweet, fruity, and delicious. It holds well in the thermos for a day away from home, and it is nice gongfu cha as well.

I’d recommend 1gram of leaf per ounce of water, gongfu cha, starting with a flash rinse of boiling water, then short steeps with water a little cooler, 190-195 degrees.

Some of the leaves are rather dark colored after infusion, but not very purple. And the leaves aren’t fine little buds. But it is a pleasant enough tea for right now, and maybe by the time I finish it (I have so much puerh right now it will be years!), it will be even better.