1705 Tasting Notes
I need to look at my older notes. Brewed this way too strong at first then way too light. I’m very happy to have a favorite daily drinker though. I wanted to do this against jasmine pearls eventually. The main difference is that this was a bit grassier to me with a pistachio note, and the Green Pearls are creamier.
I was surprised how fast I got my Taiwan Sourcing Order. I got this with a lovely note and everything fell into perfect alignment. I’ve been wanting to try some of the higher elevation jade oolongs from Taiwan Sourcing, yet hesitate because of price. Even 25 grams can be a little bit much for a sample for me.
But Taiwan Sourcing, or Scott (I think), granted me this generous gem. I wonder if he’s been watching me on Steepster because this pick is definitely the kind I prefer. So far, Qing Xin’s have been the tea varietal that I can drink without any complaint. They always remind me of tropical fruit or crisper fruits like apples, pineapples, peaches, or pears. Shan Lin Xi’s are what LP hooked me too when I began my tea journey. Now here’s some more from a much higher elevation with a name of mythological proportions: Long Feng Xia, or “The Valley of Phoenix and Dragon.”
The first smell dry leaf is what I’m used to: fruity and green. The first steep is fruity and floral. The first 15 second brew yielded more florals with fruit. There was a bit of a fresh woodsiness that I guess is the bamboo. I’m so used to the dry bamboo taste of Dan Congs that I forgot how floral that sensation could be.
The second steep at about 18 seconds was fruity and floral, as in creamy fruit and light creamy florals with a honey nectar sweetness. Then a huge wave of euphoria came over me. I couldn’t help but smile. It’s like all my knots from lifting weights dissappated, and every breath launched a mist of endorphins. I awkardly stumbled putting my right foot in front of my left. Then I go to look at the description on the website, and every description suggested strong qi and tea drunkenness. I was officially tea drunk.
It’s been a while since I got tea drunk from a green oolong. It’s continuing from steep three at 23 seconds and four at 32. In terms of taste, it’s more fruity, but with the recognizable florals in the back ground. Still creamy, pungent, and nectary.
I’m not quite sure how to describe the fruitiness this has other than nectar. It’s juicy, but also very light. It distinctly reminds me of a stronger version of the BTTC Misty Mountain but in a Gong Fu form.
45 seconds. Green Fruity, light nectar with a hint more tea drunkenness.
One minute, light fruit, green, and grassy.
2 min, floral, green grassy.
3 min, floral and grassy.
I’m more than thankful that I sampled this tea. It was one of the higher end oolongs, or higher end at least for me, and I am gladly savoring it.Flavors: Creamy, Fruit Tree Flowers, Fruity, Honey, Nectar
Preparation
Both the tea and the review sound divine. A lovely experience all round.
Agreed, great write up and sounds like a great tea. I got a “Cui Luan” winter ‘14 with my order recently. Haven’t tried it yet but the dry aroma is wonderful. Gotta agree about the Qing Xin cultivar, its just beautiful.
I’ve always wanted to try the Cui Luan! That’s ironic. I’m getting some from that area soon, but darn! I’ll have to ask for a sample of it next time I order Taiwan Sourcing.
Evol Ving Ness, here’s the link on the website. The three reviews on bottom of the description are normally accurate. http://taiwanoolongs.com/products/long-feng-xia-high-mountain-jade-oolong-tea-winter-2014
Like I said, it was a generous sample.
I can’t wait to see what you get ccr. The descriptions of Cui Luan/Ruan are always interesting. There’s two words that I’ve seen describe them, but I won’t right them until later.
Sip down and officially one of my favorite green teas. This is the best balance of seaweed greens with fruity pear and apple tones. I’m going into a phase where I have to budget tea spending soon. This might show up on the list for daily drinker-but my real aim is the best milk oolong I can keep. After I get my last two expensive orders. Soon…
I thought I wrote a note on this a while ago. What I was going to say was that this was a clean black tea with a very light berry sweetness, a pine woodsy aged quality, and a calm qi. All thanks to Whiteantlers. Anyway.
First steep Gong Fu with a generous portion of close to 4 grams. 190 F.
15 Seconds
Clear air, pines, and berries in the meadow. Smooth overall, and fairly light and sweet. There was a bit of a malty body, but a body closer to what tea noters call caramel. But a VERY LIGHT caramel. That is something that can be discussed…Oddly enough, it tasted similar to a Yunnan Moonlight, or a thicker body white tea. Interesting.
20 seconds.
Much of the same thing as previous, but more of the allusive cocoa note this time. Good tea. Good, good, good tea.
30 seconds.
Fuller body and smoother. More Yunnan sweet potato, but on a much lighter note. There’s a lot less tension in my shoulders. Interesting.
More later…
And more later. The last two steeps were fairly simple and plain. Good Yunnan black tea with the qualities of a Yunnan moonlight. I thank Whiteantlers for this gift. I would not pay the thirteen dollars for this personally, but I do think that this is an excellent black tea that is well worth a try.
Flavors: Berries, Caramel, Cocoa, Herbs, Malt, Maple, Pine, Tea
Preparation
Sipdown. I wish Whiteantlers was still around. Need to send her a giant thank you letter and some samples of good tea.
I also owe Luckyme some, but I’m not sure if I have stuff he would like save maybe the Mandala Milk.
Anyway, I like this tea a lot. It’s like a black version of the Red Buffalo with added complexity. Sweet, stone-fruity, creamy texture, and with that allusive cocoa roasted note. If only this tea weren’t so expensive…though I get expensive oolongs anyway. Hypocrite=me-ith.
Glad to finish this off, but I’m not super sad this is gone. Something great every now and then, but not something often or for ritual. Just something for this morning.
Sip down from yesterday morning. I really didn’t want to finish it, but I did. And it was good.
A dark fruity oolong with a creamy texture and honeyed taste throughout. Now that I finished it, I actually have a different opinion of it. Or a different opinion about my need for it. I like the taste just as much as when I rated it a hundred, but now, I’m not sure if I’d want this tea around all the time. For specific times, hell yes. For now, not quite sure. In short, it’s not an everyday tea for me. I’d probably be happy with a sample or 50 grams of it at most.
Back log yesterday morning.
Finest Da Hong Pao White 2 Tea.
I have not been able to find this exact tea name on their site on steepster, so I’m writing it here. I got eight cups gong fu starting out with 15 seconds with water at 190F.This was one of the best sessions I had with a Dahong Pao. At the beginning of steeps 1-4, there was a stone fruit taste beginning each yancha roasted, woodsy, and nutty liquor. As each cup cooled down, the tea had the infamous cocoa and chocolate tasting note I very rarely get with yancha’s. And it was awesome. The cocoa taste waned into the later infusions. Otherwise, yancha tea continued.
Thank You LP for giving me the opportunity of trying a high quality Da Hong Pao. It turns out I like them but am really picky with them. I probably would not drink them all the time though.
