I finally made my way over to Tea Trekker! (which involved falling waist deep into a snow bank)
I mean, how likely is it that there is an expert tea store in your town?? They go to China to buy all the teas!
I spoke with Bob about the teas I like (Da Hong Pao, Shui Xian, Tie Kwan Yin, Taiwan oolongs, but not Bai Hao, black, or white teas so much). I really have been wanting to get into green teas, so Bob recommended me this as a good transition from oolong to green.
I really like this tea – it is strong like an oolong but you can really taste the differences. This is great, and it tastes so fresh! It’s slightly bitter/astringent, but I actually kind of like it – it’s something that will probably grow on me (unlike astringent oolongs!!)
Man Tang Xiang
Yunnan Province, China
Pan-fired
Rolled twist leaf style with significant tip
Robust, sweet flavor
Floral, sweet aroma
Golden artichoke liquorMan Tang Xiang green tea is one of the heartier early spring greens. It is delightfully rich and reminiscent of a mid-season, ball-rolled green but with clarity in the cup that only an early-season green tea has.
Man Tang Xiang is an extremely well-crafted, loosely-rolled tea that is made from a large-leaf Yunnan tea varietal. The manufacture of this tea requires excellent pan-firing skills and restraint in the firing. Man Tang Xiang’s distinctive flavor develops only by short, hot firing, a technique that only a seasoned tea preparer can execute well.
Somewhat reminiscent of a loosely-rolled, large leaf Gunpowder tea, Man Tang Xiang’s extra-large leaf size does not wrap tightly, so it readily develops a crisp, artichoke-like vegetal toasty-ness and heartiness that is distinctive to Yunnan green tea manufacture.
Harvested from old-growth tea bushes on the Jing Gu Shan in Simao in mid-February of 2010.
Steep 2-3 infusions at 2 minutes each.
Water temperature should be 175° – 185° F
