What-Cha

I love black tea from Nepal. To me it takes the best of India and China black and combines them into one great cup. This one is smooth and malty like my favorite Yunnans. There is just enough fruity edge reminiscent of Assam to build interest without the gut hurting tannins (Or maybe they just don’t hurt me in Nepali teas like an Assam usually does). The taste, of this one at least, is only slightly Darjeeling like. Instead of the Muscat this one leans towards apricot. I don’t recall a single Nepali tea I have not liked. Maybe poor English but you know what I mean. This 1st flush one is very tasty. So much so I did not add sweetener.

My green tea powder arrived today! I can stop watching tracking and start mixing smoothies again – Yeah! (The ‘Yeah!’ is to be said with all the enthusiasm of Kermit the Frog)

(I totally posted this on the wrong tea earlier….derp…so I am just moving it over)

Ben and I went gallivanting today after he got home from work, a celebratory gallivanting to my favorite store: International 888, possibly the best Asian market ever. It is celebratory because next week is my official ‘One Year as a Tea Blogger’ anniversary, I wanted to celebrate by getting some teas. I got a few surprise teas (surprise as in I have no idea if they are at all good, but they were cheap) and a Boba Thai Iced Tea, first one in years! I love Thai Iced tea (and bubbles!) but I have to only have it once in a great while because it makes me vibrate. I also plan on having a giveaway next week, more on that as I finish planning it.

Today’s tea is another offering from What-Cha, Zhejiang Purple Bamboo Shoot ‘Zi Sun Cha’ Green Tea, a beautifully vibrant green tea from Zhang Ling Tea Farm in Zhejiang, China. According to my little bit of research, this tea was regarded as one of the finest teas by Lu Yu, and was a much loved Tribute Tea during the Tang dynasty. Teas that have an ancient and storied history make my immensely happy, it is like I am having a cup of history, like I am a Time Lord and my gaiwan is my TARDIS. The aroma of the dry leaves is intense and complex, it is one of those teas that when I open the little foil package I am slammed with aroma, no need to stick my nose into the pouch, the aroma comes to me. There are initial notes of hay, a touch of spinach, and bit of tomato leaf, and a finish of sesame seed. As I sniff further (and breath on) the leaves sitting on my little display dish, I start to notice a savory sauteed mushroom aroma that grows the warmer the leaves get, it is a mouthwatering aroma.

Into the gaiwan the leaves go (I finally stopped sniffing them) for a nice steeping. Again the aroma is complex, the wet leaves have notes of spinach, sesame seeds, orchids, cherries, and honey. It is surprisingly fruity, especially at the end. The liquid is delicate and light, there are notes of sesame seed, and vegetal with that delightful savory sauteed mushroom aroma making an appearance.

The first steep is light and savory, it starts out with notes of spinach and sauteed mushrooms, this transitions to a gentle sesame taste. The finish is surprisingly sweet and floral with a sweetness that lingers like cane sugar. I certainly think this is a good start!

For the second steeping, the aroma of the liquid had a complete change of face. It is sweet like cherries and lychees with a touch of sesame seeds. The taste is very similar to the aroma, it starts off sweet and fruity and then transitions to sesame seeds and a touch of spicebush. It is a mild and refreshing tea.

Time for round three, the aroma is pretty faint this time around, there are delicate notes of flowers, it is like a distant bouquet that you can smell but cannot quite make out what kind of flowers there are. The taste starts out mild with savory sauteed mushrooms and spinach, this pretty quickly switches to toasted, almost smoky, sesame seeds. After the seeds there is a nice finish of lychee that lasts as a sweet aftertaste.

On a whim I decided to put aside the gaiwan and give this tea a Western Steeping. The aroma is quite rich, with notes of toasted sesame, spinach, and a touch of smoke. The taste is quite different from the gongfu version, it is still mild but the taste is sweet and orchid like with a touch of spinach. It almost reminds me of an oolong it is so floral, but when I drink it gongfu style it is very much so a green. I like these experiments, I feel it gives me a greater understanding of the tea I am drinking, I certainly suggest giving both brewing methods a try if you have the supplies.

Shameless plug! I am taking pre-orders for my annual Tea Advent Calender, it is early but I have reasons, all info can be found here.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/what-cha-zhejiang-purple-bamboo-shoot.html

Afternoon Steepster Dudes and Dudettes! I finally tore myself away from purple teas from What-Cha today as I am seriously in the mood for a subtle white tea. This is a 1st flush from Nepal. Every white tea I have had previously I believe to be of Chinese origin, so I am excited to try this one. The leaf is wonderfully scented of grass and melon. It looks like White Peony with its silver haired buds and big green leaf. I decided to use my 90 ml gaiwan for the first few steeps. 3 g, 175 F, and 15 seconds. The liquor is only the faintest yellow tint. It tastes savory and of cucumber and melon. Second steep was equally excellent. For the third go, I switched to the press so I could steep per What-Cha’s recommended 3 minute steep. As the cup is cooling to drink my wife decides to show me material samples for her latest sewing project. When we are done discussing it, the tea is cold and tastes kind of woodsy and nutty. Fourth cup, has a definite fruity apricot scent. The melon/cucumber notes are lighter but present. This now has a slight mineral note and a cooling sensation. The inside of my cheeks are tingling long after the tea is gone and my breath still feels cool. This stands up to White Peony extremely well.

This is a really nice, subtle FF Darjeeling. It has a really crisp taste, but isn’t too heavy on the tannins. The first sip is pleasantly fruity with a nice sweet aroma. There’s no one overpowering fruit taste, but just sort of a pleasant sweetness to counter the sharper tannic mouthfeel.

Nice bright green aroma in a lovely light cup- but with a surprising burst of mango at the start of the sip! This is an extremely flavorful first flush Darjeeling with deep, lush fruity notes and a crisp burst of natural sweetness. A light citrus taste lingers after the sip; almost like orange zest playing with the tannins. I really enjoyed this tea from the 2014 harvest!

I’d never tried any tea from the Azores before, so this was a really interesting tea to try. The leaves were kinda chunky and blocky-looking; kind of a hallmark of a broken leaf tea, I think. The initial infusion started out red and deepened to a rich chocolate; the tea smelled bright and barky, with definite hints of maltiness. The cup was very smooth and subtle; this is a solid black tea with nice bright notes. Quite suitable for breakfast, I think!

I think next time I might brew this at a higher temperature next time; 200 seemed a bit low. The packet recommended 203, but my kettle doesn’t have that as a setting. I also think that this tea could have been a bit less subtle at times; there was no one flavor that sang out at me, and the first few sips were a little underwhelming when compared to the strength of the middle of the cup!

I need a new shelf. My tea area is becoming slightly cluttered with tea gear, and thanks to some ebay credit scoring me three new teapots, I am about to totally run out of room. So I need a new shelf, to go next to my Tea Confessional, which will just hold my Yixing teapots. This other shelf will hold all my gaiwans, cha hais, cups, and other gear. I figure this will give me more room on my tea tray to hold gemstones and miniatures, since I like having them right there with my tea. Of course I have to go to the wood stash in the basement and attempt to build this shelf, so I might end up needing a different solution.

Ah yes, time for another Drow Tea! It is official, from now on all purple teas are Dark Elf teas, really I would prefer to call them Shadow Elf teas, but Drows are more popular, so we will go with that. Presenting What-Cha’s Yunnan Graceful Purple ‘Zi Juan’ Purple Varietal Green Tea! This green tea is from the lovely and very tea prolific region of Yunnan, that part you can get from the name, but what does the Zi Juan part mean? It means Graceful Purple and is the name of the varietal, though I will say that the article I linked you all to is a very interesting (to say the least) translation, but I suggest reading it for more information about the purple varietal in China. So, this tea cracks me up, because on first examination, it smells like bacon! Ok, not really, but the blend of smokiness, leather, and sauteed mushrooms oddly reminds me of bacon, this tea is all about the savory, toss in some cooked spinach and a camphorous undertone and you have a green tea that has the essence of Yunnan. I am calling it that from now on because most teas from this region have it, though this tea leans more towards the savory side, which I like!

The leaves, once brewed, become super rich and smooth, with notes that are both evocative of a seaside and a forest floor, along with some deliciously sauteed spinach and mushrooms. I really dig the seaweed notes and that finish of loam and camphor, very savory and nose tingly. The liquid, on the other hand, is delicate, with notes of smoke, sauteed mushrooms, and a finish of cooked spinach.

The first steep is very well rounded and smooth, it is very much so a full mouth sensation tea, starting off smooth on the tongue and turning to cooling as it slides down the throat. The taste is savory, there is no sweet to be found, with notes of sauteed mushrooms, very gentle smoke, a touch of seaweed, and finish of spinach. There is no camphor taste, just the cooling sensation, which is always a treat to have.

Now onto the second steep (and fair warning, I am tea sloshed, I met up with a friend and we had all told about 15 steeps of teas, and I had several steeps of a black and a green before that!) The aroma is smoky and loamy, like a forest floor with savory mushrooms, and just a tiny hint of floral. That little floral note is fun, more like the memory of a flower rather than the flower. Holy moly camphor! That is one cooling camphorous tea, I can certainly taste it this time, it is not just a sensation. Couple that with a meaty sauteed mushroom and a very green cooked spinach and you have a yummy tea…that might actually be a spy. I am pretty sure this is a green tea that is trying to infiltrate the world of Sheng Puerhs by pretending to be one.

Third steeping, the aroma is a bit mellow, blending smoky notes and a tiny hint of hay, along with gentle notes of spinach. Still pleasant, though not as robust as previously. This steep has gone back to the well rounded mouth, no more camphor explosion, just a gentle cooling sensation at the finish. The taste is spinach and mushrooms, keeping it savory and just a tiny bit meaty, though there is a very delicate sweetness at the finish. This tea is fascinating, it is like a Sheng Puerh and a particularly savory Mao Jian got together and had a very purple love child, and I am ok with that. I really enjoy green teas that have strong savory notes, I am a bit of an umami fiend, plus purple teas are just so much fun to look at!

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/04/what-cha-yunnan-graceful-purple-zi-juan.html

I give this a more thorough review on my blog but to keep it shorter and lighter here – this stuff is AWESOME! I had to check the website to see if it was the correct tea. This is not even close to what I expected from an oolong. This is malt, malt, malt, malt, (tribute to Spam) and honey, and malt, and caramel, and did I mention malt? Seriously, this reminds me of a combination of Tan Yang and the Dian Hong Golden Tips I had this morning. There is no bitterness, and only a slight dryness. If feels thick and syrupy. The aftertaste is sweet and fruity/spicy. They call it plum and that does match the other teas I have tried that mention plum in the description. What-Cha is quickly turning me into a fan.

I haven’t given a number rating in a while – this one earns it.

This tea isn’t yet on What-Cha’s website at the time I am writing this. I get the honor of sampling it before the rest of the world. Go Me!

Wha-Cha sources their Kenya teas directly from the farmers. This translates into hopefully a better wage for their hard work and a better fresher leaf for us.

The long leaf on this is very dark and lightly twisted. It looks more like a black tea but on closer examination it really does have a purplish cast. There are a few twigs. The aroma dry is grain and dry grass. The steeped leaf is olive green and brown. It maintains a purple tint and as I was examining it I noticed a blueberry tint to the small amount of liquid under the leaf. It has a heavy but awesome cooked spinach aroma.

The taste is completely different than the Yunnan purple varietal I tried the other day. It tasted like a mellow sheng. This Kenyan purple has a more traditional green tea flavor. As such I think it might appeal to a wider audience. It is a little grassy with a nice bite. It has a fruit note that is not overly sweet or tart and kind of grape like. I don’t really know plum taste – that is what Wha-Cha states in the description – but if my description fits the profile, then I agree with them :)

I wrote on my blog review that this reminds me of Mao Feng. If I had them side by side maybe it isn’t that close but going from memory that is the connection I make.

I’m tempted just to copy my blog review over here but I will resist. What-Cha is a new UK company. They have free international shipping on orders over $35, and a flat $6 for lesser orders. That seems to include my friends in Canada!

This tea leaf smells awesome. It is sweet and sour like other Chinese greens with the addition of kind of a bread like aroma and a wonderful breath of smoke (not heavy LS or even Keemun).

The taste is so different I had to contact What-Cha and ask if this is indeed a green or if it is a sheng. Alistair wrote back as quickly as time zones would allow and confirmed it is prepared as a green tea. The interesting thing is the large purple leaves of this particular varietal have been cultivated (my word – maybe not the correct one) for producing pu’erh. So I am sort of on the right track.

What I am tasting is sheng like without any of that bright metallic taste. It is mild and vegetal, earthy, along with a stone fruit note (I am thinking apricot). The smoke briefly appears at the back of the sip and just fits. In later cups I notice it developing spicy and floral notes.

More sheng comparisons to this green tea – My lungs feel cool and fresh like I can breath to my toes. I noticed a peaceful sense of well being while sipping. I also found it produced a quiet stomach rumble leading me to believe this tea is soothing to my system. Your mileage may vary.

I found this tea to be captivatingly different. I am 30 ounces into steeping the same leaf and it appears it is going to go more.

Remember about a month ago when Ben let me borrow his computer to play the Minecraft demo? I have not been able to go back to the Xbox version since then, I tasted the forbidden fruit and now I cannot go back. Sadly my computer is garbage, so I have come up with a plan…I am going to save my money and get a desktop PC. I will get the cheapest I can (that will still play my beloved Minecraft) and then add to it as I get more money and can upgrade it. My next goal would be to make Let’s Play videos (mainly for my mom to watch, hehe) it is going to take forever, probably about six months before I can do it, but it will be a thing of beauty. Wish me luck!

But enough about my geeky goals, it is time for tea! Today’s tea is from What-Cha, a new tea company from my ancestral homeland of England (ok, not that ancestral since my dad was English.) Before I get into the review I have to point out their company logo. It is a Chinese dragon wearing a top hat and sipping tea…I have never been more in love with a logo EVER, if it ever gets made into a tea-shirt I would wear it constantly.

Anyway, Guangdong Big Black Leaf ‘Da Wu Ye’ Dan Cong Oolong is a lightly roasted curly leaf oolong from Guangdong Province in China. I admit, I did not know much about this particular Dan Cong, so I did a bit of research (like I do) and discovered that Da Wu Ye belongs to the orchid aroma category and it is one of the teas suitable for making the Ginger Flower Fragrance or Jian Hua Xiang. The aroma of the dry leaves is heady and very sweet, there are intense notes of orchid and orange blossom, this sweet flower nectar aroma also has a creamy quality and a hint of lychees and a tiny little blip of toasted sesame at the finish. I might have spent the entire time the tea kettle was heating up with my nose in the leaves, just enjoying their delicious aroma.

And into the gaiwan it goes for a nice, brief steeping. The real trick to get the most out of a Dan Cong is a short first steep and then longer ones on the later steeps, at least if you are brewing it in a gaiwan. After their steeping, the leaves now have a milky and nutty aroma, still sweet but only a fraction of the previous sweetness, it is very rich. The liquid is quite interesting, with notes of milk, black walnuts, honey, and sweet undertones of flower nectar. The aroma has a heaviness to it.

The first sipping is delicate, with a flowery beginning of orchids and nectar sweetness. This fades to a creamy fruitiness that is a blend of lychees and scuppernongs. The finish is fun, it has a sharp taste and mouthfeel that reminds me of black walnuts. It is a bit uncanny how the finish is just like I ate a handful of black walnuts, such delicious and intense nuts.

For the second steeping, the aroma is much more floral than the first steeping, there are sweet notes of orange blossom and orchid, the finish is nutty. The taste starts out sweet and smooth, with floral notes and a touch of honey. This transitions to black walnuts with a sharp, slightly dry finish. The black walnut taste lingers as an aftertaste.

Third steeping time! The aroma is faintly sweet, a bit of nuttiness and a bit of floral. It is pretty faint compared to the previous steep’s aroma. The taste this time around starts off with black walnut, there is still a touch of sharpness, but it is not as strong. This fades to a gentle orange blossom sweetness that lingers as an aftertaste. Well, what I have learned from this is I really need to try more Dan Cong Oolongs, all the ones I have had have been unique and very enjoyable. I also look forward to trying more of the samples that What-Cha sent my way.

For photos and blog: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/what-cha-guangdong-big-black-leaf-da-wu.html