Daylon R Thomas Send Message

Thank you for the sample Jeff!

I’ve been wanting to try some Unytea again, and their oolong selection was especially good this year. There was another pre-sale of the Qi Lai Shan that I had to participate in since I’ve always wanted to try that tea-a gaoshan off the bucket list in other words. The Qi Lai was actually cheaper compared to other vendors, and though it was expensive, I decided to get a decent amount to enjoy in case I want more later…like I always do with the tea I am writing about now.

Again, I was very tempted to get a few ounces of this one because it is one of the better Alishans I’ve had so far, especially in how it gets sweeter and fruitier in the later steeps. I’ve seen a lot of writers talk about that for this kind of oolong, but I’ve experienced it seldomly. This particular batch has the development in folds. The first steep was typical floral creaminess undertoned by thick grassiness at 20 seconds, then the second 35 sec. brew yielded something that almost resembled the texture of bubblegum. Think fruit tree flower flavored bubblegum. The next few steeps get sweeter and more honeydew melon like, and sometimes, there were sweater notes that reminded me of a sweet kiwi. Does anyone else get that?

Anyway, this is a fabulous tea that I wish I could afford more of. I think everyone should try it at least once, and though experienced drinkers will definitely like it, there are a few that might be pickier when it comes to this tea.

Why do oolongs always open up a month after you open the bag? Seriously, every gaoshan oolong becomes 10% better after I first try it.

Anyway, I grandpa styled this at my placement school last week and the fruit and floral notes were heavy amidst crisp lettuce ones. Basically, the rating would go from a 75-80 based on how it lushly improved. It also gave me a little bit of a caffiene rush, especially considering the earlier Fog Cutter cuppa joe pumpin’ through my veins…I’m a student teacher, don’t judge me.

I figured out that very quick flash steeps with later escalations Gong Fu in drier fall weather is the best way to drink this tea. I swear that the humidity of the past few months intensified the apricot and grassy notes making it harder to drink, but it was incredibly easy to drink this morning.

I broke the brick into rough thirds, and began with a rinse not longer than 15 seconds and not shorter than 10 using 185 F water. Creamy sweet florals lead on, starting off with a lilac-vanilla rise and going down a butter-scotch honeysuckle end of its wispy body. The second 30 second steep was more intense, painting more florals that I could not identify well amidst its creamy body. The later steeps beginning from brew three at a 35 seconds developed the apricot-citrus note from there on to the rest of the session while maintaining its dry creaminess. I partially see the nut thing that Alistair describes because it goes dry, wet, dry in the body. I also got more mineral throughout, becoming stronger in later steeps.

It finally had the Taiwaneese Gaoshan similarities and uniquely green Shui Xian Character that I love, but I am glad that I did not bulk on the cakes. It is a more nuanced version of the Floral, yet I personally found it more delicate to brew. That might change in the future.

I think that this tea is more approachable for oolong lovers and intermediate or advanced drinkers that are used to brewing Gong Fu. I’ve yet had a successful western session and only one mediocre Grandpa One. New drinkers might have a harder time brewing it, and it might be too close to delicate for some though it compares to heavier Lishans. I also got a charge of qi one night with it, so some may be able to find some qi from this tea especially if their tolerance is lower.

I rate this a 90 though I do not think I’d buy this tea too often despite my usual enjoyment of the variety and this seasons popularity for it. I admit that there are other teas that I prefer to this one, it is one that I think is better to savor and meditate with rather than a daily tea injection. Hence, this tea is ultimately for someone looking to try it in smaller quantities and to expand their horizons.

I need to keep this one short. Been busy with student teacher stuff and trying to figure out how to balance my energy levels, be more efficient with grading and paperwork, and maintain some semblance of a healthy personal life-i.e.-working out and seeing friends when I can without losing sleep. #Lifegoals.

Anyway, this tea was pretty unusual. The Jin Xuan similarities that Alistair described were present. Gong Fu brings out more dimension in my opinion because of how it fluxes from a first flush Himalayan tea, Dajeeling or from this general Terroir, in its light sweet florals and nutty roasted body. Western was pretty consistent, though the resteep values were decent and complex.

In general, the body was creamy and floral in some form for every brew, and subtle sweet notes occasionally popped in the background like plaintain. The first three and the last two steeps were the most floral, the middle body no matter the brew had the more light-
medium roasted nutty qualities. Though the oolong is still green, the more leafed sessions nutty notes bordered on the similarities of a first flush black tea, and even a hong cha or hwang cha without cocoa, but instead focused on the nuts, florals, and almost potato-y starchiness. You can still tell that it was an oolong, which is why I should say it is more akin to a light roast Jin Xuan or Dan Cong, but again, it is closer to a Dan Cong and the florals are more like the first and second flush black teas of the same Himalayan terroir.

Though I this tea is not my favorite, it was distinct and very likable. It is a worth while try for any sommeliar who wants to examine something experimental, and as with any Nepalese tea, I think its worth a try because this terroir is not always as appreciated as others. It has enough sophistication to think about and it has the special quality of balancing its floral and roasted character, which is a trait that I’ve seen in half the oolongs I have tried. Other people might be unimpressed and just categorize it as an oolong, or tea while at least noticing some of the florals. Though I do not need more of this tea in my life, it’s one that I am glad that I tried anyway as I get more hope from what Nepal has to offer.

I need to review this one soon…

This originally struck me as my second favorite of Teaful’s Chapter 4 box for it’s dinstinctly sweet honey flavor before I figured out how I like the Shan Lin Xi Black. It pretty much tastes like a black version of most Jin Xuans you might have had with a Gui Fei’s honeybun floral character. For those of you who have read some of my previous notes, this tea is very dang similar to the Vietnam Red Buffalo with a black tea’s malt and a slight herb quality in the very later steeps. Those new to Taiwaneese would see this as a standard tasting black tea with a sweet edge, and may get a fruity impression. Snobs would appreciate it as an enduring one that flexes a little bit of lemon and violet in the notes as Teaful Describes.

The tea does not differ too much Western or Gong fu so far because it’s honeyed flavor remains the same. Western 3 minutes is thickens it a little more at once, but Gong fu spreads out the flavor in viscous coats. Again, Honeybuns is how I would prefer to describe it albeit with a malty black tea background. I got the violets more in steeps 2, 3, and 5 gong fu while I get the herby sage in the very last three steeps out of seven after four minutes. I do not know if it is doable grandpa with less leaves yet, and although I do not think it will hold up well, the tea has very little bitterness and astringency making it more versatile than your usual black.

I do want to see more opinions on this one, and as much as I like it, there are a few other teas that are comparable to this one at occasionally cheaper prices. The $5.99 per 25 grams is a little steep, but closer to average for what I have seen for this type of tea. I probably won’t order it again but I definitely cannot say “No” if I am offered it again, and I think that everyone exploring Taiwaneese tea should try this kind of black at least once in their lifetime.

I slowly grew to love this one. A black Shan Lin Xi or ANY black version of an oolong was a knee-jerk YES for me, so the tea made Chapter 4 all the more appealing. I was underwhelmed, however, the first time western.

It was a good black, and for those who live by Taiwaneese Teas, the taste and aroma is like a cross between a #18 Ruby Assam and a Shan Lin XI’s crisp florals. I got three solid cups western using 3 minute steep time, but they all generally tasted like the drying plum malt you get in any other Assam, save for a minty aftertaste.

Gong Fu was were this tea really shined, sweetening the fruity and herbal mint notes even more. The second steep was the sweetest after 40 seconds, though the 15 minute rinse and 30 min. first steep were excellent. Purple and red plum is the best descriptor for the fruit, but blackberry and grape are not far off. The minty aftertaste was mega pronounced in steep three, transforming into more subdued tulsi and blackberry leaf in the later steeps. Steeps 7 and 8 were faint but flavorful like a hipster homemade jam, and timed out at 5 and 7 minutes in the end.

I know it’s not really original to use the company’s notes, but Teaful’s are very spot on. It is more fruity than cocoay compared to other blacks, but I could argue a case for some cocoa notes amidst the soft malt of the black tea. Plum, even sugar, and mint supersede it overall.

While it is a solid tea Western, I recommend this tea to soft black tea lovers and I especially recommend those getting into Gong Fu styling of tea to try it out with this one. It does decently with sugar, though I prefer the tea simple and straight. I do not know if I would recommend cream because it is a softer tea. I see it being flexible, but if you want it with sugar and cream, go for it strong and for yourself.

The terroir is also something that makes the tea all the more welcoming, and the price is a little high for this one, but it is worth it for the rarity and quality. I’m tempted to pick up more of this one, or at least something with the kind of profile this tea offers.

I know it’s been a while since I’ve been on here, but here are the new tea developments in the past few weeks. I got the Chapter 4 Box Set with the Teaful mug and have thoroughly enjoyed every sample. This tea is hands down my favorite out of all the samples, and if it were sold in higher quantities, I would definitely consider getting more.

Unfortunately, I plowed through the 20 grams I had of it, so I won’t detail every accent of the tastes and mouthfeels, but I will give broad strokes of how the tea went with the more pronounced details I remember. I can specify that I went with 5 grams in the Teaful Infuser Mug western both starting off with 3 minutes and 4.5, then prolonging each steep later on. Ex.: 3.5 minutes, 4.5 min, 6 min, 7.5, and 8. 4-5 steeps was the average western. Gong Fu made me lose count how many steeps I got because there were so many. I started off with a 15 sec rinse, 5 grams in 6 oz, and it was intensely sweet and creamy, almost like a sweet pudding. Consecutive steeps were 35 seconds, 45 seconds , 40 seconds, 60 seconds, and then longer and longer steeps later on.

Specific aspects stood out strongly, however, whereas the other notes were things you would expect out of a Li Shan Oolong. The brown sugar notes that Teaful describes are immensely pronounced no matter how brewed, making this one of the sweetest Li Shans I’ve had to date. Cream, Spinach, Magnolia, Rice Malt, Oak, Brown Sugar all precisely apply Western or Gong Fu. The western brews were much earthier with that spinach green quality, but the earthy notes were fresh and blended with the softening florals and dainty sweetness. Gong Fu was considerably sweeter and more floral to the point of sugaryness, but the spinachy aspects and rice malt show up early mid session and continue in the late session. The very last brew Gong Fu tasted like a fully developed Tsui Yu Jade Oolong with the Li Shan florals highlighting the background.

This tea is close to being one of my favorites, and as powerful as the earthy and brown sugar notes sound, the tea was more sophisticated yet viscous. In short, the perfect combo between suave and full bodied. I highly recommend this tea and Teaful’s company in general. I can see more experienced drinkers really enjoying this, and it is a very easy drinker for those just getting into straight teas because it is so naturally sweet. I should add that the more vegetal aspects are soft and not as harsh as they could be making me like this one even more.

I would almost rate this a 97 or a 98 because of its pronounced sweetness, its great balance of contrasting notes, its brewing versatility, and its very complete profile. I would not be surprised if it is doable Grandpa Style. The quantity is the only thing that really deters me from rating the tea higher than a 96, but that is because of me comparing it to the other Li Shan’s I have in terms of price. It also blows the other samples out of the water in my biased opinion, so I highly recommend a try of this oolong.

I swear I finished half of my bag of this. I got this tea impatiently because I needed some Li Shan in my life again.

This one is on the lighter, crisper side of Lishans, but the profile is generally sweet, fresh, floral, and fruity. I tend to do this one Gong Fu, going heavier on the leaf for 4-7 grams for 6 oz and Tumbler Grandpa styling it with 3 grams. I prefer lighter temperatures for it personally, but it can handle near boiling temperatures with a heftier amount of leaves. I have yet to succeed brewing this western, but I’ll figure out a method yet.

The lightness of the green oolong is akin to washing fresh spinach or morning dew on green blades of grass in the mountains. I could simply use the word fresh again, but I like to paint little pretentious pictures anyway. I generally prefer a rinse for this leaves because the first cup can be generally water chestnutt-y or grassy, but the rinse is drinkable. The second cups always blooms with delicate flowers and powdery sugar notes from the smell. It vaguely resembles the middle range of the air in the Kualoa mountain’s tropical forests. I know, it really resembles the air in Taiwan, but just think tropical mountains covered in rain and luscious greenery.

Shorter steeps of 15 or even 30 seconds early on were grassy/mistier, and later longer steeps were more citrusy and nectar like. The profiles shift and become sweeter in later longer infusions of four minutes gong fu in steeps five or six (my average is 8 cups gong fuwith this bugger). Tasting it, the profile is pleasantly grassy, and very floral notes that are a little bit more like pinneapple for me personally. Passionfruit is much more precise. The fruity notes resemble clementine moreso in later steeps as it becomes sweeter, softer, yet fuller bodied. Plumeria and hibiscus come to mind for me over and over, moreso sweet hibiscus with a plumeria’s creaminess. Lilac is a given, but the florals are accented most by the fruity notes. Mom noticed jasmine, though I might scrap the florals to these few words: Jasmine or orange blossom, osmanthus mid to later steeps, and the usual honeysuckle. Every once in a while, a snickerdoodle notes pops up with the sugar cane, but the honey notes are vaguer for me as they are a collection of the fruity, floral, and sweeter notes overall.

As many cups and as much ceremony Gong Fu brought me, I preferred the taste in my Tumbler a little more because the creamy florals and sugary fruit notes were better highlighted in it. This is why I need to figure out a way to make this western because it probably can handle it, and I can maybe save more leaves.

I’m sorry that I am now just getting to the recommendation, but I recommend this tea as a solid Li Shan with fresher rain water qualities you might pick up with other, more expensive oolongs. The price for this is still hefty, even with a discount ($40 for 150 g and a tin), it is still worth it as a good tea. If only this were sold in smaller quantities…though I am glad that I have this much.

As much as I slightly prefer What-Cha’s Li Shan (WHY DIDN’T I SAVE UP MORE FOR IT!!!!), this was an excellent soft tea worthy of its price. I also love Berylleb as a Tea Vendor and I am so happy to have the tin this came in. For now, I am a happy Daylon.