Your New Tea Discoveries for 2010-2011?

[Richard Kilgore]

I am curious about what teas everyone discovered the past year and what you want to explore this year. New categories of tea? Teas from new countries or regions of countries? Teas processed differently?

So what did you try in 2010 and what are you looking forward to for 2011?

[Richard Kilgore]

I'll start. While I tried a number of new teas, most of my exploring was focused on Japanese teas - more organic senchas at all levels of steaming; more organic gyokuros; more organic matchas; and even Japanese black teas. I'll poke around in my tea collection and see what else was new for 2010.

For 2011 my focus will continue to be on more, varied, Japanese and Chinese green teas. Plus more higher quality Wuyi and Fen Huang Chinese Oolongs. Not that I will not be open to trying a wide variety of black teas: Assam, Nilgeri, Darjeeling and ceylon teas that I have not met before.

[Foodietopo]

In 2010 a visit to Uji near Kyoto got me really interested in green tea.

In 2011, I will go back to Uji to try more amazing tea.

If you like Japanese tea, Uji is the place to visit.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Uji

[nakji]

For me, 2010 was a year of Chinese teas. I learnt more about Tie Guan Yin and other Chinese Oolongs; Long Jing; and Bi Luo Chun.

This year I might start looking at Pu'er; I'm still quite intimidated by it. I'd also like to find a steady source of Taiwan-style traditional Oolongs.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Last year, I really fell in love with strong young sheng puerhs, particularly that gorgeous Lao Ban Zhang from Norbu, and finally tried some seriously aged puerh from Essence of Tea, leading me back to the best qualities of my favorite shu pus. I also broadened my palate for Japanese teas, explored some korean green, yellow/'oolong' and herbal teas, gave up on matcha, and got better with greens in general.

This year? No particular tea goals; I feel like I've tried a little of almost everything I've been especially interested in, and my cabinet runneth over. I think I'll be content to mostly drink what I've already got, and pick up a few fresh shinchas and senchas here and there, and make sure to not run out of my favorite TGY.

Edited January 6, 2011 by Wholemeal Crank (log)