What Tea Are You Drinking Today? (Part 2)

[Richard Kilgore]

Last few days it's been the two shinchas from yuuki-cha.com featured in the current Tea Tasting & Discussion, as well as the Nepal Chiyabari Estate from The Culture Cup and the Yi Mei RenWuliang Black Tea from Norbu Tea. Plus whisked matcha from my dwindling supply; I'll have to order more from Yuuki-cha next week.

Tonight (er, this morning now here) it's a rich DanCong that I got from Hou De a couple of years ago: a 2008 Spring "Natural Habitat" WuDong Feng Huang Dancong. Honey, floral, fruit. They have a three sample pack that's worth trying if you enjoy Dan Congs.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Today got in 4 teas: Anji white tea to start (just didn't feel like sencha today); then the wuliang loose Mao Cha again; Bao Hong green tea from Yunnan Sourcing; and finally another Wuliang puerh, this time the 2007 Rui Cao Xiang 'Wu Liang Wild Arbor' Sheng from Yunnan Sourcing. Got sweet, earthy, floral, vegetal, spicy; only missed the fruitier, highly oxidized part of the tea 'spectrum'.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Just two teas today, because it was so hot this afternoon. Started with the tail end of the Sayamakaori shincha, then on to some Po Tou ginger flower fragrance Dan Cong from Tea Habitat. This was my first time with this particular Dan Cong in the Chao Zhou red clay pot I bought from Imen, and it was quite interesting: the tea was mellowed and rounded considerably. I need to do a head-to-head vs the gaiwan to be sure of what I think I'm perceiving here: if the impression holds up, and wasn't an artifact of diluting it too much, it will be the most dramatic effect yet of any brewing vessel on a tea that I've been able to perceive.

Tomorrow: the shinchas from the tasting, head to head.

[CKatCook]

Sorry I have not posted in a day or two...today is nothing but iced. Plain, black iced. There is a slight cold front moving in and I am gearing up my chai gear. I am excited about it!

[Wholemeal Crank]

A quiet tea day yesterday: my favorite white bud sheng puerh from norbu, a thermos full. At the satellite office I am always torn between being sad that I do not have anyone to share the tea with when it is so very good, and glad that I get it all to myself.

Today, finishing off the Okuyutaka shincha from Yuuki-cha, and idly considering it vs two shinchas from the tasting. I suspect the balance in umami and vegetal is in between the lightest Sayamakaori and Honyama shinchas and the Saemidori, probably closer to the first than the last. But because it has been open for a good long while now, and is no longer in prime condition, it's not really a fair comparison to the fresh teas from the tasting.

[Richard Kilgore]

106f yesterday, 98f today and 92f tomorrow as a cool front with a little rain moves through, so less iced tea necessary.

Started the day with the Yi Mei Ren Wuliang Mountain Yunnan Black Tea from Norbu. Next a Japanese green.

What teas are you all drinking in your part of the world?

[Richard Kilgore]

106f yesterday, 98f today and 92f tomorrow as a cool front with a little rain moves through, so less iced tea necessary.

Started the day with the Yi Mei Ren Wuliang Mountain Yunnan Black Tea from Norbu. Next a Japanese green.

What teas are you all drinking in your part of the world?

The green tea turned out to be the 2010 Organic Kagoshima Asatsuyu Shincha from yuuki-cha.com. This is a nutty fukamushi (deep-steamed) Japanese green tea that I really like.

[Richard Kilgore]

Just two teas today, because it was so hot this afternoon. Started with the tail end of the Sayamakaori shincha, then on to some Po Tou ginger flower fragrance Dan Cong from Tea Habitat. This was my first time with this particular Dan Cong in the Chao Zhou red clay pot I bought from Imen, and it was quite interesting: the tea was mellowed and rounded considerably. I need to do a head-to-head vs the gaiwan to be sure of what I think I'm perceiving here: if the impression holds up, and wasn't an artifact of diluting it too much, it will be the most dramatic effect yet of any brewing vessel on a tea that I've been able to perceive.

**********

I would not be at all surprised that the Chao Zhou would make a difference compared to a gaiwan. My experience is that pot clays make a difference; pot thickness makes a difference; and pot shapes make a difference. You can make very good tea in a gaiwan or a simple Yixing, but coaxing the best out of a tea is something else. Still, I think the quality of the leaf and the brewer's skill make the biggest difference in the final cup.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Today, seesawing back and forth along the sweet--umami spectrum: Okuyutaka shincha, then on to the 2006 Haiwan purple bud sheng puerh from Norbu; and now back to the lightest side with Anji 'precious rare white tea' from Wing Hop Fung.

Only horror is that the teakettle is empty and the white tea has a few more infusions left in it. Must rectify this soon!

[Shamanjoe]

Sipping this morning on a Mango Ceylon from the Republic of Tea. It was a gift from my parents when they came back from vacation. They went to a foodie gift shop and brought back a bunch of specialty food stuff, including a very nice California Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The Mango Ceylon was one of the things they brought me. I brewed it in the cup for just under 4 minutes, used boiling water as per the instructions, but it tastes very very light, almost under-infused. I don't taste anything of the mango at all. In all, it's a nice cup of tea, but I don't really taste any mango, or any of the deeper notes that are usually associated with a ceylon.

edited: to fix a double typo

Edited August 28, 2010 by Shamanjoe (log)

[Shamanjoe]

Back to an old favourite today. It's a holiday blend from the Republic of Tea that my manager turned me on to a few years ago. I'm not sure what the base tea is (the label fell off my package months ago), but it's full of warm spices, like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. I've always had a soft spot on my palette for anything similar to pumpkin pie spice, and the aroma and taste of this tea fits the bill nicely.

Edited August 30, 2010 by Shamanjoe (log)

[TeakettleSlim]

I'm nursing a cup of Panitola Estate Assam. I'm very near to the end of my supply, and no more is available right now, so I'm treasuring every sip.

[Richard Kilgore]

I enjoy the Panitola Estate Assam, too, TeaKettleSlim. I've been out for a while and see an order in my near future.

The last few days I have had my typically diverse selection of teas. In the mornings, Ceylon Vithamakanda Estate, Extra Special and Castleton Estate Darjeeling, both from teasource.com, and Dian Hong Imperial from norbutea.com. Afternoons and evenings a variety of Oolongs, including a nice Yunnan Bai Hao (Fall 2009) from Norbu and a particularly fine one from jingteashop.com, a Lao Cong Shui Xian; green teas have been several of this years wonderful organic shinchas from yuuki-cha.com and a lovely Wu Niu Zao from jingteashop.com.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Tea selection lately has been limited by travel (could only bring a couple along) and time (not time for careful brewing). I've been drinking the 2010 Spring Diamond Tie Guan Yin from Norbu, 2007 White Bud Sheng puerh, also from Norbu, and today tried my first infusion of some new samples of older sheng puerh from Essence of Tea--trying out my theory that the older shengs may be more like the nicer ripe shus then like my favorite young shengs. Preliminary results do fit this hypothesis, but there are more samples to go, and given how small (because so pricey!) some of them are, it will be a while before they get the full attention they deserve (and writeup in the puerh topic, naturally).

[Richard Kilgore]

I'll be interested to read your notes on the Essence of Tea puerhs, WC. A few here that I got some time ago, but have done little brewing of them.

Up late working tonight and sipping infusions of the Jade Dragon Yunnan Green Tea from Norbu Tea. Very nice.

[Richard Kilgore]

It was the Ceylon Lumbini Estate, FBOP from teasource.com in my cup this morning.

What teas are you all drinking this week in your part of the world?

BTW, there is one free set of three teas for the new Iced Tea/Tea Tasting & Discussion left, so PM me if you are interested.

[Richard Kilgore]

Yesterday morning, the Castleton Estate Darjeeling, Wiry (2nd Flush)from teasource.com. Last night, a very nice pot of the PMD from The Cultured Cup that was featured in the recent White Tea TT&D.

Spring 2010 Yi Mei Ren Wuliang Mountain Black Tea from Norbu Tea in my morning cup today. Brewed in a gaiwan, but I need to try it soon with a Yixing dedicated to Chinese black teas. And now sipping the mild nutty, roasty 2010 Organic Kagoshima Asatsuyu Shincha.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Today was a bunch of teas: shincha start (Kabusecha from the tasting), then on to Sea Dyke Ti Kuan Yin, Dragon Well, yellow Sichuan, and now two Da Wu Ye, one of them a Dan Cong. Lots of tea, not so much work as should have been energetically done with all that tea on board!

[Richard Kilgore]

A nice pot of teasource's Castle Estate Darjeeling, Wiry this morning.

What teas are you all drinking in your part of the world this week?

[Richard Kilgore]

Started the day with a very nice red tea from China brewed gong fu cha style: a Fujian Bai Lin Gong Fu from jingteashop.com. Creamy, floral, chocolate. Wow! I should brew red/black teas gong fu cha more often.

So, what teas are you all drinking today in your part of the world?

[Richard Kilgore]

Started the day with the Japanese black tea (yes, black tea) Hime hikari (2009) from yuuki-cha.com. A very smooth black tea.

What's in your cup?

[Wholemeal Crank]

I bought a little of that and their oolong too, with my last order. My insatiable curiosity about tea is starting to settle down a little now, but only a little, and i was just so very curious....

Today I discovered that aged long jing is not necessarily a treat. That sadness was quickly relieved with a cup of fresh Dragon Well that was very nice. Now onto some diamond tie guan yin, and I just discovered that I have access to one remaining unopened packet of the 2009 so can compare the 2009 and 2010 spring and the fall 2009. I'd intended to do this previously but thought I'd miscalculated and used up all the 2009 instead of saving one for the comparison.

[Moderator note: This topic continues here, What Tea Are You Drinking Today (Part 3)]

Edited January 16, 2014 by Mjx
Moderator note added. (log)