2 or 3 stamps an experiment in Cupping

The Tea Gallery carries two different Shui Xian Yancha's labeled as 2 stamp and 3 stamp. Now the difference between these two is subtle, I first heard it described as a slightly different level of roasting. But I have since learned that it is more a system of grading. The 2 stamp being a slightly lower grade than the 3 stamp. I had tried these teas a few days apart and they were similar enough that I felt it would be an excellent time to view these two in a side by side tasting.

The idea is simple a somewhat standard tea cupping type setup. I happen to have two porcelain rice bowls that work wonderfully for this job pictured above. I put roughly 4 grams into each (4.1 into 1 and 4.0) into the other. First thing is it is automatically appearant between the two that the 2 stamp definitely contained more broken leaf bits, than the 3 stamp. Perhaps it was because the 3 stamp was being warmed slightly more in the sunlight that I felt the 3 stamp also had a much more pronounced aroma.

These two were definitely quite similar, the most noteworthy thing would be I felt the 2 stamp had a much more apparent roast. By that I mean the 2 stamp tasted more like charcoal and smoke, than the 3 stamp. But both stood up to this test quite wonderfully and I honestly would love to get more of either or both.