Celebrate 2012 like...

I'm celebrating 2012 like it's in the 1960's, with a tea from the Mandarin's Tea Room (their 1960's Shui Xian ) to be exact.  I love tasting these tea's, even though I can not do it often it is always a surprise. Most surprising about this tea, it seemed to have been getting better each subsequent day (finished day 3 earlier today).  During the first day I suffered a problem that occurs to me with certain strong teas, and aged/ semi aged puerh.  That problem is taste bud fatigue, when everything seems to taste the same or have next to no taste at all.  But through days two and three they lightened up and started becoming incredibly delicious.  I have already enjoyed 14 infusions, and hope to get at least 25-30 before I call it quits.



What else amazed me about this old tea, is its dry aroma reminded me more of an aged puerh than any sort of Wuyi yancha.  In fact there was next to no roast aroma, not incredibly surprising as the tea has had more than enough time to mellow out.

Now I am not sure I would repurchase this tea, while it is certainly a wonderful tea, its just one of those things that I am not sure I can justify the price for my enjoyment of it.  While I enjoy great tea, a good deal of my enjoyment in tea, is just taking the time to make tea, as a bit of a time out from the hustle and bustle of life.

Nearly a Year Later, tasting 2007 Wuyi Star Da Hong Pao Brick

Nearly a year ago I first tasted this brick, and I honestly have not touched it since. While I have long since decided to give up on my little "aging" tests, as they are just not feasible as currently I see myself moving many times in the next 10 or more years, so the idea of having to move tea over and over again is rather daunting, especially since tea collections can grow rather fast if you are planning on aging stuff for many years.

So I must admit I was not expecting much upon opening up the package, it had let out an amazing smell, though perhaps a touch on the sour side? The brick was much easier to break up this time, but it may just have to do with me working on the opposite side of the brick than I did last time.

The aroma is still spicy with a hint of sourness to it, but the taste is actually not all that bad. While the color is incredibly dark, the taste is full of hints of chocolate and hints of coffee like tastes.

Aged Ti Kuan Yin (Blue Foil)

Alright so In my Last order from Chinese Kung fu Tea Arts, I got a digital scale, so I will now try and post the number of grams per size of vessel I am using. In that was also 250g of each of his Aged TGY. I do not quite like the fact that I only learned through talking with him that he has two different types of Aged TGY both from 2001 ( I think) but he only has one post on his site. As the Aged TGY I reviewed before was the Red foil bag, which is not the one he has actively been selling.

Though He does say that he likes the Blue foil bag better. Perhaps it is just this bag but the leaves seem slightly more broken up, but they have a distinct nice sweetness. I am using 1 packet (roughly 8g) in my 100 ml gaiwan.

From the leaves after the rinse came a great peach like aroma, I only hope that carries through for the infusions. The aroma of the broth is subtle in nature, but there is a unique peach, spices and herb like aroma coming from it but not a powerful peach like the smell of the wet leaves. There is a slight hint of a roasting present. The broth is interesting, very satisfying but not potent. I will have to steep it longer ( I did roughly 25 seconds on this one). But there is a roasted note, combined with notes of a wide variety of fruits, oranges and peaches to name a few.

Its mouth feel is not bad though, its almost oily, in the way it coats everything.

The Second infusion smells Sweeter, while the taste in this 40 second infusion is much more pronounced, and there is something distinctly citrus like in there. But it is far from the sourness that can be associated with aged oolongs.

at the price of around 50 dollars for 500 grams I knew this would be nothing to write home about, but I have 300 grams in storage for years down the road, and the rest I'll be happy to drink occasionally as a casual drinker.

Perhaps it is the smaller leaf to water ratio, but I feel the blue foil pouch does not last as long as the red foil pouch, though it is still satisfying on the 7th infusion or so it is little more than sweet water.

Aged Ti Kuan Yin (Red Foil)

I believe the year on this tea is 2001, and I was told it was a high temperature roast, and it was reroasted every two to three years. While I would not say the leaves look black like a Classic/Traditional/Charcoal roast, they are far from green, more of an olive tending towards the brownish side.

But the dry leaf aroma is actually quite welcoming lots of dried fruits, and a sweeter candied smell I assume coming from the roast. But upon rising the leaves the aroma of the roast becomes much more pronounced.

This tea came from Kung Fu Tea Arts on ebay.

The aroma is most interesting, a combination of the dry leaves and the leaves after the rinse, but all the while smelling very sweet.

The flavor is mild, but delicate, and sweet like a good fruit should be sweet, not like candy bar or sugar sweet. And with longer infusions the color has a hint of a ruby tinge to it, though the leaves now look basically black.

The aroma of the second infusion is much different a bit of a sour almost rubarb note came out, but the flavor is still delicate and tantalizing.

It changes ever so slightly over the next few infusions getting slightly more sour, and slightly less sweet, but still always interesting an never really over powering.

I do want to say that this tea is characteristic of aged tea in that its not giving up all that easily, I think the better parts of it are behind it, but its still got more to give after the 6th or 7th infusion. I did not count but I want to say this tea was the first tea I've had in a long time that lasted this many infusions that was not a puerh.

New teapot and 2001 DHP

Sometimes though a puzzle comes a great idea which turns out to be not only correct but surpasses even your initial hopes. I got this pot somewhat on a whim, as I liked its shape and I was sure I could find something that would work in it. Well when it arrived I was quite shocked at its size, 60 ml never looked quite so small before. But alas I was determined to figure something out.

So Aged oolongs tend to run on the smaller size as they are either rolled or somewhat decomposed slightly. The other possible idea I had for this pot was aged puerh but upon seeing it the idea off trying to cram even a large wuyi leaf let alone a large puerh leaf into this seemed laughable.

So while I admit I did not put this pot through rigourous tests I feel sastified in the Aged oolong approach or at least aged Wuyi Yancha. As I took my 60 ml gaiwan and brewed up an infusion, and poured half into this pot and half into my current wuyi pot. Now I love my wuyi pot and its shape just screams long twisted leaves.


But this tea I tried once before and it had a strong charred flavor, almost ash like like it was stored in a chain-smokers room. But perhaps the opening up of the many tiny little packets to let it acclimate to the surroundings helped also. I left one packet unopened to run a test at a later date seeing if the acclimation makes much of a difference.

But the new pot seemed to liven up the tea, there was still the heavy base note, but it covered the base note slightly and emphasized lighter flavors that were bogged down in my wuyi pot.

So as for this tea, It is from an ebay store "Chinese Kung Fu Tea Art Store." This tea is not my favorite but I think its somewhat of an acquired taste. Its somewhat fruity, in terms of fall fruits, but a very strong charcoal note, that sort of crys out for attention, and is hard to ignore.

But the good news is it lost the sensation of being around a chain smoker after less infusions now. (Still persistent in the first 1-3).



A teapot has a personality not unlike you and me
It learns, develops and grows to limitless possibilities,
A new life is devoted to tea, but not without its trials.

--AdamMY

1997 ShuiXian Brick

The only source I know, which sells this brick, is the Tea Gallery, and they seem to have very few left (1 as listed on their site). Other people which have reviewed this tea, often talk about how hard the brick is to break apart. While it is a new experience to try and break apart a Yancha, with something with the slightest point on it it seems decently easy. Just try and split down the center of the stick.



I personally think there is something slightly special about this tea. When brewed with boiling water you get a decent plum, with a sour note that is no where near overwhelming. But one thing I'd like to note about this tea, is through the breaking process you get many leaf fragments, but it is always smooth. Its color is an alluring deep brown, like a half spent Puerh, but amazingly clean.



A remark on this brick, For me it is great for a solo brew, as all you need is half a stick on one of the tea galleries small gaiwans, and it is a great easy brewer for one or two people. Its no small secret that I like this tea, as this tea is what persuaded me to try my hand in attempting to age Wuyi oolongs.

TeaCuppa Aged TGY

According to teacuppa this Oolong has been kept in an airtight container for 5 years, and has not been re-roasted. But based on the color of the leaves and brew, there was assuredly a light to medium roast on them before being aged.


Quick rinse,

1: boiling 30 seconds

Nose: A nutty smell, combined with the plum of most aged oolongs. But a fresh smelling nose, some aged teas can start to smell muddy or earthy.

Palate: Assorted mixture of nuts, possibly most so walnuts. Hints of roasting, from a mild toast.

Finish: lingering nutty dryness in the center of the toungue, but other than that quite nice. There is a short wave of a fruitiness to it, but its fleeting.


2: Boiling 30 Seconds

Nose: More of the nuts and plum mixture. It reminds me of more a a trail mix, but only of nuts and fruits. A hint of a sour note, but balanced with a touch of sweetness.

Palate: Alot more sourness comes out, perhaps I should have steeped this for only 20 seconds.

Finish: Still the dry nutty flavor in the center of the toungue

3: Boiling 30 seconds

Nose: A more floral sweetness comes out in this infusion.

Palate: the walnut is definitely still there, but now its more of a roasted flavor.

Finish: Same

One of the great things for aged oolongs is they usually last for many infusions. And based on how much these leaves expanded, I'm guessing it was on the lighter side of the roasting scale, just enough to darken the leaves a bit.

Hou De 90s Aged Mu-Zha "Si Ji" Oolong

This is an aged Oolong harvested in the early 90's. It is from Mu-Zha Taiwan, and is said to be 30% roasted with a medium wood fire. This will be my first Hou De tea, but I do like the speed of shipping to the united states, and the amound of information they give on the packages.

Aged oolongs are known for having a plum flavor, and a great chaqi. Chaqi being a warming energy/ buzz from tea.

1: 25 seconds Boiling
Nose: The wood smell comes through from the wood fires, almost sawdusty, light hints of fruit (banana?).

Palate: slightly sour, hints of plum, maybe apple cider, banana, cinamon

Finish: Slight sourness, and a dry toast like feeling.

2: 20 seconds Boiling
Nose: More toasted sawdust, hints of plum.

Palate: Alot more sour punch right at the beggining, hints of the wood are comming through, alot more of the roasting is evident in this.

Finish: Sawdust, and sour candy powder's aftertaste ( a dryness, that has a slight sour flavor to it)

3: 40 seconds Boiling.
Nose: plum, and sour berries.

Palate: Sour with toast, rubarb.

Finish: Lingering dryness, with a slightly smoky flavor.

This is a very interesting and pleasing tea. I'm enjoying it emmensly.