Finding Tea In Old Chinese Medicine Shops

There are not so many places in North America where you can just stumble upon nice, forgotten, aged tea. Even thoughtout Asia these days, finds of old forgotten treasures are rare. Once in a while you hear of people hitting jackpot (see here and here). But your chances of this are slimmer than winning the lottery. In North America your chances are almost 10 000 times less likely. However, coming across some forgotten 10-20 years aged teas for the original asking price is not that far fetched here in North America.

The best place to look are those old, run down, Chinese herbologist shops in town. These shops frequent the Chinatowns of North America- almost every city has one. Chances are that you will probably only come across cheap, poorly produced shu puerh that smells like medicinal herbs or poor, mass produced Tie Guan Yin that is now just a few years old. These old, and often overlooked shops are also your best chance for finding some treasures.

One happened to stumble upon some, yet to be sampled, aged teas that are in the 8-20 year category- a 2004 Xiaguan "Zhi" tou, a very worn 250g box of Anxi oolong, and two sun faded and stained 325 g cylinders of Taiwanese oolong. These teas were found in one of these run down shops. The owner seemed happier than ever that one was clearing out all that was left of his old tea which he explained has been sitting up on that shelf for years and years.

One sampled the Anxi and it tasted solid. Be prepared for tasting notes of these mystery teas over the coming weeks and months.

Feels good to be back behind the tea table.

Peace

2010 Spring Gao Shan Luanze Li Shan Oolong

Spring is here, flowers are blooming, the air is filled with fresh aromatics of spring. Drinking high mountain spring oolong is certainly a wonderful way to harmonize the light, playful turning of spring. One had sampled the 2010 Fall Gao Shan Luanze Li Shan Oolong from Teamasters a few months ago to relieve nasal congestion and vowed to enjoy this 2010 spring sample with a clear head (and sinus). So on a cloudy, rainy, spring day one opens this sample pack and hopes that it will bring some cheer to an otherwise gloomy day. With this Teamaster's offering of hand picked, low ozidized, 2200-2300 m elevation Li Shan oolong- things are certainly looking up!

The dry leaves deliver a grassy scent which turns floral with high sweet notes under a veil of faint roasted tones. It carries a smell of soft supple richness under smooth high tones. One was so mesmerized by this odour that a picture of the dry leaf was completely forgotten! The smell expands as the rolled balls contact preheated yixing and hints at honey florals to come.

The first infusion comes with light soft muted florals. There is a slow moving sweet juicy tangerine taste that stretches into the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is full and soft.

The second infusion has a light creamy start which evolves into a sweet, mellow, almost tangerine, taste. It feels very round in the mouth finishing with a smooth creamy nuanced fruit taste. Florals are left on the breath minutes later amongst a mouthfeel which has definite staying power. The chaqi is evident as a mild light headed euphoria sets in.

The third infusion starts with the same slightly sweet and creamy start. The taste is full and supported by faint deeper fruits that linger just below the surface of this tea. It finishes sweet and juicy with that same full satisfying mouthfeel. From it develops a rich melon fruitiness with faint florals following and wallowing in the mouthfeel.

In the fourth and fifth infusions the mouthfeel is most obvious as it is noticeable as soon as the liquor touches the mouth. Soft smooth flavours, creamy flavours of bananas and flowers finish juicy and with more melon fruit notes. The mouthfeel continues to support and nurture these fresh tastes. There is a very non-acidic orange taste that stays on the mouth for quite some time. One takes some time to fully take in the fresh spring odour the leaves emit from the warmed pot.

In the sixth and seventh infusions the light, smooth, slightly creamy non-specific fruity and floral notes continue to greet you at the start. They are now somewhat diminished but still ride on enjoyable mouthfeel. The initial smoothness develops a tapioca smoothness as tastes of banana, pineapple, and florals occasionally pop into the forefront.

The eighth infusion sees the nice mouthfeel supporting no prominent flavours so the session is brought to a close.

Peace

Drinking Oolong Tea For Nasal Congestion: A Tasting of 2010 Teamasters Fall Gao Shan Luanze Bi Li Shi Oolong With a Stuffy Nose

This sample was sent with a few others from Stephane of Tea Masters Blog a few weeks before Christmas- an early Christmas gift no doubt. The label says that is was picked on September 5th, 2010. Fighting a mild cold, one deliberately chooses this tea.

Taiwanese Oolong is said to travel to the nose, opening it with its strong floral fragrances. One has experienced some fatigue over the last few days and today ones sinuses feel completely clogged. The following notes should be taken for what they are, from someone whose sense of smell and taste is compromised. But not for long...

From what one can make of them, the dry leaves smell of deep, gritty raison with a long, barely sweet, chalky smell. There is a slight straw-floral smell in them like that of wildflowers on the prairie- not the vibrant, exotic florals usually associated with Oolong.

The first infusion has a tangy-sweetness that fills the mouth. There is a cool, clean crispness about this tea- slight buttery vegetable flavours, celery flavours underscore faint but creamy florals. The mouth feel is soft and oily in the mouth. The aftertaste is a pasty dry vegetable taste with a gritty sweetness. After the first few cups, the qi of this tea ascends the head and into the scalp. Ones face flushes with a soft heat and a sweat is broken. Ones stuffed up sinuses release and one can breathe again! One gets some tissue while the kettle boils for the second pot.

The second infusion is tangy with a soft bitter sweetness. There is a strong presence of vegetables- celery, corn, daikon in the mouth and aftertaste. The aftertaste is full of nuance with an interesting rubbery vegetable taste containing little sweetness. It almost tastes like bubble gum that has been chewed awhile, most of its taste has past but it remains gummy with faded nuances and just slightly sweet. The mouthfeel continues to be soft and oily, it finishes cakey in the mouth.

The third infusion is prepared with a stiffly nose, loosened from the chaqi first few infusions. The taste contains a tangy- fruitiness which is predominant here. There is a crisp, cleanness about this tea amongst its bitter sweet flavours. A melon tone noticed in the initial sip lingers for a while in the sweet aftertaste.

The fourth infusion sees light florals dominating as they lighten into the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is juicy and light. The aftertaste is an extension of these floral notes.

The fifth infusion sees more dirtier and grittier florals develop. Slight rose is detected under creamy dry buttery notes. The sixth infusion entertains with deeper, spicier notes that are most prominent here. There is soft buttery florals in the distance.

The tea is taken through a few more infusions as well as an overnight steeping. Sweet, chalky, faint creamy florals have just a slight tanginess to them.

Over the next week one never developed that plugged sinus sensation- it took a few more days before the nose would stop running though!

Link to Michal's (Poetry In Tea) Tasting Notes

Link to Petr's (Pots and Tea) Tasting Notes

Peace

2009 Winter Dong Ding Competition Grade III Oolong On A Chilly Summer Morning

One woke with a chill this morning and as a result remained barefoot on the hardwood just enough to put warm wool socks on. A medium roasted spring oolong would be a good remedy for this summertime chill.

One finds this one-pot sample from Life In Teacup and pours the whole sample of dark roasted pellets into the large yixing pot. The smell of the medium to high roasted dry leaves is muted with some grape smells escaping the roasted vacuum. One cuddles close to the teapot as the water boils inside.

The first pot is a very simple, quiet ordeal with bland-grainy body and a slippery roasted taste. It is immediately apparent that this is not a spring but a winter oolong.

No matter, the second pot is prepared and pours a brown-yellow. It offers dry, bland, grainy notes with ghostly sour apple underpinnings that slip away before fully realizing them. The lips dry and the front of the mouth is partially stimulated as the aftertaste of a sandy roast runs across ones breath.

The third is more of that simple cereal dryness. The mouthfeel in the front also has a simple dimension to it. By the fourth infusion there isn't much left in the cup but one feels warm and ready to start the day.

The hot water is left in the fifth infusion for a long while. When one comes back to the pot it yields a thin, watery soup with a soft roasted, hollow honey taste. One sips and enjoys this last simple pot throughout the morning.

Peace

2009 Fall (mid Sept) Teamasters Luanze Oolong, Feng Huang, Taiwan

If this tea sample didn't say “Fall (mid Sept)” on its wrapper one would swear it a Spring oolong.

The dry leaves smell a faint, sweet raspberry muddled in soft, creamy deep mountain tones. One meditates deeply on the smell and can sense the mountain air where these leaves must have lavished in.

These leaves unfurl in yixing with the urging of slightly cooled hot water.

The first infusion reveals the typical milky, creamy sweetness of Taiwanese oolong. This one is nice and sweet accompanied with a bland taste which thinly coats the mouth and covers the lips. A ghostly, juicy raspberry taste adds additional freshness.

The second infusion has more bitter notes which play well with bland and sweet. Milky, fresh, light, slightly fruity, berry sweetness is divided by bitter notes. A flowery summer and roasted almond scent adds to the light, spring feel of this oolong.

In the third infusion, hidden within the wonderful depth of this tea, the flowery notes blossom in the mouth. This taste climbs into the sinuses where it lingers for quite sometime, a nice reminder of what was, what still is.

The fourth brings sweet, light,grainy, fruity honey notes. It has a bitter sharpness about it that keeps the lighter flavours in check. The aftertaste is more cereal-honey.

The next few infusions the flavour shortens, thins, as it is backed by bitter and bland. The aftertaste is a faint floral reminder of what it once was. The chaqi is a touch warming, bright, clean, clear.

The last infusions last hours not minutes and still manage to push out sweet, thick-honey taste with hints of creamy floral over a nice viscus mouthfeel. This thick, buttery floral honey taste is enjoyed all day long.

Stephane are you sure you didn't put some spring oolong in this fall package?

Peace

2009 Fall (mid Sept) Teamasters Hung Shui Oolong, Feng Huang, Taiwan

Stephane kindly sent this sample, this wonderful sample...

Directing them into yixing, the dry leaves smell a roasted sweet grain- first suggestion of roasting. Boiling water is left to cool just for a bit before it awakens these roasted pearls.

The first infusion is a touch chalky with notes of light creamy hay sweetness- honey sweetness. Immediately this first light brew feels very harmonious in the mouth, in the soul.

The second infusion brings with it bitter but smooth flavours of roasted honey with the softest faint fleeting floral taste that brightens the nose.

The roast of this tea is what harmonizes it, makes it feel so whole, so complete. It brings out the flavour without drawing attention to its 'roasted' character.

The third infusion has a smooth un-offending bland nuance to it which plays with sweet tones of sweet grainy honey. Soft roasted barley lingers on the breath.

The cha qi is warm and soothing as it reassures ones active mind. The roasting of autumnal oolong does much to harmonize its energy. If an optimal roast is achieved, this tea being a prime example, the energy of the tea becomes more complete. Ascending and descending energies complement not only the flavour but also the qi.

In the fourth infusion this tea's flavour starts to become sneakier, its thick, viscus feel in the mouth is still quite satisfying.

The fifth and sixth infusion bring only grainy, rough, earthy tones with very little sweet notes to be found. A few faint, gritty honey tastes break through.

The seventh infusion is left overnight. One awakes to thick, oily, yummy, honey water. An earthy floral taste makes its last attempt in this cool cup of tea.

One enjoys the cool tea in this way, admiring the brilliantly roasted wet leaves so early in the morning.

Peace

Two Qi Same Tea: A Tasting of Spring 2008 Shan Lin Shi Luanze Oolong & Spring 2008 Shan Lin Shi Luanze Roasted Oolong

One obtained these two wonderful teas from Stephane at Tea Masters. He wrote up a good description of these teas when he first reviewed them. The above pictures are the unroasted version and the bottom, the roasted.

The roasted Shan Lin Shi's dry leaves were, well, roasted with subtle odors of sweet greeness lacking in floral. Its flavour was of roasted green sweet honey barley. Its aftertaste was rich and deep, which accompanied a pleasant chalky dry mouthfeel.

The unroasted Shan Lin Shi's dry leaves were floral covered in a light roast. Its flavour was of sweet light honey, slightly cinnamon, floral pastry. Its aftertaste had bright floral subtleties, which accompanied a pleasantly smooth, soft coating of the mouth and tongue.

The chaqi of these two tea was of note. Although they are the same tea, they exhibited such different energy. The qi of the unroasted oolong is strong and centering, pooling in the stomach, causing a feeling of lightness in the extremities. The qi of the roasted roasted oolong is soft, warm, freer in nature, causing energy to flow through the limbs of the body.

One finds it quite interesting what just a little roasting can do to the vital energies of tea!

Peace

2007 “Perfect” Oriental Beauty

Drinking tea given by friends,
Surrounded by friends.

The name of this tea is a reflection of it,
And this moment.

Peace

Subtropical Forest Baozhong

This Taiwanese tea comes from pristine conditions atop Wen Shan Mountain.

It's dry leaves dark, shriveled, with a few small stems release an odor when the foil pack is opened. The irresistible smell of syrupy sweet roasted cinnamon and fresh flowers are release in the air and cause one to put the foil pack over ones nose and huff, immediately intoxicating ones system.

Being it a Taiwanese tea, one steeps it in just under boiling water for long intervals, 'Taiwanese style'. The first infusion is spicy, and sweet similar to the way in which it smells. It leaves a slippery feeling all over the tongue and a spiciness at the back of the throat. The second is barely hasher and grittier with a slight dryness on the tongue and sweet floral scent on the breath. The third infusion most of the tea's complexity is lost to soft green-astringency, the aftertaste becomes more roasted spice and less floral. After steeping the leaves for the forth time, it is apparent that nothing much remains in the cup, all flavours are fleeting.

Because there was just enough leaves for another round one decides to now brew the remaining leaves 'Korean style' with much cooler water and for shorter intervals. The first infusion is soft pale and creamy smooth with floral throatiness. The second picks up a roasted sweetness as the flowery scent overcomes taste and smell. In the third, the smoothness starts to wane and a slight sharpness develops with a wheaty taste that hides behind floral notes. The forth infusion allows for the dryness of this tea to stretch out and thinly coat the tongue along with a recognizable greenness with less floral elements. In the fifth, the flavour has thinned right out but still retains its character. The sixth infusion is flatter than before but the floral elements have stamina and continue to impress. After the seventh infusion, the liqour is flat, slightly sweet, with its characteristic taste almost unrecognizable.

The energy of this tea was powerful its effects cascading through ones body into legs and arms, hands and feet, relaxing and energizing. It simply makes one feel good. This tea is a well processed tea with an excellent profile and great young green tea cha qi.

This well rounded tea is available at Tea Masters. Thanks Stephane for providing the wonderful sample.

Peace

A Sampling of Two Taiwanese 2008 Spring Oolongs and One 2007 Winter Oolong

It is quite uncommon to run across any Taiwanese tea in Korea. The market is primarily full of green teas mostly Korean in Origin and more recently puerh from China. But today at a tea shop in the presence of friends, we laughed, kicked back, voiced tea preferences, and enjoyed an irregular treat.

The first is from Lei Mountain by the producer of the same name. It had a floral aroma typical of spring oolongs, no flower in particular just the sum of a garden full of different spring blossoms.

The taste was mild, bitter-sweet, with a slight woodiness. The notes of flowers softly smothered the mouth targeting the back of ones mouth like an aftertaste of lingering candy. The freshness of this tea in the back of the throat made it shine. It's happy energy could be felt.

The second tea was an Ah Lei Mountain oolong. The smell of the liquor was a deeper, huskier, mustier, and muted floral. This tea doesn't taste as it smells.

It was a heavier oolong with subtle sweet, bright high notes. It left dry astringency at the back of the throat where the Lei Mountain tea left floral footprints.

After relishing in the spring oolongs, an Ah Lie Mountain 2007 winter harvest oolong from the same maker was brewed up.

This tea had more bitter elements to it that came on fast over the front of the tongue. A oak flavour is felt on the tongue and left on the breath.

This tea had the least floral scent out of the three, perhaps a characteristic common of winter oolongs? This tea was most like a Korean green. One was comforted by this similarity albeit vague.

In the end it was nice to be able to compare Taiwanese teas of similar (mid range) quality from different regions and harvesting seasons. In this way one can begin to form opinions about a certain kind of tea. But, more importantly, it was nice to talk, share, and just be with like-minded tea friends and just enjoy tea for what it is- tea.

Peace