Dao Tea Tasting Event: 2010 Kim Jong Yeol Hwagae Valley Saejak Green Tea

This tea is the last of the teas in this tasting event.

While cooling water the dry leaf is examined. They are thin straggly leaves that have a tangy, fruity, berry, nutty smell to them. A sweet, light floral under blanket adds a nice subtle nature to these juicy dry leaves. They are placed in the pot.

The first infusion is very juicy, light with soft, light fruit notes. Creamy, nutty, light, full of flavour.

The second infusion shows off a clean, light, brisk pine-wood start with a procession of clean bean flavours. There is a pungent-menthol like taste that is deep within the flavour profile. The mouthfeel is slightly drying with deeper light floral back notes. The soft fruity nature holds on the breath. A pungent-menthol-like taste that is deep within the flavour emerges.

The third infusion is a layering of fruity notes in a clean, crisp soup. Fresh pine-menthol notes add depth to this fresh pot of tea. The dry mouthfeel gathers a ball of sputum deep in ones throat. The chaqi is alerting as ones mind races without too much relaxation. This tea is a soft, sly stimulator.

In the fourth infusion dryness starts to infringe on the flavours, drying out the deep layers of the throat. The flavours seem almost watery, flavours of pine, nuts, and soft fruit hide under a more dominant mouthfeel. The drying nature of this tea pulls gently at the tongue and throat.

The fifth infusion is slightly rubbery along with the other flavours. The very slight pine-nut notes are quite enjoyable as this tea turns the mouth and throat dry pushing the saliva into the back of the throat and under the tongue, along with it are lingering tastes.

The sixth infusion shows mainly floral notes with a soft aftertaste that drags these notes to the back of the throat.

In the last two infusions, the tea noticeably flattens out and develops a rubbery, bland taste. Sometimes a slight flash of slightly sweet earthy notes is apparent.

This concludes the Dao Tea online tasting event. Thanks to Pedro at Dao Tea for making this possible by supplying the tea and covering a large chunk of the shipping and all those who participated.

Link to Adam's (The Sip Tip) Tasting Notes

Link to Bret's (Tea Goober) Tasting Notes

Link to Nate's (Subtle Experince) Tasting Notes

Peace

Dao Tea Tasting Event: 2009 Kim Jong Yeol Hwagae Valley Seajak Green Tea

This tea was included in the sample package merely for comparison purposes as Dao Tea only keeps a fresh stock of saejak. Here is a post of this tea when it was a lot more fresh.

Link To Adam's (The Sip Tip) Tasting Notes

Peace

Dao Tea Tasting Event: 2009/2010 Kim Jong Yeol Hwagae Valley Balhyocha

This is the first tea featured by Tea Master Kim Jong Yeol in this tasting event. One also enjoyed this tea during the March Equinox this year- see this post for the notes on this light, harmonizing tea.

Link to Adam's (The Sip Tip) Tasting Notes

Link to Bret's (Tea Goober) Tasting Notes

Peace

Dao Tea Tasting Event: 2009/2010 Kim Shin Ho Hwagae Valley Balhyocha

These days have been perfect for balhyocha (Korean yellow tea). One has gone through more than a few orders of this tea over the last year. Here is a link to a post on this tea consumed during the March equinox last year.

Link to Adam's (The Sip Tip) Tasting Notes

Link to Bret's (Tea Goober) Tasting Notes

Link to Ian's (Monkey Teas) Tasting Notes

Peace

Dao Tea Tasting Event: 2009 Kim Shin Ho Hwagae Valley Jungjak Green Tea

Actually, one has not tried this tea. So what did you think of Kim Shin Ho's jungjak?

Link to Adam's (The Sip Tip) Tasting Notes

Link to Ian's (Monkey Teas) Tasting Notes

Link to Nate's (Subtle Taste) Tasting Notes

Peace

Dao Tea Tasting Event: 2009 Kim Shin Ho Hwagae Valley Seajak Green Tea

This tea was included in the tasting package for comparative purposes only as it is no longer available from Dao Tea.

Here is a link to a post that one did on this tea in March when it was a lot more fresh.

Link to Bret's (Tea Goober) Tasting Notes

Link to Adam's (The Sip Tip) Tasting Notes

Peace

Dao Tea Tasting Event: 2010 Kim Shin Ho Hwagae Valley Saejak Green Tea

This is the first of a series of posts that feature the Hwagae Valley teas sent out to participants of the Dao Tea tasting event. Those who participated or others who have joined in, please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section. Let us start with this fresh green by teamaster Kim Shin Ho.

The dry leaves smell rubbery, salty, with a very faint odour of pine. These leaves are added to a preheated pot.

Warm water that has spent much time cooling embraces the dry leaves to signal the start of the first infusion. The first sips that are taken from the yellowish soup are thick and oily with light syrupy honey notes, a very light salty-bitter middle, and a slightly sweet faint floral aftertaste.

The second infusion displays some interesting grainy-salty notes in a thick, full, goopy mouthfeel. There is a slight sweet-grainy aftertaste which lingers for a while showing signs of slight fruitiness. The chaqi disperses lightly in the chest, with the slightest warmth being generated or released in the chest. The stomach embraces this green tea with no resistance.

The third infusion reveals a thick honey-grain flavour that is barely sweet. It really coats the mouth. Most of the sweetness of this tea is in the heavy honey-grain aftertaste. Subtle pine, floral, and salty flavours peek through especially in the aftertaste. Ones forehead gets soft and slightly clammy under this teas influence.

During the fourth infusion the mouthfeel seems to come together pulling the thick, goopy floral feeling into the throat. These floral notes start becoming more apparent.

In the fifth infusion, lighter top notes reconcile with heavier grainy bottom notes. Sweet, lighter cool flavours are more noticeable here. The aftertaste contains heavier notes with lighter florals mixed in.

The sixth infusion has lighter florals continuing to overtake the thicker, heavier flavours. There is a flowery sweet taste that sticks to the corners of ones mouth. The depth of the fresh green-floral taste is starting to flatten out but light notes still ride atop a thick mouthfeel with the grainy flavour barely hanging on. The chaqi has a slight harmonizing nature to it as it quenches the body and focuses the mind.

In the seventh infusion the tea starts to develop sharper corners along with fruity, harsher notes. It also develops a bitter-bland feeling to it which is amplified in the eight infusion. Muted floral notes stay awhile on the breath as this session comes to a close.

Link to Nate's (Subtle Experience Tea Leaves And Rising Steam) Tasting Notes

Link to Adam's (Subtle Experience) Tasting Notes

Link to Ian's (Monkey Teas) Tasting Notes

Peace

How Should Someone Share Tea?

"Moreover, Subhuti, when a bodhisattva practices generosity, he does not rely on any object--that is to say he does not rely on any form, sound, smell, taste, tactile object, or dharma--to practice generosity. That, Subhuti, is the spirit in which a bodhisattva should practice generosity, not relying on signs. Why? If a bodhisattva practices generosity without relying on signs, the happiness that results cannot be conceived of or measured. Subhuti, do you think that the space in the Eastern Quarter can be measured?"

"No, World-Honored One."

"Subhuti, can space in the Western, Southern, and Northern Quarters, above and below be measured?"

"No, World-Honored One."

"Subhuti, if a bodhisattva does not rely on any concept when practicing generosity, then the happiness that results from that virtuous act is as great as space. It cannot be measured. Subhuti, the bodhisattvas should let their minds dwell in the teachings I have just given."

Chapter 4 of The Diamond Sutra translated on The Joygae Order Of Korean Buddhism homepage

Generosity for the sake of generosity. :)

With this in mind one would like to announce a free Dao Tea sample package to readers. Pedro of Dao Tea agreed to provide the samples and one will cover the shipping. Here is what's in the package:

5 g Kim Shin Ho 2009 saejak green tea
5 g Kim Shin Ho 2010 saejak green tea
5 g Kim Shin Ho 2009 jungjak green tea
5 g Kim Shin Ho 2009 Balhyo cha

5 g Kim Jung Yeol 2009 saejak green tea
5 g Kim Jung Yeol 2010 saejak green tea
5 g Kim Jung Yeol 2009 Balhyo cha

This generosity is not completely unattached though...

If you accept this free package you are expected to post your thoughts or tasting notes of the samples on MattCha's Blog. You will get about a months time to sample and reflect on them. After which a post will appear on MattCha's Blog on each of the teas in this package, simply leave your thoughts on that tea in the comment section of the posting. If you cannot commit to tasting the tea within a month and leaving you comments then please don't request the package.

This package should allow even someone with little or no experience with Korean teas a nice primer by allowing for cross comparisons between: producer styles, yearly trends (or the very least an idea of how Korean green tea degrades after aging), different grades, and different types of Korean tea (balhyo v.s green).

The first 10 people to leave comments on this post expressing their interest with their email address will receive the package. One will delete your comment and send you a confirmation email as soon as possible.

Pedro has also offered one sample of 2010 Ujeon green tea to 1 of the very lucky 10. A number will be drawn to see who will receive this extra sample.

Peace