1999 Chen Guang-He Tang Yi Wu Horse & Dragon

The weather dropped to more of autumn temperatures this week. The response was drinking a few different pots of aged puerh. Found a sample of 1999 Chen Guang-He Tang YiWu Long Ma and brewed it up. A few weeks ago there was a review of this tea on Jakub's T blog where he pointed out that samples are still available from Houde. With something lingering on Houde for years at the same price one doesn't expect a mind-blowing puerh tea but just a pot that will chase away the cold. Let's boil the water and see what this tea has in store...

The dry leaves smell of faint, distant autumn leaves and cherry wood. They are placed in the warmed pot.

The first infusion offers a creamy, cherry wood taste that is fairly monotone with a flat sweetness. The mouthfeel is chalky in the mouth. There is a very subtle strawberry finish.

The second infusion delivers slight, sour-woody cherry wood notes with a slight finish of creamy-wood. Overall the tastes run through quite smoothly and without too much fuss. It has an almost unnoticeable strawberry-wood aftertaste which emerges minutes later.

The third infusion has that same initial taste with a interesting floral aftertaste now. It develops a soft, chalky mouthfeel.

In the fourth and fifth infusions the floral taste has even moved into the initial taste profile with a woody, slightly floral, creamy initial taste which skirts across the taste profile with a certain simplicity. The mouthfeel is soft, smooth, slippery, and chalky and is primarily kept to the tongue.

The taste of this tea is simple but has some interesting edges. In the sixth infusion there is a simple, subtle surgery-cinnamon aftertaste that arrives minutes after swallowing. In the seventh a woody-chicory-cherry wood taste starts to dominate with weak florals lingering in the aftertaste.

The eighth infusion delivers a simple woody taste with long lingering but faint sweet vague fruit aftertastes. The mouthfeel remains mainly on the tongue. A cooling sensation is left in front of the mouth and tongue. The qi of this tea is very mild and pleasantly relaxing with a diffuse, weak warming energy.

The next handful of infusions don't change that much from the eighth infusion except they become a touch drier in the mouth. Later the tea is put into a series of overnight infusions which yield deep-prune and high cherry-plum fruit tastes- a nice balance.

Link to Jakub's (T) tasting notes

Link to Hobbes' (The Half-Dipper) tasting notes

Peace

2012 Jukro Saejak Semi Wild Hwagae Valley Green Tea

Rarely do people try Jukro's green tea and not comment on how splendid it is. From the over-the-top packaging to the aroma of the dry leaves, Jukro teas tend to impress. Jukro is often seen as the industry standard for Hwagae Valley, Semi-wild, all hand produced teas. Afterall, their gardens occupy some of the oldest and most ideal locations for tea plants in Korea. Jukro's popularity has also increased domestically and internationally over the last few years. Partly due to a stronger push by Jukro to market their tea to foreign dealers and partly their stronger presence in international tea festivals world wide. Interestingly those who have been drinking Jukro over the last decade have noticed a slight decrease in the quality of their teas.

As noted in the comment section here their famous balhyocha was once 3 years fermented before release is now just fermented for 3 months. The result is a loss of depth. Their green teas have also lost just a slight bit of their vibrancy over the last few years. This of course may have to do with the less than ideal Spring whether they have been receiving on Jiri Mountain over the last few years. Compared to other dealers, this does not account for the full story. It should be noted that the loss of quality is very very slight, but worthy of noting nonetheless. With that said, Jukro teas still remain arguably the best Korean green tea on the market.

Jukro's green tea is roasted to perfection on the iron cauldron by hand. Jukro's greens are famous for their characteristic cool, deep, foresty quality. They represent a spectrum of Korean semi-wild Hwagae Valley green tea production with minimally produced, very subtle, fresh green tea such as the one produced by this single monk reviewed a few months ago at the other end.

Let's crack through the layers of packaging and experience this year's saejak from Jukro which was recently purchased from Good Green Tea...

The dry leaves present a wonderful dense aroma of minty-fresh, vibrant high notes which are the first to reach the nose. Deep roasted forest notes cover the bottom end seconds later. There is a pine wood and slight edges of potato, even a cool pungent note is present in this complicated bouquet. A floral notes seems to linger behind it all.

These leaves are added to a warm teapot and the first infusion is prepared with cooling water. It has woody-forest initial tastes with soft, slightly cereal, flavours developing on the tongue. The mouthfeel is soft and full even cooling the upper throat. The qi is refreshing and cools the body slightly.

The second infusion presents sweet-floral-forest initial tastes which turn into a deeper, roasty, wood taste in the mouth. It has a creamy cereal-floral aftertaste which lingers on the breath. The mouthfeel has a certain chalkiness to it. The qi is cooling and is felt in the stomach.

The third infusion the floral notes become more distinct in the sweet-floral-forest presentation. The forest notes also seem deeper with more of a pine wood edge that support the higher floral notes. It has a cool, pungent forest finish along with distinct florals and roasted tones. The cool sensation reaches down to the mid throat here. The chaqi continues to cool and relaxing.

In the fourth infusion there is more of a sweet-wood initial taste with this taste becoming more woody and less floral. It has a cool, cereal finish- this infusion giving out more cereal tastes that merge into the taste profile. The floral notes are relegated to faintly linger in the aftertaste.

The fifth infusion has more grainy-wood and forest depth to it. Mellow, slight floral edges are also in there as well. It continues to become more woody. The long foresty-floral aftertaste remains. The mouthfeel has developed a certain graininess and coarseness to it as well.

The sixth infusion delivers sweet, subtle, almost apple-grapefruit fruity tastes with a certain juiciness to it. It is still woody with floral notes still lingering. The relaxing and cooling qi pushes ones head into the clouds on this warm summer day.

The seventh and eighth infusions present a watery, woody-forest taste with the floral notes almost gone. The mouthfeel has a slightly sticky-grainy quality to it.

Peace

2012 Yellow Mountain Mao Feng

A tea friend and Korean tea drinker recently commented that there is no beating the depth and variety of Chinese green tea. He went on to say that even though he has tried many types of Chinese green tea there was still so many that he has not tried. A recent post by Gingko on her Life In Teacup blog reiterated this fact when she showed a map of all the types of green tea produced just in Hubei Province- over 20!

The tea that one will review today was sourced by a Korean teamaster who goes to Yellow Mountain each year. It was kindly gifted in an order from Good Green Tea a few months back.

The very wild leaves are convincingly all hand produced. They give off a very sweet, strong, juicy and fresh vibrant floral nose.

The first infusion is very light, floral-water taste with very soft sugary floral nose.

The second is pushed harder and gives off very frosty, clean notes with a sugary subtle floral taste. The mouthfeel is light and airy. It leaves a soft oat aftertaste.

The third is very frosty and sugary and presents a very clean pure taste. A soft fuzzy mossy aftertaste is left stimulating the mouth.

The fourth and fifth infusions have even more floral notes which are pushed out of the crisp sugary-lemonade-like tastes that stretches long into the aftertaste. The qi is profoundly relaxing and slows the mind down while sharpening the senses.

The sixth infusion gives us sweet florals and lingering, fresh subtle melon tastes that stretch. The seventh infusion has turned even more watery.

Peace

2012 Kim Jong Yeol (Butea) Saejak Hwagae Valley Green Tea

Ordered this tea from Pedro's new o5tea tea shop. He has been working on getting his new tea shop up and running for a long while now. It includes both an online tea shop and brick and mortor tea shop in Vancouver. The brick and mortar tea shop opens it doors today. So thought it appropriate to feature a fine Korean tea from his new outfit.

This tea is a saejak from Kim Jong Yeol (Butea). Pedro has opted for his own sleek o5tea packaging over Butea's Korean packaging. Opening the bag reveals a rich, vibrant fruit bouquet of odours. Sweet passion fruits and watermelon can be pulled from the distinct barrage of sweet smells. These leaves are added to the teapot and water is added.

The first infusion reveals soft, slightly creamy tastes with a faint forest aftertaste. There is a subtle suggestion of vague sour fruit along with pleasant bland pine wood. The mouthfeel is soft and the qi feels somewhat heavy in the stomach.

The second infusion is prepared and a creamy and distinct wood initial taste is found with slight underpinnings of sweetness. This taste traverses to a forest finish. Sweet, floral odours linger in the far distance minutes later. A sour fruit taste develops in the mouth along with distant flowers. The mouthfeel is light with a slightly pasty edge and carries the aftertaste for a long time in the mouth.

In the third infusion creamy-sour-sweet forest initial tastes slowly stretch into an aftertaste of faint creamy passion fruit tastes. Minutes later a sour edge develops. It tastes almost acidic like grapefruit with a floral quality as well. The qi is mild and can be felt in the torso, stomach, and chest. The mouthfeel is full in the mouth, just slightly opening the top throat. The lingering aftertaste seems plastered to the faintly sticky mouthfeel.

The fourth infusion develops more of a juiciness in the initial taste along with soft creamy forest notes. The aftertaste has more of a woodiness to it and then a slightly flatter floral finish.

The fifth has the wood taste becoming more distinct now with less sweet taste in the initial taste but has just as much creamy floral notes as previous infusions. There is also a slight sour edge that has moved from the aftertaste into the initial taste. The aftertaste is a long extension of this forest taste with a glob of sweetness at the back of the mouth.

The sixth infusion is mainly woody in the initial taste with a creamy floral aftertaste which begins to flatten out. The seventh has bland floral wood notes with smooth edges.

Peace

Link to Jess' (Une Cachette Pour La Coeur) Tasting Notes

Double  Peace

2012 Castleton Estate SFTGFOP 1 CL TPY Seond Flush Darjeeling

After all the moaning about Castleton's pure, vibrant, energizing high notes one thought to try a sample from this year's harvest that was kindly gifted with this year's order. What a better time to try this on a cool Summer day. As one soon found out, Castleton's Second Flush still has it...


The large, very light coloured, and fully intact leaves are full of white buds in the mix. They emit light, flowering, fruity, sweet notes which dominate the nose with each breath in. There is a subtle misty forest and bubblegum sweetness found underneath.

These leaves are added to the heated pot and water that has reached boil is poured over the leaves. The first infusion pours a clean, light, yellow-brown. Vibrant, sweet, fruit muscatel taste emerges first then develops into a ghostly coco and light wood on the pallet. The mouthfeel is full and coats the mouth in a fine painting of sensations.

The second infusion presents sour-sweet high notes which come first with noticeable muscatel fruit impressions. The tea liquid is very full in the mouth and tugs even at the upper-mid throat. The taste rounds out leaving a slight bitter-sweet grapey peel aftertaste behind. Qi is vibrant and uplifting and travels smoothly to the head.

The third infusion is light, sweet, long, grapey-muscatel notes which stretch into the aftertaste. They are now thinner in the mouth but the high notes seem more free and clean here. The nose starts running as the light qi floats up into the nose and eyes.

The fourth infusion is light, watery, with slightly floral notes which are overcome by long, bland, coco and flat wood aftertastes. The mouthfeel has become simple here. Ones mind is uplifted over the clean qi from this tea.

Peace

2012 Giddapahar Estate SFTGFOP 1 CL TPY Second Flush Darjeeling

Victoria is a perfect climate to drink 2nd flush Dajeeling tea so one makes the point of picking up a big bag of the stuff every year. It steeps up quick, cheap, and hard to oversteep- perfect for no frills everyday drinking. Last year one asked Mr. Lochan of Lochan Teas to send his favorite tea and he sent a second flush from Castleton Estate. That tea was full of vibrant, fairly complex, pure, high muscatel notes- things which are prized more and more these days in Darjeeling teas. It seems to be a trend worldwide that more young, vibrant, greener, lower oxidized, higher note tastes are being favored over deeper, higher oxidized, and more grounding tastes. This is as true for the oolongs of China as it is for the second flush teas of Darjeeling. Last year's Castleton was no doubt a great Darjeeling tea, that is if you are into those kind of qualities. One prefers much deeper, heavier, more traditional notes from a second flush. That Castleton of last year lacked weight, grit, and heavy qualities, characteristics that one favors in second flush Darjeeling Teas. This was especially apparent as the infusions progressed in the Gong Fu preparation of this tea.

This year one decided to go back to basics in hopes of enjoying a more classic taste of Darjeeling with a large bag from Giddapahar Estate through Lochan Teas. Giddapahar Estate is no-nonsense estate with production equipment that is old enough to be in a museum. Let's take a look at the dry leaves...

The dark mix of leaves smell of rich, smooth, tart currants with some smoothing out in the nose underneath.

 The first infusion is prepared and a tangy, sweet, simple taste develops into something with more meaty, savory undertones and a slight suggestion of unsweetedned bakers chocolate. It leaves behind a meaty, savory, currant flavour in the mouth. The mouthfeel feels full but doesn't cover the full tongue and leaves some patchy spots behind.

The second infusion contains tangy, soft, tart sweetness in its initial profile with some unpertentious fruit notes as well. Characteristic, distant, deeper muscatel notes are sensed. The taste is heavy in nature, like a fruity deep or mid note as opposed to unrooted high notes. The qi is strong, raw, and alerting imparting a slight heavy sensation on the head and pushing slightly at the bowels.

The third infusion has more of a woody undertone with thin currants in the distance. The wood notes have an interesting depth to them. The mouthfeel has thinned slightly now and is a soft grainy texture. The fourth infusion is much the same as above but now more watery.

Peace

Appreciation of an Unglazed Grey Teapot by David Louveau and Commentary on Imperfect Beauty

If there is any potter outside of Korea who best embodies the spirit of the Korean potter, perhaps David Louveau could be that potter. Some of his works mirror closely his mentor and Korean master potter, Sel Young Jin. David Louveau fires his pieces in a wood kiln the traditional way, the way of nature, the Korean way. Although David's works are beautiful, they are still a far distance from his master. From a distance his works could certainly be mistaken for Sel Young Jin's.

It is hard to judge imperfect beauty- When is imperfection imperfect and when is it beautiful? This post delves deeper into this question by close examination of a small unglazed teapot which was kindly gifted about one year ago by David Louveau. As you can see it has seen its fair share of use over the past year...














The form of this pot mirrors closely the style of Sel Young Jin. It is nicely porportioned with its sout body that is slightly pulled by outstretching spout and handle. The handle is more thick at the top then tapers down, another characteristic of Sel Young Jin's pots. Of particular beauty is the rugged, cracked finish of the clay here. It creates a subtle texture in the fingers which imparts a nice natural ambiance when pouring. These imperfections make a pot beautiful, so natural. The small almost unnoticeable scratch into the clay surface on the lid is one such beauty mark, giving the pot a certain personality.
















The unglazed finish is perhaps the most noticeable quality of this pot. New, the pot looked to crude and sharp but with many uses the oil from the tea has given it a soft, natural, rustic look which cannot be faked. Only from a good year of use can this look and feel be achieved. The oils and water stains cling to the crevices and edges and create an effect as if the pot is dull but glowing.

Unfortunately, it also brings out the aspects of the pot that are too crude and unfinished, which create a certain harshness that cannot be classified as beautiful. These characteristics are not found on master's pots and are an over exaggeration of crudeness, a lack of tasteful subtly, an overly deliberate attempt at imperfect beauty, or a lack of overall refinement or skill of the potter. On this teapot they are small and quite unnoticeable to the untrained eye but nevertheless they are there. These exaggerated characteristics can reveal the thin line of what defines a potter as a master or a student. There are three aspects of this pot which lack this refinement. And only for the sake of learning, shall one point them out.





















First, the attachment of the spout and handle to the pots body is too crude and sloppy. The edges are too sharp and defined where they should be more smooth, naturally transitioning and creating harmony, creating a continuity, a whole, from these separate parts. The spout even shows borders of where the scraping to fuse the parts took place and looks unfinished.






Second, the perforated holes inside the pots spout are rough and unfinished. These are usually sanded down in most pots to create harmony and subtly.












Third the chop on the bottom of the pot is very crude and a bit off-putting. Usually calligraphy or a stamp is used which acts harmoniously with the pot, however this pot has etched quality that seems a bit sloppy and distracting.

With all of this said, one must recant. Overall, this pot is a beauty, its use is a testament of this. Think if one were to purchase a pot in the Korean style but did not wish to pay hundreds of dollars, a pot from David Louveau would be a perfect (or an imperfectly perfect) choice.

Peace