茶笔 Chá Bǐ – The Tea Pen

Category: Other

  • Mò Lì Huā Lóng Zhū Bái Chá, 茉莉花龙珠白茶, Jasmine Flower Dragon Pearl White Tea

    C. sinensis var.da bai hao, & Jasminum polyanthum; Fuding County, Ningde City, & Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, >750m; Spring 2021, bud and two leaves, ball rolled, baimudan white tea, infused o/n 6-9 times with late Summer harvest Jasmine flowers; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    Dry leaf: dark green and silver balls (pearls) of dry leaf with intently aromatic and floral aroma;
    Wet leaf: uniformly green which smell intensely aromatic, and floral, with an undertone of sweet stone fruit;
    Infusion: 3g of dry leaf (approx. 25 pearls) in 150ml of water for 20-30sec. @85-85deg. C
    Liquor: pale yellow with a noticeable floral scent;
    Mouthfeel: creamy, moderately thick, stimulating, lingering, light bitterness on the tip of the tongue;
    Taste: florist shop green, and peppery, strongly floral, and slightly soapy, ;

    This tea is intensely floral from the infusion with Jasmine blossoms. Even using 5 balls of dry leaf in a gaiwan, I find the tea to be aggressively and intensely florally dominant so much so that the base tea flavour is lost. Back in Australia, as a teenager I discovered “Jasmine” Green Tea at our local Chinese Restaurant. I was so enamoured of it that is was the first thing I’d order whenever we went there. It was the cheap stuff, and was never as intensely floral as this tea. Now, is that intensity a bad thing? I honestly don’t know. It is certainly fair to say, that as a concept, this tea? I just don’t get it… and the aroma gives me a headache. Seriously, it makes my sinuses throb.

  • Zá Jiāo Bái Chá, 杂交白茶, Hybridized White Tea

    C. sinensis var. hybridized sub-varietals; Yunnan Natural Agri Tech Co., Menglian County, Yunnan Province, 1400-1800m; Autumn, 2020, EU Organic, bud and 1-2 leaves, white tea process; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    Sage green to brown dry leaves, and hairy silvery buds, with a spicy, sweet melon, fragrance. When wet, the leaves take on a more variegated brown colour with a sweet, palm sugar, vanilla, and pleasentaroma.

    3g of dry leaves were steeped in 150ml of water for 20-30sec@85-95 deg. C. The brewed tea liquor is a crystal clear, pale amber with a soft, loquat scent. in the mouth it is creamy, thick, peppery, stimulating, with a moderately thick finish and mildly fresh, bitter aftertaste. It tastes like dried tangerine peel, pomello, and ginger, with a hint of star-anise/licorice, and very soft honey sweetness in the finish.

    I like this tea but I find that the mid infusions tend to leave me with an uncomfortable feeling of acidity in the stomach.

  • Shí Hào Bái Chá, 十号白茶, #10 White Tea

    C. sinensis var. blended sub-varietals; Agri Tech Co., Menglian, Yunnan, 1400-1800m; Autumn, 2020, EU Organic, bud and 1-2 leaves, White tea process; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    Pale to dark brown, loose, dry leaves with silvery grey buds, and aroma that is spicy, with hints of ginger, cinnamon, dried citrus, dried apricot, and an undertone hint of molasses. The leaves change to a sage green, and brown colour when wet, and have a slightly acrid, sharp aroma, with spicy hints of liquorice, galangal, and loquat.

    3g of dry leaf was steeped in 150ml of water for 20-30sec@85deg. C. The brewed tea liquor is a pale, yellow-amber in colour, with a faint, honey and slightly soapy, scent. in the mouth it feels thick, creamy, mildly stimulating, with pleasant bitterness, fresh feel, and a watery, drooling finish, whilst it tastes spicy, like ginger, and pomelo peel, with a pleasant honey sweetness.

  • Fó Xiāng Bái Chá, 佛香白茶, Buddhist Incense (Buddha’s Essence) White Tea

    C. sinensis var.blended sub-varietals; Menglian County, Pu’er City, Yunnan Province, 1400-1800m; Autumn, 2020, 1 leaf & 1 bud, EU Organic, White tea process;; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá#Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    The dry leaves are well represented by both leaf and bud and appear to be evenly distributed. The buds are a furry grey colour and the leaves in various shades, from brown to black. their aroma is sharp, with a touch of apricot, and molasses, with an undertone of licorice. The wet leaves, both leaf and bud appear to be a uniform brown colour, and smell at first sharp & pungent, then sweet & honey-like.

    3g of dry leaf in 150-180ml water, were infused for 30-50sec @85-950deg. C followed by a 10sec pour. The brewed liquor is a dull amber, with a honey-like aroma. In the mouth it is thick-viscous-syrupy, stimulating-tingling-mouthwatering, astringent-spicy-savory, which softened into sweetness, with a late onset of minerality (metallic) in the finish. The taste hints of tangerine, licorice, & lychee, with a mild, honeydew melon-like finish.

    Over time this tea has subtly changed in character. The honey-like character has become more pronounced and rounded, and on longer infusions the viscosity becomes creamy, and the liquorice, and lingering minerality, become more pronounced. It really is an intriguing and engaging tea that demands to be paid attention to and focused on.

  • Yǐ Shēng Gǔ Shù Bái Chá, 野生古树白茶, Wild Ancient Tree White Tea

    C. sinensis var. wild tea trees, 300+ y.o; Dayao Shan, Lingcan, Yunnan, 1800+ m; post-Spring Festival, 2017, very young juvenile buds, sun dried, minimally processed White Tea; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    3g of tea steeped in 150ml water for 50-60sec.@90-100deg. C

    Thick, downy, grey-brown buds present an apricot flavor in the middle back of the tongue with hints of passionfruit, and fruit salad plant (Monstera deliciosa) in a clear golden liquor. It really is a delightful and fruity tea.

    Today, I went to watch my son play tennis, so I packed a travel kit for making tea and drank this tea from the sidelines whilst watching my son play. Forgive me for not rendering a more complete evaluation of this tea.

    Special thanks to Yunnan Ancient Moon Tea House, in Shanghai for the tea.

  • A Yuè Guāng Bái Chá, A月光白茶, “A”-Type Moonlight White Tea

    C. sinensis var. blended varieties; Menglian County, Pu’er City, Yunnan Province, 1400-1800m; Autumn, 2020, bud and 1 leaf, EU Organic, White tea process, unfixed; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    Large, dry two tone leaves, a high concentration of furry silver buds, with a noticeable aroma suggestive of juicy, semi-dried apricots.
    The spongy wet leaves are aromatic, spicy, and vegetal, with an undertone of vanilla, and are a good mix of sage green and brown in colour.

    3-4g of dry leaves were steeped in 150ml of water for 30-50sec@80-90deg. C. The brewed liquor is a light golden colour, with faint, indistinct aroma, and late suggestion of sweetness. In the mouth it is creamy, smooth, minty fresh, stimulating, sweet, and tastes pleasant, sweet, and floral, with a spicy fresh finish.

  • Zá Jiāo Bái Chá, 杂交白茶, Hybridized White Tea

    Autumn, 2020; var. Camelia sinensis (hybridized sub-varietals); (Lucy Wang YNteas Agri Tech Co., Ltd.) Menglian, Yunnan; bud and 1-2 leaves, EU Organic, white tea process; 1400-1800m; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá.

    Infusion: 3g in 150ml for 20-30sec@85-95 deg. C

    Dry Leaf Aroma: spicy, sweet melon, fragrant;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: sweet, palm sugar, vanilla, pleasent;
    Liquor: pale amber with a soft, loquat scent;
    Mouthfeel: creamy, thick, peppery, stimulating, moderately thick finish and mildly fresh, bitter aftertaste;
    Taste: dried tangerine peel, pomello, ginger, with a hint of star-anise/licorice, and very soft honey sweet finish;

    Opinion: This is a pleasant, spicy tea with vague, faint sweet and floral retronasal hints. It is fresh and stimulating on the palate, and drinks easily. I would go so far as to say this is a good candidate breakfast tea.

  • Fó Xiāng Bái Chá, 佛香白茶, Buddhist Incense White Tea

    Autumn, 2020; var. Camelia sinensis (blended sub-varietals); (Lucy Wang YNteas Agri Tech Co., Ltd.) Menglian, Yunnan, (YNteas Agri Tech Co., Ltd.); bud and 1-2 leaves, EU Organic, White tea process; 1400-1800m; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá.

    Infusion: 2x 3 finger pinches in 200ml for 30-40sec@90-100deg. C

    Dry Leaf Aroma: sharp, touch of apricot, and molasses;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: sweet, honey, musk stick, candy cane, sharp, minerally;
    Liquor: dull amber, with a slight candy floss scent;
    Mouthfeel: thick, viscous, syrupy, stimulating, tingling, mouthwatering, astringent, spicy, savoury, with a late onset of sweetness;
    Taste: hints of tangerine, licorice, lychee, with a mild, melon-like sweet finish;

    Opinion: This is a dark, murky, “savoury” tea, that invokes fantasies of walking through a burning coil-draped temple hall into the sunlight. Although it has a balance of sweetness, it’s hallmark is its pronounced, spicy, savoury presence.

  • Yuè Guāng Bái Chá, 月光白茶, Moonlight White Tea

    Autumn, 2020; var. Camelia sinensis; (Lucy WangYNteas Agri Tech Co., Ltd.) Menglian, Yunnan; bud and 1-2 leaves, EU Organic, White tea process, unfixed; 1400-1800m; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá.

    Infusion: 3-4g in 150ml for 30-50sec@85-95deg. C

    Dry Leaf Aroma: noticeable, dominance of juicy, semi-dried apricots;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: aromatic, spicy, vegetal, with an undertone of vanilla;
    Liquor: light green-golden colour, with faint, indistinct aroma, and a late suggestion of sweetness;
    Mouthfeel: creamy, smooth, minty fresh, stimulating, sweet;
    Taste: pleasant, sweet, floral, with a spicy fresh finish;

    Opinion: This is my first time drinking this particular tea. Whilst creamy, it has a thin finish, with a sweet minty freshness. After several infusions in quick succession it leaves a dry sensation on the back of the throat. However, the taste is very pleasant and overall enjoyable.

  • Yuè Guāng Měi Rén, 月光美人, Moonlight Beauty

    Spring, 2019; var. jingu big white leaf; Autumn Tower in Erjinggu, Yunnan; 1 bud and leaf, dark withered, micro-fermentation process, loose leaf; elev. unknown. Today’s Tea, 今天的茶, Jīn Tiān De Chá.

    Infusion: 3g in 150ml for 15-20sec.@85-95deg. C

    Dry leaf aroma: sweet, fragrant, kinda like candies fruits or boiled lollies;
    Wet leaf aroma: spicy, peppery, vegetal, black cardamom;
    Liquor: very pale yellow colour, with a vaguely citrus peel aroma;
    Mouthfeel/Taste: creamy, syrupy, mildly tingling and spicy, sweet;
    Flavour: sweet, honeysuckle, bright, vibrant, light, hinting of sweet stone fruits;

    Opinion: A large leaf, white Tea that is lovely in the cup. The dry leaves are a beautiful two tone color, with long pale, tender buds, which take on mixed forest colors when wet. I would definitely recommend seeking this tea out. It does not disappoint!