茶笔 Chá Bǐ – The Tea Pen

Category: Today’s Tea

  • Ginseng Oolong Tea

    #TodaysTea – Spring, 2019; var. Si Ji Chun; 1-2 leaves and stem, combined with licorice root and ginseng, then oolong processed; Nantou, Taiwan; High Mountain Tea.

    Infusion: 3.6g in 150ml for 25-55sec.@99-95deg. C – this tea is best brewed as a long cup infusion, rather than gongfu style which is the case here;
    Dry leaf aroma: dry, spicy, mildly pro peppery;
    Wet leaf aroma: herbal, alfalfa, dissipates as the leaves open up, which are predominantly brown and green in colour;
    Liquor: golden colour, with a distant, elusive aroma that hints of ginseng;
    Mouthfeel: mildly creamy texture, with peppery sensations, mouth watering;
    Taste: ginseng initially, followed by with a licorice finish, sweet aftertaste, and retronasal hints of apricot and alfalfa;

    Opinion: Also known as Ren Shen Wulong tea, Kings Tea, or Orchid Beauty (Lan Gui Ren) Initially, this tea starts out stiff and forms, like a Chinese Emperor’s portrait painting. As the leaves open up, after 4-5 infusions, a few more taste elements come through. The formality subsides into an artists party by a stream, with multiple, quiet, conversations occurring all at once. Whilst one hopes for the Oolong to make itself known, like a family gathering, sadly it was not to be.

  • Te Ji Gui Hua Wulong Cha, Teji Osmanthus Oolong Tea

    #todaystea – Spring, 2018; made with YanXuan Anxi Gaoshan (Tieguanyin) Oolong Tea, and Osmanthus blossoms; 1-2 leaves and stem, light oxidation, oolong process, infused and packaged with osmanthus petals;

    Infusion: 3-4g in 150ml for 20sec.@90-95deg. C
    Dry leaf aroma: fragrant, floral with undertones of apricot, and licorice;
    Wet leaf aroma: buttery; spicy, wood spice, allspice, apricot, slightly subdued;
    Liquor: yellow-green colour, aromatic, with floral hints;
    Mouthfeel: thick, viscous, syrupy, mild peppery sensation;
    Taste: sweet, peppery, spicy, milky;
    Opinion: A great entry level tea that contrasts favorably as an alternative to Jasmine (Molihua) Tea. Always enjoyable.

  • An Xi Tie Guan Yin Wulong Cha; Pure Manual Tieguanyin, Iron Goddess Oolong Tea

    #todaystea – Spring 2016; var. tieguanyin; Anxi, Quanzhou, Fujian; leaf only, hand made, light oxidation, xiaoqing process; 500-800m.

    Infusion: 3g in 150ml for 20sec.@90-95deg. C
    Dry leaf aroma: mild, buttery, like shortbread biscuit;
    Wet leaf aroma: vegetal and sweet like the stems of cut flowers;
    Liquor: pale yellow-green, alluring, floral hints of orchid, or honeysuckle;
    Mouthfeel: buttery, creamy, lusciously syrupy, finishing with a soft, mouthwatering prickly tingle on the edges of the tongue;
    Taste: floral overtones backed by a vegetal presence;
    Opinion: One of my favourite teas, it’s enjoyment doesn’t get old.

  • “Blue and White Porcelain” Alishan High Mountain Oolong Tea

    #TodaysTea – Spring, 2018; var. Qingxin; Alishan, Taiwan; bud and two-three leaves; 1500 meters.

    Infusion: 3g in 150ml for 20sec.@90-95deg. C
    Dry leaf aroma: soft, pleasant, hints of pear, orchid, osmanthus;
    Wet leaf aroma: sweet, floral aroma with hints of peach;
    Liquor: pale yellow with no discernible aroma;
    Mouthfeel: light, pleasant mouth feel, mild peppery sensation, mouth watering, with no “fish bones” [呲牙] in the throat.
    Taste: sweet, floral, herbal, with a long lingering sweet finish.
    Opinion: A very accessible, light, oolong style Chinese Tea.

  • Taiwan Milk Oolong

    Spring, 2019; var. Jinxuan; Taiwan; leaf & stem, semi-ball rolled, oolong tea process;

    Infusion: 3g in 150ml for 20sec.@95deg. C
    Dry leaf aroma: sensationally aromatic, buttery/creamy, apricot, and honey melon;
    Wet leaf aroma: biscuity, buttery, like a custard tart, with an apricot finish;
    Liquor: pale yellow, with no noticeable aroma
    Mouthfeel: thick, viscous, creamy, milky
    Taste: fragrant, sweet, milky, retronasal hints of apricots, with coconut undertones.

    When brewed stronger the tea is mildly bitter with lingering aftertaste of liquorice and almond. When it the cools, the lingering, morphs towards liquorice and coconut. All in all, a very pleasant, fragrant, and drinkable tea.

  • Jibian Oolong Tea

    Summer, 2018; var. Qingxin (soft stem); Teng Chong, Yunnan; organic, Taiwan Style Oolong process; 1900-2500m

    Infusion: 3.3g in 150ml for 20sec.@90-95 deg. C
    Dry leaf aroma: subtle, mango, butterish;
    Wet leaf aroma: strong, spicy, pepper, rüstern;
    Liquor: yellow, with faint, elusive scent;
    Mouthfeel: at first watery and metalic, giving way to a syrupy tongue coating with distinct peppery, prickly ash tingling;
    Taste: apricot, sweet, cinnamon and raisins (when cooler) lingering retronasal floral , and spicy hints, underpinned by a distinct mineral, and lingering honey sweet aftertaste.

  • Xue Shui Yun Lü Cha , Snow Water Cloud Green Needle Tea

    #todaystea – Spring, 2020, pre-Ming; var. Snow Cloud Green; Sanyuan Village, Hecun, Tonglu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang; bud only, hand processed; 75-150 meters.

    Infusion: 3g in 150 ml for 20 sec.@85 deg. C
    Dry leaf aroma: dusty, with hints of melon, and lychee;
    Wet leaf aroma: buttery, vegetal, baby corn;
    Liquor: pale yellow colour, with almost no discernible aroma;
    Mouthfeel: thick, viscous, oily, with lingering fresh, spicy, tingling, astringency;
    Taste: bitter melon, with a mouthwatering sweet finish.

  • Nanjing Yuhua Rain Flower Green Tea

    #todaystea – 2017; var. ; yuhuatai; rain flower terrace, Nanjing, Jiangsu; bud and leaf, manual processing, pine needle shaping;

    Infusion: 3g in 150 ml for 20sec.@85 deg. C
    Dry leaf aroma:: fragrant, Bartlett pear, vaguely peach-like;
    Wet leaf aroma: mild, green-ish, watermelon rind; reminiscent of a florist shop;
    Liquor: pale yellow colour, with delicate, dilute honey, but almost unnoticeable aroma;
    Mouthfeel: light, fresh, syrupy when cooler, slightly astringent finish;
    Taste: pleasant, with a semi-sweet, with a bitter gourd-like after taste.

    This tea Has an interesting history and is considered to be a special tea. It is specific to Nanjing, where the CCP in 1950, allowed the residents of Nanjing to make this tea, as a memorial to those that died in the #Nanjing#massacre. It was originally reserved as a Tribute Tea, or Tea Gift, for giving to high level officials, and company leaders.

  • Long Jing Dragon Well Green Tea

    #todaystea – Surprisingly is the same as yesterday’s tea, just one year fresher. The differences are quite stark.

    Spring, 2020; var. ; Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province; one bud and leaf, green tea process;

    Infusion: 3g in 150ml for 15 sec@85 deg. C
    Dry Leaf Aroma: aromatic, fragrant, biscuit, caramel, hint of chocolate;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: strong, vegetal, canned peas, broccoli, hints of dried raw egg;
    Liquor: Pale yellow with a faint green tinge, aroma is soft, elusive, almost non-existent;
    Mouthfeel: creamy, moderately thick, mild peppery tingle, with a lingering sweetness & astringency;
    Taste: subtle vegetal hints, mildly floral hints of orchid and osmanthus.

  • Longjing Dragon Well Green Tea

    #todaystea – Spring, 2019; var. ; Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province; one bud and leaf, green tea process;

    Infusion: 3g in 180ml for 20 sec@85 deg. C
    Dry Leaf Aroma: aromatic, fragrant, cotton candy, eggy;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: vegetal, overcooked green beans;
    Liquor: Pale yellow color, mild vegetal, and faint scrambled egg aroma;
    Mouthfeel: luscious, creamy, viscous, and mild peppery tingle, with a lingering slightly astringency;
    Taste: subtle vegetal hints with a slow to arise lingering sweetness, & perhaps some retronasal hints of orchid.