Category: Today’s Tea

  • Rì Zhào Lǜ Chá, 日照绿茶, Rizhao (Sunshine) Green Tea

    C. sinensis var. unknown; Spring, 2021; Rizhao, Shandong, Rizhao Original Green Tea Base, elev. unknown; Bud and 1 leaf, hand rolled, baked green tea process; #TodaysTea#今天的茶#JīnTiāndeChá#Tea#GreenTea.

     The dry leaf is thin, wiry, and twisted. It’s colour is a med. to dark green with occasional yellow edging and some grey-white tips. The dry leaf aroma smells like roasted pumpkin, steamed rice, cut grass, & is noticeably vegetal.

    The wet leaf aroma smells sharp, pungent, vegetal, like fresh cut green asparagus, and boiled brussels sprouts, and on cooling is reminiscent of yellow butter beans.

    The liquor has a pale, clear, yellow appearance, with mild, buttered maize/chestnut aroma, while its mouthfeel is thick, creamy, viscous, & sweet, with a mild peppery tingling on the tongue. Its taste is pleasant, sweet, and finishes with lingering retronasal hints of cooked sweet potato, maize, and white rice.

    Steeped 3g of leaf in 150ml of Nongfu Spring water for 30-120sec.@75deg. C. Both the tea colour and taste becomes more pronounced with longer steeping, revealing a pleasant, and lingering minerality on the palate.

    Ecological tea farms were initiated in Rizhao as an experiment in the late 50’s and were fully established by 1966 in the Laoshan mountain range, which is known for its acidic brown-yellow soils, and granite mountain peaks.

    The city of Rizhao in Shandong Province, lies on the east coast of China, north of Shanghai, and is one of three, lauded and globally recognised, “coastal” green tea cities in the world. The other two being: Shizuoka in Japan, and Boseong in South Korea.

  • Lǜ Chá hé Bò Hé (Mó Luò Gē Fēng Gé), 绿茶和薄荷(摩洛哥风格), Green Tea with Mint (Moroccan style)

    Spring 2021; #TodaysTea#今天的茶#JīnTiāndeChá.

    Liquor Colour/Clarity & Aroma 茶汤颜色/净度&香味: Golden yellow, slightly cloudy with a dominant Mint scent, and a light, persistent, white foam on top;

    Liquor Mouthfeel & Taste 茶汤口感&味道: initially sweet, and syrupy, giving way to some bitterness and astringency, followed by a cooling freshness, and lingering creamy mouthfeel: notably minty with an undertone of mild caramel sweetness;

    Preparation & Opinion 准备&意见: A handful of fresh mint, 1Tbs gunpowder green tea, 1Tbs white sugar; 4 cups water; brewed Moroccan style, and steeped for two minutes.

    I’ve had a couple of Moroccan style tea pots for several years now. I bought them erroneously to go on top my Samovar. The silver one didn’t fit, so I bought another one. 🤦🏼‍♂️

    However, as I have gotten more and more into Chinese Tea, it has also prompted me to review my own #Tea Heritage and the uses of the pots and sets that I already have and have used in the past. Thus, this foray into using my #Moroccan#Teapot correctly.

    It is such a substantial and surprising difference between this tea made with fresh mint, and the pre-scented tea previously reviewed, that really there is no comparrison. This fresh version is hands down sooo much better.

    It could probably handle a little extra sugar, perhaps a 1/3 to a 1/2 Tbs extra? I’m now also curious to see how the mouthfeel, and taste changes, when it is #coldbrewed.

    https://youtu.be/eDGkLCQHMB0
  • Basilur Chá – Mó Luò Gē Bò He Chá, Basilur茶-摩洛哥薄荷茶, BasilurTea – Moroccan Mint Tea

    Late Summer, 2020; Camellia sinensis, Mentha piperita, extract of Menta spicata var. crispa ‘Moroccan’; Kelanimulla, Angoda, Uva, Sri Lanka; Young Hyson Green Tea,Peppermin leaf & “Moroccan Mint” Natural Aroma; 900m-1500m #TodaysTea#今天的茶#JīnTiāndeChá.
    Infusion: 1 spoon (2g) per serve and, “one for the pot.” Unsweetened.

    Dry Leaf Aroma: strong, dominantly “Spearminty,” sharp, solvent-like;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: Spearmint, aniseed balls, aromatic, sweet;
    Liquor: Golden yellow colour, with a minty, peppery, scent;
    Mouthfeel: moderate texture, pronounced bitterness, stimulating, mouthwatering finish;
    Taste: dominantly minty, (perhaps peppermint) and fresh, with a camphor/menthol aftertaste, and late hints of licorice.

    Opinion: I have mixed feelings about this tea. It does have a place, especially at times when mint might not be readily available.

    As such, if being able to knock out a pot of, “Moroccan Mint” tea at the drop of a hat in the middle of Armageddon, or a global pandemic, then you can’t go wrong with this tea.

    However, I find the solvent undertone in the leaf smell, and the strident minty, “aroma” from tin to cup, to be somewhat confronting… and I am not sure if that is, in a good, or bad way. The jury is undecided.

    The Tea seems to be Young Hyson Green tea (according to one website) in style, rather than Gunpowder rolled. There is a significant mix of whole large leaf, broken leaves of various size, some stems and the occasional bud.

    Unfortunately, I cannot tell if I’m looking tea leaves, or mint leaves, even though I do actually know the difference. I do love the packaging though, the tin is absolutely lovely, but the only thing “Moroccan” about it seems to be the addition of “Moroccan Mint” aroma.

    Originally, I wanted to get some, “Gunpowder Green Tea” to explore Moroccan Mint Tea, and I stumbled across this on Taobao. So, I thought I’d try it out.

    I am not a fan of aroma scented teas, that includes everything from Earl Grey, through Jasmine, to Peach, etc., so when I discovered this tea was pre-scented (albeit with “Natural Aroma”) I was somewhat deflated.

    I prefer to control the addition of fresh, natural substances to my tea myself.

    Further in researching this tea, I found so little information, and much of that so dubious and inconsistent, even on #Balisur’s various Corporate Websites, that it was more work than I wanted to put in.

    Would I drink it again? Yes, “…for Science!” but not by choice. Don’t misunderstand me, it is… good tasting… tea… especially with sugar, but with so many other choices of tea on my shelf, it’s no front runner. And to be brutally honest? If I had no other tea on the shelf? I’d probably prefer to just drink the water.

    It seems my prejudicially, discriminatory POV towards, “Flavour Enhanced” Teas has unfortunately raised its ugly head, yet again. 🤪

  • Huǒ Qīng Zhū Chá, 火青珠茶, Huoqingzhu Tea (Gunpowder Green Tea)

    Spring, 2021; C. sinensis var. quntijong(?); Yongxi, Jingxian, Anhui; bud and two leaves, gunpowder green tea process, produced by Hu Chuansi; 700m; #TodaysTea#今天的茶#JīnTiāndeChá.

    Infusion: 3g in 150ml for 15-20sec@70-75deg. C

    Dry Leaf Aroma: backed biscuits, pale malt, warm;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: vegetal, steamed green vegetables, cooked lima beans;
    Liquor: pale yellow colour, with a faint snow pea and green grape aroma;
    Mouthfeel: moderate texture, mildly peppery, light bitterness and astringency, followed by a lingering sweetness and fresh feeling.

  • Ài Duō Duō Jí Yáng Bǎo Beì Y10 Chá (Dàn Shēng Lǐ), 爱哆哆吉羊寶貝Y10茶(诞生礼); Adoodoo Lucky Baby Goat Y10 Tea (Ceremony of Birth)

    2018; var. c. sinensis; origin unknown, packaged in Shanghai; leaf only, rolled oolong process; elev. unknown;
    #TodaysTea#今天的茶#JīnTiāndeChá.
    Infusion: 2.8g in 120ml for 15-20sec@85-90deg. C

    Dry Leaf Aroma: nutty, buttery, vaguely spicy like red flower pepper;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: sharp, vegetal, pungent, buttery, undertones of black cherry;
    Liquor: pale yellow colour, with a soft floral, sweet, and buttery scent;
    Mouthfeel: viscous, creamy, stimulating, noticeable sweet;
    Taste: sweet, milky, soft melon fruit, with a vague touch of apricot, and a honey, floral, retronasal hint.

    Opinion: i know nothing about the origin of this tea. For all intents and purposes, I’d swear it was a Taiwanese Milk Oolong. The leaves appear to be quite large, and edges broken.

    The name is strange and It would appear that this tea was a celebration gift to commemorate Adoodoo’s 10 year anniversary, as Adoodoo is a Birth Ceremony Cakes company.

    As far as it tastes, the tea, that is, it is quite pleasant and easy to drink.

  • Gǔ Zhàng Máo Jiān Lǜ Chá, 古丈毛尖綠茶, Gu Zhang Mao Jian Green Tea

    Spring, 2021; var. Bi Xiang Zao; Guzhang, Xiangxi AP, Hunan; bud and one leaf, Pan fired and hand rolled; high mountain, elev. unknown;
    #TodaysTea#今天的茶#JīnTiāndeChá.
    Infusion: 3g in 120ml for 20-30sec.@70-80deg. C

    Dry Leaf Aroma:
    Wet Leaf Aroma: vegetal, stewed broccoli/cauliflower stems, baked chestnut, & a sweet grass scent when cooler;
    Liquor: pale yellow, with a faint, buttery scent;
    Mouthfeel: viscous, creamy, smooth, mildly astringent;
    Taste: mild, floral, meaty, creamy, luscious;

    Opinion: My son went on a trip to Zhang Jia Zhe and brought me back a box of the locally produced tea.

  • Gān Lù Chá,甘露茶, Mending “Sweet Dew” (Manna) Green Tea

    Spring, 2021, pre-Qingming; var. Xiaoye Zhong Lao Chuan; Mendingshan, Sichuan; bud only/mainly, 3x frying & rubbing green tea method: Tea Master, Liu Wang Cheng; 1000-1450m; #TodaysTea#今天的茶#JīnTiāndeChá.

    Infusion: 3.3g (1 sachet) in 150ml for 1-2min. @65-80deg. C
    Dry Leaf Aroma: bready, biscuity, buttery, nutty;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: vegetal, cooked peas;
    Liquor: pale yellow straw colour, with a faint slightly floral aroma;
    Mouthfeel: moderately viscous, mild spicy tingling and freshness, with a sweet finish;
    Taste: mildly nutty, buttery, slightly vegetal and grassy, with retronasal orangey & floral finish;

    Opinion: Sweet, “Honey Dew,” “Manna,” or “Tea of the Immortal” (吴理真Wú Lǐ Zhēn,) is one of the oldest and revered green teas in China with almost 2000 years of continuous production history. Overall a very pleasant tea.

  • Yǒu Jī Yā Shǐ Xiāng Fèng Huáng Dān Cóng Chá, 凤凰单丛茶, Organic Duck Shit Fragrance Feng Huang Dancong Tea

    Autumn, 2020; var. yashixiang; Chaozhou, Phoenix Mountain, Guangdong; young leaf, semi-oxidized oolong; 600m-1200m;
    #TodaysTea#今天的茶#JīnTiāndeChá.
    Infusion: 4g in 150ml for 30-50sec.@90deg. C

    Dry Leaf Aroma: mildly sharp, pungent, biscuit, raw milk, reasons, dates;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: spicy, milky, white pepper, pimento, mace;
    Liquor: pale yellow- green colour, with faint spicy, floral aroma
    Mouthfeel: moderately thick, tongue tingling, mouthwatering, light clean finish on the palate;
    Taste: honey, sweet spices, and mildly biscuity;

    Opinion: This is the third Yashi Xiang I’ve tasted and all of them are incredibly different. This one has a light, soft character with milky aroma, and honey and sweet spice dominating the taste.

    *** Tea provided by Jiyunxiang Tea Co.

  • Hóng Chí Chá Shì, Jīng Pǐn Pǔ Ěr Chá Gòng, 竑祺茶室, 精品普洱, 茶貢, Hung Chi Tea Room, Boutique Pu’er Tribute Tea

    1982; var. assamica, and/or Qimao( taliensis); prepared in Menghai, Yunnan, packaged in Hong Kong, stored in Kunming, Yunnan; bud & 3-4 leaves, Menghai Wò Duī(握堆) Shou Pu’er process; elev. unknown; #TodaysTea#今天的茶#JīnTiāndeChá.

    Infusion: 5g in 150ml, #ColdBrewed for 12hr@4deg. C

    Dry leaf aroma: dusty, dank, murky, dried portabello/shitaki mushroom;
    Wet Leaf Aroma:murky, dank, musty, wet forest floor;
    Liquor: deep, dark red colour, with a dusty, swamp water aroma;
    Mouthfeel: moderately thick, mildly stimulating, slightly astringent, vague sweet finish;
    Taste: floury, earthy, mineralish, with an intense, funky, retronasal dominance;

    Opinion: This tea was packaged as a premium tea in Hong Kong then stored in the can in humid conditions for who knows how long.

    The internal bag was perforated with tiny holes and the bottom of the can heavily rusted. This indicates that the storage was quite poor. YET some people seem to like it’s funky flavour.

    I keep coming back to this tea to see if I can brew it right. Air it, give it time to breath. Maybe the problem lies with me? Yet each time I drink it, to me? It just tastes like swamp water, and not in a good way.

  • Qí Hóng Máo Fēng Qí Mén Hóng Chá, 祁红毛峰祁门红茶, Qihong Maofeng Keemun Black Tea

    Spring, 2021; var. zhuyezhong; Huangshan, Qimen, Anhui; bud & 1 leaf, withering→rolling→oxidation→drying , black tea processing ; 600m; #TodaysTea#今天的茶#JīnTiāndeChá.

    Infusion: 4g in 150ml for 20-25sec. @90deg. C

    Dry Leaf Aroma: cut flower stems, malt, dried tangerine peel, mildly Smoker;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: alllspice, cumin, bitter orange;
    Liquor: reddish-brown colour with a sharp, pungent, mildly smokey, & bitter floral, aroma;
    Mouthfeel: slippery, viscous, tingling, biting, with a sweet finish, & lingering bitterness;
    Taste: creamy sweet with orange blossom retronasal notes and lingering bitter orange finish.

    Opinion: this tea is notably floral and bitter without being acrid or ashen in taste. As a breakfast tea, this would go well with crumpets and Seville orange marmalade.

    ***This tea was provided by the Anhui Keemun Black Tea Development Co.