茶笔 Chá Bǐ – The Tea Pen

  • 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.

    • Cup Shaped like a Water Drop Ripple

  • 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.

    • Cold Brewing

  • 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.

  • Lǜ Sì Shí Pǐn (Lán Huā Xiāng) Fèng Huáng Dān Cóng Chá, 绿色食品(兰花香)凤凰单丛茶, Green Food (Orchid Fragrance) Feng Huang Dancong Tea

    Spring, 2021; Chaozhou, Phoenix Mountain, Guangdong; young leaf, semi-oxidized oolong; 600m-1200m;
    #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá.
    Infusion: 3g in 150ml for 30-35sec.@95deg. C

    Dry Leaf Aroma: pungent, sharp, spiced biscuit/cookie, floral, meaty;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: aromatic, nutmeg/mace, dried orange peel;
    Liquor: bright light brown colour, with a nutty, honey aroma;
    Mouthfeel: thin to moderately viscous, fresh, stimulating, mildly biting, mildly astringent;
    Taste: mace, honey, slightly medicinal, earthy, mineral-like, retronasal orchid, and v. late fruity notes, with a lingering sweet, fresh, and floral bitterness.

    Opinion: Tea reflects what we bring to it, and this tea particularly so. It it’s complex and robust, it gets up in your face and says, Here I am, are you ready? Despite its abrupt complexity it is a really pleasant, contemplative tea worth getting to know.

    *** Tea provided by Jiyunxiang Tea Co.

  • Yǒu Jī Huáng Shān Máo Fēng Lǜ Chá, 有机黄山毛峰綠茶, Organic Huangshan Maofeng Green Tea

    Spring, 2021; var. zhuyezhong; Huangshan, Qimen, Anhui; bud & 1 leaf, fixation→rolling→drying, green tea processing; 600m; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá.
    Infusion: 1.2g in 120ml for 20-30sec.@75-80deg. C

    Dry Leaf Aroma: fresh mown grass, citrus, hints of soft stone fruit;
    Wet Leaf Aroma: vegetal, cooked green peas, cooked corn;
    Liquor: berry pale yellow colour, with s faint edgy aroma;
    Mouthfeel: creamy, viscous, slight stimulation on the tongue, mild sweet finish;
    Taste: soft sweet, mildly tart flavor with floral, & sweet citrus retronasal hints;

    Opinion: An interesting and pleasant drinking tea. The citrus notes are pleasing and refreshing.

  • Transparency and Fluidity of Information in the Tea Supply Chain

    Wow, I’ve been going back through my postings on tea to the the first post. There have been many, since late May last year. It’s been more than a scant year now of postings, and there is a clear evolution in vision and clarity in my posts.

    They have also become longer, but I believe this is for the better. Information is critical for understanding the tea we drink, and still to this day, it is “hard” to get clear, accurate, verifiable, and trustworthy information about the teas we drink. There is a serious disconnect, between farmers, developers, sellers, wholesalers, and end-user customers. This should not be.

    In many industries, customers are demanding transparency throughout the supply chain, why is it so difficult to get the same transparency in the supply of whole leaf, forrest or farm grown teas? It makes me cry at night in my sleep… sometimes.

  • Zhèngshān Xiǎozhǒng Hóng Chá, 正山小种红茶, Lapsang Souchong Black Tea

    #TodaysTea – Spring, 2018; var. xiao zhong (small leaf); #Wuyishan, Nanping, Fujian; bud & 1-2 leaves, pinewood #smoked; 1100-1400m.

    Infusion: 5g in 150ml for 30-50sec.@90-95deg. C

    Dry leaf aroma: smokey, peat, dried orange peel, dried longan;
    Wet leaf aroma: more pronounced smokiness;
    Liquor: bright orange colour, with hints of malt;
    Mouthfeel: medium to thin texture, prickly, astringent, drying, salivating, slight lingering sweet finish;
    Taste: tannic, woody , bitter orange, retronasal hints of smoke, tobacco, and malt;

    Opinion: This is very different to the previous two teas, dark, wet campfire flavors and aromas, without being murky; uncompromising or apologetic, this is definitely an assertive tea.