茶笔 Chá Bǐ – The Tea Pen

Tag: #Chá

  • 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.

  • Osmanthus Oolong Tea

    #TodaysTea: #Guihua Wulong Cha – Osmanthus Oolong Tea. Spring, 2019; Made with Anxi Gaoshan (#Tieguanyin) YanXian OolongTea and Osmanthus flowers in Anxi, Fujian; Beijing Wu Yutai Tea Industry ltd, Beijing; stem and 2-3 leaves, light oxidation, scented with flower petals; high mountain source.

    Taste: Creamy, sweet, syrupy, soft, spicy, with a mild, “prickly ash” bite on the top of the tongue, fragrant, floral, osmanthus, honey;
    Wet leaf: apricot and peach, vegetal;
    Retronasal: hints of floral, vegetal and peach pit notes.

  • Feng Huang Ya Shi Xiang Tea. Phoenix Mountain “Duck Shit” Fragrance Tea

    #TodaysTea: Spring, 2017; var. yashixiang; Lintou Village, Chaozhou, Guandong; small leaves, no buds, oolong; 1300-1400m

    Dry Leaves: scantily pungent, evasive, elusive, taunting hints of wood smoke
    Wet Leaves: spicy, long pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, horseradish, fragrant, aromatic
    Liquor: buttery/creamy, peppery, mildly astringent, delicate, xmas biscuit, prickly ash
    Aroma: elusive, vague, a touch of unripe white peach, late elusive hints of coal tar after drinking.

  • Taiwanese Milk Oolong Tea

    #TodaysTea: This Tea is best allowed to cool a little in the cup before drinking to allow its delightful mouthfeel to present itself and to allow the tea liquor to linger longer in the mouth. It really is a delightful sensation of a tea.

    Taiwan Milk Oolong; Spring, 2019?; var. Jinxuan; Taiwan; leaf & stem, semi-ball rolled; elev. ? – 4g in 150ml at 95deg. C

    The aroma of the dry leaves have an immediate apricot pungency. This tends to a peach aroma in the hot water.
    The wet leaves are vegetal and buttery, (coconut oil?) with a faint hint of peach.
    The tea tastes syrupy, thick, creamy and buttery, with hints of apricots, peach, almond, and a lingering, gentle coconut finish. Very pleasant.