茶笔 Chá Bǐ – The Tea Pen

Tag: #TodaysTea

  • Yǒu Jī Leí Kòu Chái (Lán Huā Xiāng) Fèng Huáng Dān Cóng Chá, 有机雷扣柴(兰花香)凤凰单丛茶, Organic Lei Kou Chai (Orchid Fragrance) Feng Huang Dancong Tea

    In the late 1970’s, somewhere Da Shan Poa, on the Wudong Mountain, a thunderstorm ravaged the area and lightning struck the Lei Kou Chai mother tree. The tree struggled on but unfortunately the damage was too great and the tree passed away. However, before its passing a “healthy” branch was harvested and grafted, thus preserving the genetics of the tree.

    Unlike other Dancong teas of the area, the effect of the lightning strike significantly changed the flavour and character of tea made from these trees. Today, much of what is made into Lei Kou Chai Tea comes from clones of the branch from the mother tree.

    Tasting Notes:

    C. sinensis var. zhilanxiang; Chaozhou, Phoenix Mountain, Guangdong Province, 600m-1200m; Spring, 2021, young leaf, semi-oxidized oolong. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    The dry leaves are long, dark and twisted, with an aroma suggestive of dates, cherries, and milk biscuits.The wet leaves are a dark green colour with brown woody stems and an aromatic aroma suggestive of cinnamon, orchid floral notes.

    3.5g of dry leaf was infused in 150ml of water for 20-30sec.@90-95deg. C. The brewed tea liquor has a dull yellow colour, with a faint, floral honey scent. in the mouth it is creamy, stimulating, and has a touch of mineralaity in later infusions. The taste is peppery, and fresh, with a sweet finish, with honeysuckle (orchid?) and orange retronasal hints.

    *** Tea provided by Jiyunxiang Tea Co.

  • Huáng Jīn Bái Lù (Chuān Hóng Chá), 黄金白露(川红茶), Golden White Dew (Chuanhong Tea)

    Chuan Hong Black Tea; C.sinensis var. zaobaijian; Spring (before Qingming) & Autumn (after Bailu), 2020; Xingshi Tea Co., Ltd., Julian County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province. 800-1200m; fine, single buds; blend of late Autumn tea with some early spring tea, Chuanhong black tea process. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá#Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    Small golden brown buds, some with darker/black ends with biscuit, chocolate, caramel, dark stone fruit, white peach aroma.
    The wet leaves are a uniform, vibrant, brown colour, with acotton candy, light caramel, slightly acrid (like wood-smoke tar) aroma with hints of rose.

    4g of dry leaf (1 sachet) was infused in 100ml of water for 20sec. @90-95deg. C producing a brewed tea liquor that is copper-red in colour with a soft, sweet, malty, rose, aroma and transient fruitiness. in the mouth it is thick, creamy, mildly astringent, and sweet, whilst the taste is sweet, malty, like milk chocolate, with a rose-like floral scent lingering in the cup.

  • An Obscure and Eclectic Black Tea From China

    During the, “White Dew” season, in the Autumn of 1959, some farmers picked super fine golden buds and turned them into black tea. They then sent this tea to Chairman Mao as a tribute, for which he thanked them.

    Since then, Huáng Jīn Bái Lù Hóng Chá, 黄金白露红茶, Golden White Dew Black tea, from Yibin in Sichuan has been a rare, eclectic, and sought after tea, that is a mystery in the West and still, apparently, relatively unknown in the East — more tomorrow.

    #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá#Tea, #茶, #Chá.

  • Yǒu Jī Yā Shǐ Xiāng Fèng Huáng Dān Cóng Chá, 有机鸭屎香凤凰单冲茶, Organic Duck Shit Fragrance Feng Huang Dancong Tea

    C. sinensis var. yashixiang; Chaozhou, Phoenix Mountain, Guangdong, 600m-1200m; Autumn, 2020, young leaf, semi-oxidized oolong. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    The dry leaves are light brown to black coloured, twisted whole leaves with a mildly sharp, pungent aroma, suggestive of biscuit, raw milk, raisons, and dates. The wet leaves are green with a yellowish-brown tinge and have a spicy, milky aroma, suggestive of white pepper, pimento, and mac.

    2.5g of dry leaves were infused in 100ml of water for 20-30sec.@90-5deg. C producing a brewed tea liquor that is a pale yellow- green colour, with a faint spicy, floral aroma. In the mouth it is moderately thick, tongue tingling, mouthwatering, and light, with a clean finish on the palate. The taste suggests honey, sweet spices, and is mildly biscuity.

    This tea sample was provided by Jiyunxiang Tea Co.

  • I’ve Enrolled in a “Tea Master Program.”

    Today I successfully enrolled in Dilmah’s Online School of Tea “Tea Master” program. I am grateful for the opportunity and am looking forward to successfully completing the course. It is self-paced and how it will take, I guess, is entirely up to me.

    If this is something you think you might be interested in, for the moment they have reduced the cost of enrolment by 2/3rds, as a respond, I believe, to COVID-19 restrictions around the world. It’s a great opportunity to consider, if you are still stuck at home somewhere.

    For more details check out: Dilmah’s Online, “School Of Tea.“

    #Dilmah, #DilmahTea, #OnlineStudy, #TodaysTea, #OnlineTeaSchool, #grateful#opportunity#Tea

  • Fèng Huáng Shī Mén Dān Cóng Wū Lóng Chá (Tàn Bèi Míng Chá), 凤凰輋门单丛乌龙茶 (炭焙茗茶), Phoenix Mountain Dancong Oolong Tea (Charcoal Roasted Tea)

    C. sinensis var. Fenhuang Dancong; Phoenix Mountain, Shantou, Guangdong, 1498 m; Spring 2020, single leaf, old trees, charcoal roasted, oolong. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    The dry leaves are long, twisted, and coloured black with brown stems. They have a fragrant, aromatic aroma, suggestive of cocoa, jaffa chocolate, tangerine, and cinnamon. The wet leaves are a mottled green colour and have a wonderfully aromatic, spicy, slightly fruity aroma with floral hints

    7g of dry leaf was infused in 350ml of water for 20-30sec.@95deg. C. The brewed tea liquor was a pale apple/pear juice color, with a faint, buttery apple danish aroma. in the mouth it is viscous, syrupy, has a fresh peppery tingle, and refreshing flinty minerality in the finish. The taste suggests cinnamon, dried tangerine peal, and lingering retronasal hints of peach with a very late, elusive hint of smoke on the sides of the tongue.

  • Fèng Huáng Yā ShǐXiāng Wū Lóng Chá, 凤凰鸭屎香乌龙茶, Phoenix Duck Shit Fragrance Oolong Tea

    C. sinensis var. yashixiang; Lingtou, Fubin, Raoping; Chaozhou, Guangdong, 1400m; Spring, 2017, leaves only, no buds (xiao cai mian, small opening), dancong, nongxiang roast, oolong; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    Large brown to black twisted leaves with the occasional green tint, and a scantily pungent, aromatic aroma with stone fruit, black date, and raisin notes plus taunting hints of wood smoke. The wet leaves partially open to reveal browny-green leaves with a fragrant, aromatic, spicy aroma, with notes of long pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and dried apricot.

    3g of dry leaves were infused in 150ml of water for 20-30sec.@90-95deg. C producing a brewed tea liquor that was an orange colour, with an elusive, fruity, spicy aroma, a touch of jasmine, and late elusive hints of coal tar. In the mouth it is buttery, creamy, peppery, mildly astringent, and stimulating, while the taste is delicate, sweet, with hints of xmas biscuit, and prickly ash.

  • Yā Shǐ Xiāng: Yín Huā Xiāng Weì Dān Cóng Chá, 鸭屎香: 银花香味单丛茶, (Phoenix Mountain) Duck Shit: Honeysuckle Fragrance Dancong Tea

    C. sinensis var. yashixiang; Pingkengtou, Fenghuang, Chaozhou, Guangdong, 950m; Spring, 2021, leaves only, hand picked and processed; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá , #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    The dry leaves are dark brown, long, and twisted.. They have a dry biscuit, honey suckle, mildly spicy and aromatic aroma.
    The wet leaves are do not easily open up and have a dull, greenish colour. Their aroma suggests nutmeg, black pepper, ginger, nd cinnamon.

    3.5g of dry leaves were infused in 150ml of water from 10-50sec.@90-100deg. C giving a brewed tea liquor that is brassy yellow in colour, with a delightful, aromatic honey scent. In the mouth it is creamy, luscious, tingling, sweet, and has a late, latent minerality whilst it tastes spicy, sweet, almost milky, with a stimulating fresh finish, and lingering retronasal honey biscuit aroma.

  • Fèng Huáng Shān (Mì Lán Xiāng: Fēng Mì Tián Weì) Wū Lóng Chá, 凤凰山 (蜜兰香:蜂蜜甜味) 乌龙茶, Phoenix Mountain (Honey Orchid Fragrance: Honey Sweet) Oolong Tea

    C. sinensis var. Honey Orchid; Wudong, Fenghuang, Chaozhou, Guangdong, 1000m; Spring, 2021, 300 y.o. trees, organic, hand picked, manual oolong process; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    The dry leaves are deep, dark brown, twisted leaves with a mild, sweet, honeyish aroma. The wet leaves area uniform brown colour and have an intense aromatic, spicy, peppery, orchid, and peach-like scent.

    3g of dry leaves were infused in 150ml of water for 50 sec.@95deg. C., producing a brewed tea liquor that is pale yellow in colour with a mild, spicy scent. In the mouth it has a moderate thickness, peppery, mouth watering impact with a somewhat astringent finish and distinct lingering minerality and earthiness. It’s taste is floral, fruity, with by a notable retronasal sweet spiciness, and a sweet honeyed finish.

  • Jīn Sī Diān Hóng Chá, 金丝滇红茶, Yunnan Golden Silk Thread Royal Black Tea

    C. sinensis var. Assamica (Yunkeng Shihao); Lincang, Fengqing, Yunnan, 1600-1900m; Spring, 2019, mostly buds or bud & 1 leaf, fire baked. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

    Large golden to dark brown elongated buds witan aroma like cherry and dark chocolate, malty, sweet;
    The wet leaves are uniformly brown with a sweet, malty aroma, with hints of wild meadow honey;

    3-4g of dry leaves were infused in 150ml of water for 20-30 sec.@90-100deg. C. The brewed tea liquor has a deep, rich, orange colour, with a soft, sweet pale malt extract aroma. In the mouth it is tingling, sweet, astringent, moderately thick in texture, and tastes like seville orange peel, and pale malt, vaguely nutty like brazil nuts, with a lingering tart, sweet finish.