What Oolong Are You Drinking

[Victoria]

Wow, many Alishan posts lately .
Having Tillerman’s Laoshi Spring 2019 DongDing. It is quite a bit thinner than last winter’s. Empty cup aroma is rich though. Some plum notes came thorough in dry leaf but thankfully that didn’t translate into steeped liquor. Although I prefer a more robust roast, and this one is lighter in character than winter 2018, the flavors presented are pleasantly rounded out and working together nicely.

[Ethan Kurland]

Moving south a hundred km or so to Shanlinxi for the gaoshan that I call Perfect. I named this for its quality (flavors & flexibility) & its value. The tea from this Spring has opened up its flavors & settled well. For many teas I drink half of each infusion by themselves & drink the other halves of the infusions combined together. I prefer drinking all of each infusion for this Spring's Shanlinxi. Using about 4 grams of leaves for 150 ml of 95C water in a cheap, glazed low-fired teapot from northern Thailand, I've been steeping for 20 - 30 seconds. This way the 1st infusion is light, tasty, & complex w/ no one taste dominating the infusion; the 2nd infusion has been led by sweetness; the 3rd led by the vegetal flavor.

In quality the 1st infusion rivals much more expensive dayuling & foushoushan, whether I steep this quickly or longer. Longer steeping times for 2nd & 3rd infusions are not as much to my liking as staying under 30 seconds. For me, the polite vegetal flavor may become bitter or on the edge of bitterness. (Other drinkers have told me that I am wrong; I have often called something bitter that others have called sweet or even unami. Others employ much different parameters than mine).

For me 3 infusions is the limit for this. That compares to about 9 for DYL or FSS; however, they cost > 3x the cost of SLX per gram. So, I think Perfect is the right name.

Why bother w/ DYL & FSS? What a ?! Anyway, I think I will no longer buy FSS. I don't need to indulge myself with DYL & FSS. What a lack of humility to not settle for "perfect"! Is one seeking nirvana via a cup of tea?

Enough musing. Cheers

[carogust]

Today I had an "experimental" yancha session with the 2018 wuyi origin shuixian (that I've posted about too many times probably).
Instead of the more widely suggested small pot brewing with lots of leaf, I decided to use a large porcelain mug as my brewing vessel pouring into a pitcher using my normal cup.
I've mentioned quite a few times that I don't think high ratio, small pot brewing might be all that much better, so this was to confirm my preference on that subject.

Following parameters were used: 5 grams, ~200ml (I did not fill the mug completely, meaning it was hard to get the exact amount of water) and 2:30/5:00/6:00 brew times. And after 3 brews moved to grampa style brewing (was getting bored of the hassle and mess). I did not have any "proper" large brewing devices so I had to use the mug...

Well, this just confirmed my suspicions. The tea is not any worse. Definitely very different but still very recognizable. I'd say that the "balance" of tastes is shifted but everything is still there.
In some ways it is better. Tastes are more "grounded" and not as ephemeral. First steep had pleasant mouthfeel with a profile of minerals & grape fruit skin. Some very satisfying notes like a very pure resin sweetness emerged later on. Still thick and very soapy/oily.
As with my previous attempts, the tea still rebrews fairly solidly. Steeps 2-3 were definitely not lacking.
One thing that was missing was as strong of an aftertaste but I attribute it more to the lack of a clay brewing vessel. I've tried this tea a few times in porcelain gaiwans and the same problem is present. Heck, maybe I need to get a larger yixing! (always good to have an excuse for more teaware!)
A nice thing is that you don't have to mess with brewing as much either. More drinking and less brewing.
One last thing is that the difference in heat retention is staggering. I burnt my tongue as I did not wait at all before pouring my first cup and tasting. A small pot can cool down in a 30 second steep quite a lot seemingly. Between steeps the vessel managed to stay hotter as well while a small teapot cools down pretty much in a few minutes with no water inside.

[d.manuk]

I’m really tea drunk right now. Hahahaha. This tea is always amazing.

[Bok]

Second time a friend is graciously sharing his Baijiguan Yancha with me. Real Baijiguan is excruciatingly expensive, so most on the market are fake.

It is unlike any other Yancha I ever had, in fact – if I wasn’t told, I would not even be sure what exactly it is. It is an explosion of fragrances! Very, very fragrant. I am not good with making flavour descriptions, suffice to say there is a lot going on with this tea. Not dry, subtle, like most other Yancha I have tasted. I would say it is closer to quality Dancong in its intensity and exuberance. Look up Teaism’s blog entry on it(https://teaism99.com/2017/02/11/bai-ji-quan/), which describes it much better than I just did, spot on what I was experiencing.

A beautiful tea, hard to forget and easy to identify once you had it once. Although I now I best forget about it, as this tea is out of my league financially…

[Ethan Kurland]

@carogust, you write so beautifully! I assume English is your second language because you live in Finland, but there is no sign of that in your writing. David, I'd love to drink that tea.

Roasting tea well takes so much work to do properly. My favorite roasted tea (yes, the one I sell as well as drink) is held over charcoal in small bamboo baskets that are moved to different spots above the heat so the roast is even & efficient. This is done as needed, "needed" in the sense of optimum results, every 20 - 30 minutes for 2 - 3 days. So much work. So, I guess there are reasons for a tea to get to dollars per gram rather than dollars per ounce. Yet, like Bok, I can't afford going beyond ….

The tea that you describe sounds like one that most of us would like or love. A no brainer. In comparison I refer to Father's Love, aged 5 years which sort of merges all of the flavors in a way that is not as easy to appreciate as a tea that has many recognizable, distinct flavors. In fact though I always enjoyed it, I did not drink it for about a year because I thought that at about $1 & some pennies per gram, it was wasted on me. Now I thrive on it! (& really it is cost per cup not per gram that matters).

[tjkdubya]

@Bok one of the best teas I've had the last couple years was a baijiguan, a 2011. With some careful age on it, it was gorgeous. Yes, out of my league... Well, a tea like that once a year, maybe doable. How to forget something unforgettable?

[Bok]

How to forget something unforgettable?

That is a challenge indeed! The one I had was fresher than yours, I think I would have preferred it with some age on it like the one you had.
I guess let's just be grateful to have good friends, who share this kind of treasures...

[carogust]

Carogust, you write so beautifully! I assume English is your second language because you live in Finland, but there is no sign of that in your writing.

That's really nice to hear because I fear my writing being pretentious, unclear or bad in some other way

[Chadrinkincat]

Finally got my hands on some teas from Wuyi origin. Started off with the 2019 LCSX which seems pretty good. Very fruity with just the right amount of roast.
Ended with the 2009 TLH. Nice age flavor along with hints of coco from fading heavy roast. Both of these teas are to my liking and well worth the price.

[Bok]

On the end of a long day feeling old and tired, I am having some old tea. It was a gift from a friend. I do not know anything about it, apart that it is Taiwanese oolong in open leaves, colour of the brew also indicates some age. It has mellowed out, the sharp notes of aged oolong softening up.

Judgement free tea, free of perceived notions in regard to provenance, price or else. Just good tea.

[swordofmytriumph]

The mail woman just dropped off my package of Dayuling from Eson! It is lovely. I was just about to go to bed but I couldn’t resist opening it and having a very small tasting. Gonna regret that when I try to fall asleep in a few min (the joys of graveyard shift, lol). Anyway.

It is delicious. Lovely high citrus notes are just right, not too sharp, not too mellow. They are balanced out by the really thick mouthfeel. It is buttery approaching oily and I love it.

[rdl]

Judgement free tea, free of perceived notions in regard to provenance, price or else. Just good tea.

Maybe a different topic but I have been thinking of simplicity deferred:
From dropping a few leaves in hot water to the best teas are unavailable and the best clays exhausted, the perception of deception; where is simple enjoyment to be found?

[Bok]

Maybe a different topic but I have been thinking of simplicity deferred:
From dropping a few leaves in hot water to the best teas are unavailable and the best clays exhausted, the perception of deception; where is simple enjoyment to be found?

Probably a different topic indeed, yet an interesting one worth pursuing.

One thought in that direction: from my experience it takes a while of dabbling in the opposite to realise what simplicity means. It’s difficult to look for it purposely, I think it’s a process rather than something that can be forced. At least if we’re talking about reducing to the essential, without compromising the essence - which for me still is the taste of the tea.

[Ethan Kurland]

I have been thinking of simplicity deferred:
where is simple enjoyment to be found?

talking about reducing to the essential, without compromising the essence - which for me still is the taste of the tea.

"simplicity deferred" is a challenging phrase. A simple life is what lies ahead for many, as in their last years of life people's ability to do most of what they used to do, is gone; &, the pleasure of doing some of the things they used to do & can still do, is gone. Instead of taking a drive to see New England's beautiful fall foliage, they sit in front of their elderly housing & look at the few trees in view on their street & enjoy a cool breeze.

I'm not there yet but partying days are over for me.

Last night I went to a party hosted by a couple who fancy themselves as gourmets. I think they are more into eating than understanding food but won't call them gluttons. I'll call them gourmands (because I like them). Restaurant staff might say that they are customers who return again & again if you give them a lot of attention & food, obese overeaters who are a bother & a godsend; since they buy the worst new appetizers on the menu as well as soup & entrees & tip very well. Anyway this is the preface for the fact that available was a huge amount of food, much of it very fancy and/or expensive: almost all of it disappointing. There was some very good Swiss cheese.

That Swiss cheese in regards to the discussion, is quality that can be appreciated easily. All that is required of one, is that he able & willing to spend the $ to buy it & when he eats it, he concentrates on it. (I only buy the cheapest Swiss cheese but am thinking about changing that.)

For 5 days I have been enjoying foushoushan. The powerful vegetal flavors of FSS & full-bodied feel (almost like food one can chew, not just a liquid) is not what I prefer; yet, I have been enjoying the many cups that this durable tea provides.

I must not steep this tea > 30 seconds & must wait quite a while between drinking rounds (or bitterness takes over my mouth).

I usually don't buy tea that requires that much of me; &, the price of FSS is too high. So, I will not buy more FSS; nonetheless, it is much simpler to prepare than attempting to prepare a gourmet meal. & it is delicious.