What Oolong Are You Drinking

Semi-oxidized tea
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OCTO
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Sun Dec 02, 2018 10:35 pm

Bok wrote:
Sun Dec 02, 2018 9:43 pm
Some of the leaves were enormous, almost did not fit the cup. Outwardly dark when dry, though clearly returning to green once brewed.
I had some freshly harvested winter ya shi DanCong recently too.

Cheers!!
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Victoria
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Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:28 pm

Those are beautiful huge leaves @OCTO. Are they also very thick like FuShouShan, going through many steeps?

I had the pleasure of meeting @Tillerman, in vivo, this weekend at the LA Tea Festival where he had a booth. At the moment I’m sipping on his LiShan ‘Zhang Xie and Chen Chung Chia’ from this winter, so just picked and very fresh; it is rich smooth, and buttery, with a long lingering aftertaste, just the way I like it. The wet leaves are a bright emerald green, so green I almost thought I was going to sip on green tea, but the glistening golden liquor is classic high quality LiShan, with a thick vicious and aromatic mouth feel. It’s been a while since I had good LiShan. Thanks Tillerman. Inhaling the empty cup is sublime.
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Bok
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Tue Dec 04, 2018 7:08 pm

Victoria wrote:
Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:28 pm
Those are beautiful huge leaves OCTO. Are they also very thick like FuShouShan, going through many steeps?
Had the same tea and it goes on forever... a lot longer than any high mountain I ever had. Leaves are not especially thick though.
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Victoria
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Tue Dec 04, 2018 7:23 pm

Bok wrote:
Tue Dec 04, 2018 7:08 pm
Victoria wrote:
Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:28 pm
Those are beautiful huge leaves OCTO. Are they also very thick like FuShouShan, going through many steeps?
Had the same tea and it goes on forever... a lot longer than any high mountain I ever had. Leaves are not especially thick though.
Haha, how long Bok? As you might have seen, I steep FuShouShan into the next day at least, those thick big leaves give more and more later on.
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Bok
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Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:12 pm

Victoria wrote:
Tue Dec 04, 2018 7:23 pm
Haha, how long Bok? As you might have seen, I steep FuShouShan into the next day at least, those thick big leaves give more and more later on.
I have stopped counting after 12, but there was more... If I am not wrong, high quality DC is famous for its endurance.

Actually became almost a nuisance, as there was no time for another tea to be brewed in one evening :D
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OCTO
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Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:28 pm

Bok wrote:
Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:12 pm
Victoria wrote:
Tue Dec 04, 2018 7:23 pm
Haha, how long Bok? As you might have seen, I steep FuShouShan into the next day at least, those thick big leaves give more and more later on.
I have stopped counting after 12, but there was more... If I am not wrong, high quality DC is famous for its endurance.

Actually became almost a nuisance, as there was no time for another tea to be brewed in one evening :D
hahahaha..... I didn't bother to count. You'll just need to stay annoyingly patient.

Cheers!!
oolongfan
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Fri Dec 14, 2018 8:14 pm

2016 Bei Dou Yancha from The Mandarin's Tea Room, kindly gifted to me by Tingjunkie.

This is the first tea after a seven year hiatus due to health reasons. What a generous gift, - this tea is in its own stratosphere from its peers. Very refined tannins that give balance to the stone fruits, and honey...some barley notes when brewed strong. After a few infusions, I get delicate orange bloosom & narcissus - especially if I let the tea cool to room temp (hard to do). No rough edges or heavy handedness. Even when accidently brewing on the strong side, this tea remained balanced and lovely.

I have always found The Mandarin's Tea Room teas to be refined and balanced. Something rarely achieved in a tea. It is always a delight to have one of Tim's special teas - what a treat.

I brewed this in the lovely 40 ml high fired Hong Ni Shui Ping that I bought from Tingjunkie....pot #14 on Tinjunkie's pot sale back on Tea Chat. The pot's walls were medium-thin, enough to retain some heat but not cook the leaves. Despite my very rusty not -so-great-to-begin-with skills,.....this pot brewed a mean tea ;)

Thank you Tinjunkie for the generous gift of this tea. What a way to come back - on top with a such a noble tea.
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OCTO
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Fri Dec 14, 2018 9:38 pm

oolongfan wrote:
Fri Dec 14, 2018 8:14 pm
2016 Bei Dou Yancha from The Mandarin's Tea Room, kindly gifted to me by Tingjunkie.

This is the first tea after a seven year hiatus due to health reasons. What a generous gift, - this tea is in its own stratosphere from its peers. Very refined tannins that give balance to the stone fruits, and honey...some barley notes when brewed strong. After a few infusions, I get delicate orange bloosom & narcissus - especially if I let the tea cool to room temp (hard to do). No rough edges or heavy handedness. Even when accidently brewing on the strong side, this tea remained balanced and lovely.

I have always found The Mandarin's Tea Room teas to be refined and balanced. Something rarely achieved in a tea. It is always a delight to have one of Tim's special teas - what a treat.

I brewed this in the lovely 40 ml high fired Hong Ni Shui Ping that I bought from Tingjunkie....pot #14 on Tinjunkie's pot sale back on Tea Chat. The pot's walls were medium-thin, enough to retain some heat but not cook the leaves. Despite my very rusty not -so-great-to-begin-with skills,.....this pot brewed a mean tea ;)

Thank you Tinjunkie for the generous gift of this tea. What a way to come back - on top with a such a noble tea.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
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Bok
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Sat Dec 15, 2018 9:22 pm

Challenging common wisdom: not at home, so I use a 80s Zini bamboo teapot for Lishan.

It takes away a tad of the high notes, but not much and it can easily compensated by brewing it stronger. Matching clay is important and fun, yet the difference it makes can sometimes ever be so subtle that it doesn’t really matter.

Here in Taiwan these kind of veggie pots are popular among some, mostly Zini clay and I had always wondered why so many use them, given that green high mountain tea is what many drink. Seems a lot do really not pay attention to these subtle differences or do not care. Or the pots have been used for so long that won’t matter either as they have been seasoned to the max.
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oolongfan
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Sun Dec 16, 2018 9:44 pm

Beautiful pot Bok, I especially love the handle. I have never seen 'vegetable pots' shaped like this. Most bamboo pots that Ihave seen (in my short tea journey) have had a round shape.

I enjoy reading posts like yours...a reminder that sometimes it is good when we don't have the 'right pot' for the tea at hand. It forces us to try unconventional tea and pot pairings - some more harmonious than expected.

I have a 40 ml Hong Ni Shui Ping that brewed a fabelous Tikwan Yin Select Grade. I received the pot and tea around the same time, so I just decided to try the pairing - and it was fabelous. It probably helped that both the teapot and tea were from the Mandarin's Tea Room ;)
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Bok
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Sun Dec 16, 2018 10:08 pm

oolongfan wrote:
Sun Dec 16, 2018 9:44 pm
Beautiful pot Bok, I especially love the handle. I have never seen 'vegetable pots' shaped like this. Most bamboo pots that Ihave seen (in my short tea journey) have had a round shape.

I enjoy reading posts like yours...a reminder that sometimes it is good when we don't have the 'right pot' for the tea at hand. It forces us to try unconventional tea and pot pairings - some more harmonious than expected.
It is one of the classic Factory 1 shapes, bamboo pots are mostly drum shaped, same as the bamboo itself is!

But you are right other flowery pots are often round-ish. My father in laws has a few more of those, all too big that I’ll ever use them...

In regards to trying the unconventional, another important thing is not too give up to quick on a teapot. Some need a long time of use before they show full potential, especially vintage or antique pots which have not been used for a while.
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OCTO
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Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:05 am

Bok wrote:
Sun Dec 16, 2018 10:08 pm

But you are right other flowery pots are often round-ish. My father in laws has a few more of those, all too big that I’ll ever use them...
Give those big babies a try! You’ll never know one day you might fall in love with a big one!! 👹👹
Bok wrote:
Sun Dec 16, 2018 10:08 pm
In regards to trying the unconventional, another important thing is not too give up to quick on a teapot. Some need a long time of use before they show full potential, especially vintage or antique pots which have not been used for a while.
Yup. Absolutely agree with @Bok ! Don’t give up too soon. I once had a pot which was as hungry as a dry sponge!! Took me almost a year of constant use before it finally was satisfied and started brewing a cup of awesome tea!!

Cheers!!
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Bok
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Mon Dec 17, 2018 1:51 am

OCTO wrote:
Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:05 am
Give those big babies a try! You’ll never know one day you might fall in love with a big one!! 👹👹
It might happen, I keep an open mind. Although this one was already a bit too large for me, haha
My issue with these kind of pots in general is that they are too flowery for me :mrgreen:
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OCTO
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Mon Dec 17, 2018 2:27 am

Bok wrote:
Mon Dec 17, 2018 1:51 am
OCTO wrote:
Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:05 am
Give those big babies a try! You’ll never know one day you might fall in love with a big one!! 👹👹
It might happen, I keep an open mind. Although this one was already a bit too large for me, haha
My issue with these kind of pots in general is that they are too flowery for me :mrgreen:
@Bok

Perfect shape orientation and size... this is approximately 450cc.
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The flat orientation allows oolong leaves to unfold fully! Can consider... 👹👹

Cheers!!
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Victoria
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Mon Dec 17, 2018 10:20 am

OCTO wrote:
Mon Dec 17, 2018 2:27 am
Perfect shape orientation and size... this is approximately 450cc.

The flat orientation allows oolong leaves to unfold fully! Can consider... 👹👹

Cheers!!
Beautiful pot OCTO. I agree with Bok regarding excessively decorated pots being an eye sore, this one is perfectly proportioned and elegant. Ideal for FuShouShan large leaves to unravel in.
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