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TeaVivre
Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2017 7:52 pm
by ShuShu
TeaVivre Discussion Thread!
https://www.teavivre.com/
Anybody here tried TeaVivre’s high mountains?
They offer spring Ali Shan 100g(3.5 oz) for 23$ I assume it’s not on the highest end but is it ok?
I’m just looking for a new source for daily Alishan, would also be grateful for any leads
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 1:39 pm
by chofmann
I don't have any experience with TeaVivre's high mountains, but how much are you willing to spend on a 'daily' variety?
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 1:50 pm
by Tillerman
ShuShu wrote: ↑Sat Dec 30, 2017 7:52 pm
Anybody here tried TeaVivre’s high mountains?
They offer spring Ali Shan 100g(3.5 oz) for 23$ I assume it’s not on the highest end but is it ok?
I’m just looking for a new source for daily Alishan, would also be grateful for any leads
The price may be attractive but beware - there is a lot of fake "Alishan" in the market.
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:10 pm
by ShuShu
chofmann wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2018 1:39 pm
I don't have any experience with TeaVivre's high mountains, but how much are you willing to spend on a 'daily' variety?
It’s true that “premium” and “daily” are a matter of taste. I would spend about $15/oz for premium Alishan and will hope to pay $10/oz for a daily one...
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:12 pm
by ShuShu
Tillerman wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2018 1:50 pm
The price may be attractive but beware - there is a lot of fake "Alishan" in the market.
This is why I ask the community. I know how to find the premium ones. I don’t know where to find the cheaper yet real ones
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 9:48 pm
by chofmann
ShuShu wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:12 pm
Tillerman wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2018 1:50 pm
The price may be attractive but beware - there is a lot of fake "Alishan" in the market.
This is why I ask the community. I know how to find the premium ones. I don’t know where to find the cheaper yet real ones
The group that I work with is currently sampling a bunch of Taiwanese Oolongs and
might be able to get a ~$10 / ounce Alishan (real, of course). If we do, I'll let you know when we have it in stock.
Some of the others here are certainly more knowledgeable than I am, but in my experience finding real Alishan for any less than $10 / ounce is near impossible in the US.
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 11:50 pm
by Bok
Does it have to be Alishan? Bare in mind that in Taiwan Alishan is also a marketing tool, anythng that bares that name can be sold higher. Teas, that are technically not on Alishan, might be as good or better, but as they do not have the name they sell for less (often, not always). So lesser known areas are less likely to be faked.
Just saying do not give too much about names, taste, sample and you might get lucky!
Personally, I will always take a Lishan or Shanlinxi over Alishan, but that is my preference.
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:40 am
by Elise
Bok wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2018 11:50 pm
Personally, I will always take a Lishan or Shanlinxi over Alishan, but that is my preference.
+1
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:02 am
by ShuShu
Bok wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2018 11:50 pm
Personally, I will always take a Lishan or Shanlinxi over Alishan, but that is my preference.
Thanks Bok.
Well, It doesn’t have to be Alishan. But LiShan is always more expensive and SLX is usually something you only find at specialized vendors whose prices and quality are usually high.
But we can rephrase the Q. Where can I buy daily SLX?
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:27 am
by Bok
ShuShu wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:02 am
Well, It doesn’t have to be Alishan. But LiShan is always more expensive and SLX is usually something you only find at specialized vendors whose prices and quality are usually high.
But we can rephrase the Q. Where can I buy daily SLX?
The issue here is, that all three famous Taiwan mountains are, if they are real high mountain farmed, premium teas. So it will be difficult for someone outside of the country to make it a daily affordable option.
The affordable options in Taiwan are simply called Gaoshan, high mountain, which are usually non-descript teas of unknown origin. But - you can taste the lower altitude, it is not the same. Lower priced Gaoshan is for my taste mostly undrinkable, my go to cheap teas for the office are the more oxidised, roasted or even aged oolongs. The processing masks some of the faults that become unpalatable in the greener ones.
Yes, there is such a thing as cheap aged tea!
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:01 am
by GoldenTea
Price is largely dependent on quantity. You can make Ali Shan a daily drinker if you are willing to buy a kilo or so. Then it would only cost around .18 a gram which is easily affordable for daily drinking. However, why not switch it up with other teas too. I'd get sick of it if that is all I drank. No experience with TeaVivre.
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:22 am
by Ethan Kurland
ShuShu wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:02 am
But we can rephrase the Q. Where can I buy daily SLX?
There's a post in Tea Vendors listing an SLX. I know the vendor............ he's a hell of a nice guy! lol cheers All the best. Snow is really coming down and I just drank some. First time I really did not enjoy it much. I think when it is freezing out a black tea or roasted oolong makes more sense. Good day to drink tea and read one's mail, pay one's bills, etc.
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:37 am
by Tillerman
Elise wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:40 am
Bok wrote: ↑Wed Jan 03, 2018 11:50 pm
Personally, I will always take a Lishan or Shanlinxi over Alishan, but that is my preference.
+1
+2
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:44 am
by Tillerman
Bok wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:27 am
ShuShu wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:02 am
Well, It doesn’t have to be Alishan. But LiShan is always more expensive and SLX is usually something you only find at specialized vendors whose prices and quality are usually high.
But we can rephrase the Q. Where can I buy daily SLX?
The issue here is, that all three famous Taiwan mountains are, if they are real high mountain farmed, premium teas. So it will be difficult for someone outside of the country to make it a daily affordable option.
The affordable options in Taiwan are simply called Gaoshan, high mountain, which are usually non-descript teas of unknown origin. But - you can taste the lower altitude, it is not the same. Lower priced Gaoshan is for my taste mostly undrinkable, my go to cheap teas for the office are the more oxidised, roasted or even aged oolongs. The processing masks some of the faults that become unpalatable in the greener ones.
Yes, there is such a thing as cheap aged tea!
Roasting is not ALWAYS to hide faults etc. It is the older style of production - same with higher oxidation. Teas made in this style can be superb. Nuclear green teas are the newer style (and often delicious as well)
Re: TeaVivre high mountain
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:01 am
by Bok
Tillerman wrote: ↑Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:44 am
Roasting is not ALWAYS to hide faults etc. It is the older style of production - same with higher oxidation. Teas made in this style can be superb. Nuclear green teas are the newer style (and often delicious as well)
Of course not, my point was just that cheap roasted is often more drinkable than cheap green! At least that is my experience.