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swordofmytriumph wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 10, 2019 12:19 am

I could try that. Now that I think about it I haven't tried any in years, since I was a new, baby tea drinker. I wasn't impressed at the time (hence not having any since), but my tastes have changed somewhat, and I've learned a lot.

It doesn't really matter to me if it's bug bitten though, any oolong with higher oxidation levels will do.

Then you should also look into Dongding kind of teas, some are highly oxidised yet little roasted. Just recently talked to someone highly regarded in TW tea circles, lamenting that too many nowadays focus on the roast, all the while the important and more laborious part is actually the oxidation stage before that. He said the roast can not save the tea if the previous steps were not well done. The taste profile is very different with this kind of teas.

Prepare for high prices, more oxidations means more work and time on top of an already expensive high mountain tea...

swordofmytriumph wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 10, 2019 12:19 am

Victoria wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 09, 2019 11:59 pm

Are you looking for Oriental Beauty? Still oolong but higher oxidation levels, with a deeper honey fruit spice profile.

I could try that. Now that I think about it I haven't tried any in years, since I was a new, baby tea drinker. I wasn't impressed at the time (hence not having any since), but my tastes have changed somewhat, and I've learned a lot.

It doesn't really matter to me if it's bug bitten though, any oolong with higher oxidation levels will do.

I realize you didn’t want black, but I recommend you try @Ethan Kurland’s excellent complex nuanced Taiwan Championship Black. Maybe he still has some for you to try. Taiwan blacks are really unique.
As far as Oriental Beauty, the best I’ve had was from Te Company; Oriental Beauty Grand. Elena only has it for a few months per year.

Bok wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 10, 2019 12:49 am

swordofmytriumph wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 10, 2019 12:19 am

I could try that. Now that I think about it I haven't tried any in years, since I was a new, baby tea drinker. I wasn't impressed at the time (hence not having any since), but my tastes have changed somewhat, and I've learned a lot.

It doesn't really matter to me if it's bug bitten though, any oolong with higher oxidation levels will do.

Then you should also look into Dongding kind of teas, some are highly oxidised yet little roasted. Just recently talked to someone highly regarded in TW tea circles, lamenting that too many nowadays focus on the roast, all the while the important and more laborious part is actually the oxidation stage before that. He said the roast can not save the tea if the previous steps were not well done. The taste profile is very different with this kind of teas.

Prepare for high prices, more oxidations means more work and time on top of an already expensive high mountain tea...

Thanks, I'll check into that, I haven't drunk a lot of high quality dong ding yet, so it will be a learning experience!

Thanks for the rec @Victoria, I LOVE taiwan blacks they're my favorite black teas (even though it wasn't the flavor profile I was looking for this time lol). I am always on the hunt for new and interesting ones though. @Ethan Kurland, where can I get your tea?

I'm having the fantastic experience experience that, the more tea I drink, the more I realize I have to learn about it!

swordofmytriumph wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 10, 2019 12:19 am

I could try that. Now that I think about it I haven't tried any in years, since I was a new, baby tea drinker. I wasn't impressed at the time (hence not having any since), but my tastes have changed somewhat, and I've learned a lot.

With 15-ish years under my belt I have not been terribly impressed with jassid teas, that is until I got a gift sample of some rather exclusive dongfng meiren. It was mid to low oxidation and had a fragrance that I could only describe as being like an eternal sunset. The price, as I understood it, was prohibitively expensive and I had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting more of it. It was quite unlike an other dongfang meiren I’ve had before or since. It was one of the most sophisticated teas I have ever had, nothing like the yeasty, rather dull dongfang meiren that I usually encounter.

Baisao wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:26 am

nothing like the yeasty, rather dull dongfang meiren that I usually encounter.

I have yet to encounter an Oriental Beauty that I could call sophisticated, I only ever had the sort mentioned above... Not bad, but not terribly interesting in that I would consider to buy some.

Most of the jassid bitten teas in general cause more of a nauseous, rather than pleasurable reaction in me.

@Baisao and @Bok, good to know I'm not the only one. I didn't like the flavor at all, just something about it was so off-putting that as soon as I took a sip, I dumped the tea and tossed the whole bag, just couldn't stomach the idea of drinking more. It was from TTC btw, so while it wasn't top shelf, it wasn't horrible quality either. Either way, the impression was strong enough to keep me from drinking any for the last 7 years.

Though I have to say, I did get some "deep fermented bug bitten Lishan" from Hojo (that's his description) in December that was excellent (that's the stuff I mentioned earlier in the thread that made me want more highly fermented stuff). But those two are all I have to compare for bug bitten teas, so it's not like I know a lot about it.

swordofmytriumph wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 10, 2019 2:04 am

I am always on the hunt for new and interesting ones though. Ethan Kurland, where can I get your tea?

I will send you a PM in at the end of the week. I am traveling right now. Tea for this Winter won't be for sale in general for a couple of weeks. Victoria is right, the black might meet more of what you are looking for than the oolong that is fairly well oxidized. I'll PM after doing a comparison, head to head. cheers

Ethan Kurland wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:33 am

swordofmytriumph wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 10, 2019 2:04 am

I am always on the hunt for new and interesting ones though. Ethan Kurland, where can I get your tea?

I will send you a PM in at the end of the week. I am traveling right now. Tea for this Winter won't be for sale in general for a couple of weeks.

Cool, thanks!

[/quote]
Victoria is right, the black might meet more of what you are looking for than the oolong that is fairly well oxidized.
[/quote]

Though unless your black is very...in the middle (doesn't actually taste like a black tea), it wasn't really what I was looking for when I posted (I was looking for something quite a bit greener than black but still somewhat darker than low oxidized, smack dab in the middle). That said, I really do enjoy black from Taiwan and am always up for trying it.

Bok wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:45 am

Baisao wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:26 am

nothing like the yeasty, rather dull dongfang meiren that I usually encounter.

I have yet to encounter an Oriental Beauty that I could call sophisticated, I only ever had the sort mentioned above... Not bad, but not terribly interesting in that I would consider to buy some.

Most of the jassid bitten teas in general cause more of a nauseous, rather than pleasurable reaction in me.

Ive always been bored with this tea as well. Not that I dont enjoy it now and then, I just have found no variety to the tea. They all taste the same to me.
I would say we have completely derailed from the original post

Baisao wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:26 am

With 15-ish years under my belt I have not been terribly impressed with jassid teas, that is until I got a gift sample of some rather exclusive dongfng meiren. It was mid to low oxidation and had a fragrance that I could only describe as being like an eternal sunset. The price, as I understood it, was prohibitively expensive and I had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting more of it. It was quite unlike an other dongfang meiren I’ve had before or since. It was one of the most sophisticated teas I have ever had, nothing like the yeasty, rather dull dongfang meiren that I usually encounter.

Yes, until one has had a truly great example of a particular tea, it’s better not to bash the whole category. What we don’t know, we don’t know. Anyone curious to try a very good quality 70% oxidized jassid bitten Qingxin da mao cultivar Oriental Beauty, Elena still has some ‘Oriental Beauty Grand’ in stock at Te Company in NYC.

Bret, sorry to further stray from your OP.