As mentioned and requested in another thread I am going to (slowly) review Riyang Teayard http://www.riyang-teayard.com/
It is a brand new vendor launched only a few months ago.
Background: The company is the third generation of a teafarm from Lishan, Taiwan. Until now they were selling tea like most farmers in Taiwan, B to B. The new generation now intends to skip the intermediaries and sell directly to the customer. It is not often that you find three generation old tea farms in Taiwan, taking into account that high mountain tea is comparatively young. The previous older N.1 being Dong Ding Oolong.
They started their range with 7 selected teas, representative of Taiwans most famous teas:
High mountain: Dayuling, Lishan, Shanlinxi, Alishan
Dong Ding style oolong: Lishan
Black tea: High mountain Lishan Black
Oriental beauty
Only famous tea missing is Baozhong.
All the Lishan teas are from their own farm, the others from befriended farmers.
Vendor review: Riyang Teayard
I am going to post more details about most of their teas in bits as I find time for it!
Disclosure: The design and packaging is done by my studio, but I have no affiliation or other benefit from writing this review!
Speaking of, I have always stated that I am careful when finding tea in a too nice looking packaging, often those are cheats. Not in this case, the teas are good and the company went to great lenghts to achieve a very good quality packaging, almost Japanese in the extent… Japan seems also to be one of the customer focus, site is in Chinese, Japanese and English.
Price-wise I let others decide, living in Taiwan, I do not need to buy from Western facing sellers and can not compare. But there is probably a tad premium to pay for the packagings. Most are custom-made and thus can not rely on prefabricated formats. Before they just used the same standard packs you find in all shops over Taiwan.
They offer their tea in simple packs, or with a canister, in sample sachet boxes or teabag boxes. The teabags are proper full leaf bags, so no teadust! Convenient for lazy or reluctant tea people. Only the more robust teas, like Black and roasted are available in this format.
Disclosure: The design and packaging is done by my studio, but I have no affiliation or other benefit from writing this review!
Speaking of, I have always stated that I am careful when finding tea in a too nice looking packaging, often those are cheats. Not in this case, the teas are good and the company went to great lenghts to achieve a very good quality packaging, almost Japanese in the extent… Japan seems also to be one of the customer focus, site is in Chinese, Japanese and English.
Price-wise I let others decide, living in Taiwan, I do not need to buy from Western facing sellers and can not compare. But there is probably a tad premium to pay for the packagings. Most are custom-made and thus can not rely on prefabricated formats. Before they just used the same standard packs you find in all shops over Taiwan.
They offer their tea in simple packs, or with a canister, in sample sachet boxes or teabag boxes. The teabags are proper full leaf bags, so no teadust! Convenient for lazy or reluctant tea people. Only the more robust teas, like Black and roasted are available in this format.
Speaking of let’s start with the first tea: Lishan Black
This is as opposed to the more common N.18, a high mountain black tea! Once you had it, it is easy to identify – and crave for. Honey flavours, combined with high mountain characteristics like longevity(brewing wise) and forgivingness when overbrewed. These teas do not turn bitter easily, almost never. Same as the N.18 it is quite distinct from any other kind of black tea I have ever tasted.
They can be brewed casually or with attention, it takes skill to brew them badly
Riyang’s version of this tea is a typical representative. Sweet, long lasting, full of changing flavours, yet smooth and forgiving. Open, unrolled leaves, though the rolled version is also common for high mountain blacks.
There are some teribble version of high mountain blacks around, which give you kind of a weird feeling and leave an uncomfortable sensation, this is not one of them.
For pictures I just refer to their website, there are some on the products as well as Our Teas page.
This is as opposed to the more common N.18, a high mountain black tea! Once you had it, it is easy to identify – and crave for. Honey flavours, combined with high mountain characteristics like longevity(brewing wise) and forgivingness when overbrewed. These teas do not turn bitter easily, almost never. Same as the N.18 it is quite distinct from any other kind of black tea I have ever tasted.
They can be brewed casually or with attention, it takes skill to brew them badly
Riyang’s version of this tea is a typical representative. Sweet, long lasting, full of changing flavours, yet smooth and forgiving. Open, unrolled leaves, though the rolled version is also common for high mountain blacks.
There are some teribble version of high mountain blacks around, which give you kind of a weird feeling and leave an uncomfortable sensation, this is not one of them.
For pictures I just refer to their website, there are some on the products as well as Our Teas page.
Next one and last for today: Lishan Roasted Oolong
I would call this a Dong Ding style tea, but made with high mountain Lishan leaves. So this tea has more power and aftertaste to it then a classical, lower elevation DD would. It is charcoal roasted and similar to the black tea, it is forgiving to brew and has good endurance.
A better version of a Dong Ding style tea. Not as traditional or original as HY Chens teas, but in its own right a very nice roasted tea. Also does not have what I like to call “dirty-ruggedness” some of the lower quality roasted teas often have. A solid tea.
I would call this a Dong Ding style tea, but made with high mountain Lishan leaves. So this tea has more power and aftertaste to it then a classical, lower elevation DD would. It is charcoal roasted and similar to the black tea, it is forgiving to brew and has good endurance.
A better version of a Dong Ding style tea. Not as traditional or original as HY Chens teas, but in its own right a very nice roasted tea. Also does not have what I like to call “dirty-ruggedness” some of the lower quality roasted teas often have. A solid tea.
thanks for this information! also, the site design and packaging looks very nice, good job.
You are welcome!
Found more time, so here comes the next one:
Lishan Oolong
Again, a solid and true representative of its class. Clean and fresh taste, no impurities and a good aftertaste. They have a lot more different harvests of Lishan each season, so the taste may differ a bit with the seasons. I had the chance to sample a few of the recent harvest, all excellent and interestingly with very different profiles! Consistent quality, the last years harvest was about the same standard.
Note, the rolled leaves have very little stem attached, a more time consuming process and sign of quality.
Keeps going for at least 6 good rounds, after which I usually stop, before it waters down. I prefer a stronger brew.
Found more time, so here comes the next one:
Lishan Oolong
Again, a solid and true representative of its class. Clean and fresh taste, no impurities and a good aftertaste. They have a lot more different harvests of Lishan each season, so the taste may differ a bit with the seasons. I had the chance to sample a few of the recent harvest, all excellent and interestingly with very different profiles! Consistent quality, the last years harvest was about the same standard.
Note, the rolled leaves have very little stem attached, a more time consuming process and sign of quality.
Keeps going for at least 6 good rounds, after which I usually stop, before it waters down. I prefer a stronger brew.
Oriental beauty
I mentioned this on other threads: this tea really reminds of Darjeeling. Floral, honey flavours, the distinct bug-bitten taste lingering in the background. This tea benefits from resting out of the pack in a non-airtight jar for a couple of days, or even weeks. Also nice for cold-brews. I am not a big drinker of these kind of teas, but it makes for a nice break from time to time.
That is the list so far, I have the Alishan and Shanlinxi, but not gotten around to try them.
Hope this review helps some of you!
BTW there is some background info on tea farming, history, brewing etc. on their website, might be of interest for some...
I mentioned this on other threads: this tea really reminds of Darjeeling. Floral, honey flavours, the distinct bug-bitten taste lingering in the background. This tea benefits from resting out of the pack in a non-airtight jar for a couple of days, or even weeks. Also nice for cold-brews. I am not a big drinker of these kind of teas, but it makes for a nice break from time to time.
That is the list so far, I have the Alishan and Shanlinxi, but not gotten around to try them.
Hope this review helps some of you!
BTW there is some background info on tea farming, history, brewing etc. on their website, might be of interest for some...
I'm a sucker for good packaging and I love the design of their packaging and site. That said, it's only worth it if the tea is good, too. Glad to hear it sounds like they are backing up the looks with quality tea. Will have to try some for myself sometime.
Though I already own too much tea and not enough money already
Though I already own too much tea and not enough money already
The pricing for the teas seems quite expensive - especially as you must add the cost of shipping from Taiwan to the total.Bok wrote: ↑Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:17 pmI am going to post more details about most of their teas in bits as I find time for it!
Disclosure: The design and packaging is done by my studio, but I have no affiliation or other benefit from writing this review!
Speaking of, I have always stated that I am careful when finding tea in a too nice looking packaging, often those are cheats. Not in this case, the teas are good and the company went to great lenghts to achieve a very good quality packaging, almost Japanese in the extent… Japan seems also to be one of the customer focus, site is in Chinese, Japanese and English.
Price-wise I let others decide, living in Taiwan, I do not need to buy from Western facing sellers and can not compare. But there is probably a tad premium to pay for the packagings. Most are custom-made and thus can not rely on prefabricated formats. Before they just used the same standard packs you find in all shops over Taiwan.
They offer their tea in simple packs, or with a canister, in sample sachet boxes or teabag boxes. The teabags are proper full leaf bags, so no teadust! Convenient for lazy or reluctant tea people. Only the more robust teas, like Black and roasted are available in this format.
Well, as I mentioned, I never had to buy from a Western facing shop for Taiwanese tea so I have no comparison.
In Taiwan those prices would not work, at the limit maybe in some high end shops in Taipei…
All I can say is that you pay of course as well for the packaging and design, which in this case is rather elaborate.
I'm curious why you think the price is too expensive? I know nothing of the quality, but I assume it is supposed to be a very high quality. The Alishan is ~$36 USD for 100grams, which seems fairly average for this sort of tea (~$10 / ounce). In fact, TeaDB has the average price of Alishan at ~$11 / ounce.... and I assume that Riyang Teayard's tea is of an above average quality (but, again, I have no idea).Tillerman wrote: ↑Sun Dec 17, 2017 6:57 pmThe pricing for the teas seems quite expensive - especially as you must add the cost of shipping from Taiwan to the total.Bok wrote: ↑Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:17 pmI am going to post more details about most of their teas in bits as I find time for it!
Disclosure: The design and packaging is done by my studio, but I have no affiliation or other benefit from writing this review!
Speaking of, I have always stated that I am careful when finding tea in a too nice looking packaging, often those are cheats. Not in this case, the teas are good and the company went to great lenghts to achieve a very good quality packaging, almost Japanese in the extent… Japan seems also to be one of the customer focus, site is in Chinese, Japanese and English.
Price-wise I let others decide, living in Taiwan, I do not need to buy from Western facing sellers and can not compare. But there is probably a tad premium to pay for the packagings. Most are custom-made and thus can not rely on prefabricated formats. Before they just used the same standard packs you find in all shops over Taiwan.
They offer their tea in simple packs, or with a canister, in sample sachet boxes or teabag boxes. The teabags are proper full leaf bags, so no teadust! Convenient for lazy or reluctant tea people. Only the more robust teas, like Black and roasted are available in this format.
I too do not know the quality of these teas and very much depends upon that. Nonetheless, I didn't say "too" expensive, I said "quite" expensive meaning that in my experience these prices tend toward the upper end things given that shipping from Taiwan is extra (and especially based upon prevailing "wholesale" prices from the farm.) Retail margins of 80% and more are excessive; more of the consumer dollar ought to be directed to the growers, producers and farm and factory workers (though more on that in an upcoming Jan. 1 blog; and, in this case, the high margin is, at least partially, going to the grower and in Taiwan the "workers" tend to be family members.) Also the prices are quite a bit higher (>10%) than, say, Taiwan Tea Crafts, a first rate producer who also is a family business based in Taiwan.chofmann wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 9:56 amI'm curious why you think the price is too expensive? I know nothing of the quality, but I assume it is supposed to be a very high quality. The Alishan is ~$36 USD for 100grams, which seems fairly average for this sort of tea (~$10 / ounce). In fact, TeaDB has the average price of Alishan at ~$11 / ounce.... and I assume that Riyang Teayard's tea is of an above average quality (but, again, I have no idea).Tillerman wrote: ↑Sun Dec 17, 2017 6:57 pmThe pricing for the teas seems quite expensive - especially as you must add the cost of shipping from Taiwan to the total.Bok wrote: ↑Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:17 pmI am going to post more details about most of their teas in bits as I find time for it!
Disclosure: The design and packaging is done by my studio, but I have no affiliation or other benefit from writing this review!
Speaking of, I have always stated that I am careful when finding tea in a too nice looking packaging, often those are cheats. Not in this case, the teas are good and the company went to great lenghts to achieve a very good quality packaging, almost Japanese in the extent… Japan seems also to be one of the customer focus, site is in Chinese, Japanese and English.
Price-wise I let others decide, living in Taiwan, I do not need to buy from Western facing sellers and can not compare. But there is probably a tad premium to pay for the packagings. Most are custom-made and thus can not rely on prefabricated formats. Before they just used the same standard packs you find in all shops over Taiwan.
They offer their tea in simple packs, or with a canister, in sample sachet boxes or teabag boxes. The teabags are proper full leaf bags, so no teadust! Convenient for lazy or reluctant tea people. Only the more robust teas, like Black and roasted are available in this format.
Yes, in this case there is no middle man and the margin is directly going into the farm.Tillerman wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:01 pmI too do not know the quality of these teas and very much depends upon that. Nonetheless, I didn't say "too" expensive, I said "quite" expensive meaning that in my experience these prices tend toward the upper end things given that shipping from Taiwan is extra (and especially based upon prevailing "wholesale" prices from the farm.) Retail margins of 80% and more are excessive; more of the consumer dollar ought to be directed to the growers, producers and farm and factory workers (though more on that in an upcoming Jan. 1 blog; and, in this case, the high margin is, at least partially, going to the grower and in Taiwan the "workers" tend to be family members.) Also the prices are quite a bit higher (>10%) than, say, Taiwan Tea Crafts, a first rate producer who also is a family business based in Taiwan.
I was under the impression that at least the leaf harvesters are nowadays often from Vietnam or the aboriginal minority in Taiwan. Picking tea leaves is hard work and I heard the farmers have increasing problems to get workers.
Another issue, which Kyarazen pointed me to is, that if you sell Tea in Taiwan to Taiwanese, it is almost impossible to raise prices to reflect inflation, and changes in weather pattern etc. Tw customer expect more or less the same price range each season, tolareance for price increase is pretty low. Anything related to food is pretty cheap in Taiwan. Which is not a big problem yet, but turns off quite a few of the next generation to take over the family business. It is so much more profitable for them to just plant betelnut or other crops which demand less work and generate an easier and often higher revenue.
You are correct, a great deal of the picking labor does come from Viet Nam and it is not particularly well paid - though better than in many other producing regions. Taiwan does have a significant foreign migrant labor "problem."Bok wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 7:00 pmYes, in this case there is no middle man and the margin is directly going into the farm.Tillerman wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 12:01 pmI too do not know the quality of these teas and very much depends upon that. Nonetheless, I didn't say "too" expensive, I said "quite" expensive meaning that in my experience these prices tend toward the upper end things given that shipping from Taiwan is extra (and especially based upon prevailing "wholesale" prices from the farm.) Retail margins of 80% and more are excessive; more of the consumer dollar ought to be directed to the growers, producers and farm and factory workers (though more on that in an upcoming Jan. 1 blog; and, in this case, the high margin is, at least partially, going to the grower and in Taiwan the "workers" tend to be family members.) Also the prices are quite a bit higher (>10%) than, say, Taiwan Tea Crafts, a first rate producer who also is a family business based in Taiwan.
I was under the impression that at least the leaf harvesters are nowadays often from Vietnam or the aboriginal minority in Taiwan. Picking tea leaves is hard work and I heard the farmers have increasing problems to get workers.
Another issue, which Kyarazen pointed me to is, that if you sell Tea in Taiwan to Taiwanese, it is almost impossible to raise prices to reflect inflation, and changes in weather pattern etc. Tw customer expect more or less the same price range each season, tolareance for price increase is pretty low. Anything related to food is pretty cheap in Taiwan. Which is not a big problem yet, but turns off quite a few of the next generation to take over the family business. It is so much more profitable for them to just plant betelnut or other crops which demand less work and generate an easier and often higher revenue.
And yes, labor shortages is an growing problem and one of the big reasons more and more growers are shifting to machine harvesting - even some of the best in top areas like Pingling. But it is not just that the young are "turned off" about taking over the family business, in very many cases the families are not letting the next generation take over - the young are being "forced out" to find more lucrative futures.
As to price, I do not follow the Taiwanese domestic market especially closely (except insofar as it impacts the export business) but my understanding is that customer X will "insist" that they continue to pay a given NT price but that quality will be adjusted or the tea will be blended with non-Taiwanese tea as a result. This, I have been told, is a major driver behind the counterfeit business.
Food items are pretty cheap in Taiwan but this does not extend to high demand (not necessarily the best, however) teas which are not cheap at all and often completely sold out on a subscription basis - e.g. try to get some Fushoushan from the source. In order to obtain high quality teas that are in high demand (if they are even available) one must pay "the going price" whether it is tea for resale or not.