Wenshan Bao Zhong (part 2)

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Tillerman
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Fri Jun 01, 2018 7:56 am

This month there's no horsing around from The Ultracrepidarian's Corner as we complete our look at Wenshan Bao Zhong. https://tillermantea.net/2018/06/wensh ... ng-part-2/
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Baisao
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Fri Jun 01, 2018 10:10 pm

I’ve often wondered what the more oxidized baozhong (a la Wang Shui-Qing) was like and if anyone bothers to produce it. I think it may be lost to history. Perhaps it was close to pengfeng.

In the mid-2000s I acquired some baozhong from the 60s. It’s positively wretched. The lightly oxidized baozhong ages terribly. If only it had been the other baozhong.
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Sat Jun 02, 2018 4:40 am

Reading your article makes me think if the special offer of aged baozhong on Teachat a few years ago by Tony of Origin Tea.
If i remember well, most of those teas were well-roasted, perhaps reroasted several times during their aging. They were nothing like the modern green style, but more resembling yancha. I still have a little bit in stash, should revisit them.
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tealifehk
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Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:59 am

I roast and reroast my own stash of baozhong: been doing that for the last three or four years now! I had green baozhong die on me and after roasting, it was excellent! I recently reroasted some aged (and roasted) baozhong that the humidity got into. I wonder how it's doing...I put it away to rest and haven't tried it since!
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Baisao
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Wed Jun 06, 2018 2:47 pm

tealifehk wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:59 am
I roast and reroast my own stash of baozhong: been doing that for the last three or four years now! I had green baozhong die on me and after roasting, it was excellent! I recently reroasted some aged (and roasted) baozhong that the humidity got into. I wonder how it's doing...I put it away to rest and haven't tried it since!
Can you elaborate on how you roast your baozhong? I have been hesitant to roast without some advice.

I have a small clay Korean vessel that is used for roasting but have yet to try it. It might hold 15 grams of baozhong at a time.
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Thu Jun 07, 2018 2:10 am

I vaguely remember some aged Baozhongs on the menu of Wistaria teahouse. Those must be roasted as well. Not sure how close that would come to the original flavour.

Tried a few of their aged teas, which were not too impressive.
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Victoria
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Thu Jun 07, 2018 1:05 pm

Enjoyed reading both your articles. Thanks. I happen to have an excellent roasted, heavily oxidized 1980’s Baozhong. It is a gift from a special LA Club member. At one of our tastings @av360logic described its flavor profile as; currant/sultana, transforming into a rock-sugar/mineral sweetness.

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D80C4441-9CDB-4C35-B565-B0E215F301A6.jpeg (216.99 KiB) Viewed 7777 times
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Bok
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Thu Jun 07, 2018 7:17 pm

Victoria wrote:
Thu Jun 07, 2018 1:05 pm
Enjoyed reading both your articles. Thanks. I happen to have an excellent roasted, heavily oxidized 1980’s Baozhong. It is a gift from a special LA Club member. At one of our tastings Av360logic described its flavor profile as; currant/sultana, transforming into a rock-sugar/mineral sweetness.


D80C4441-9CDB-4C35-B565-B0E215F301A6.jpeg
6851629D-5082-4C38-AF4E-58E589BCD873.jpeg
Looks delicious!
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tealifehk
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Fri Jun 08, 2018 3:00 am

Baisao wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 2:47 pm
tealifehk wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:59 am
I roast and reroast my own stash of baozhong: been doing that for the last three or four years now! I had green baozhong die on me and after roasting, it was excellent! I recently reroasted some aged (and roasted) baozhong that the humidity got into. I wonder how it's doing...I put it away to rest and haven't tried it since!
Can you elaborate on how you roast your baozhong? I have been hesitant to roast without some advice.

I have a small clay Korean vessel that is used for roasting but have yet to try it. It might hold 15 grams of baozhong at a time.
First roast: 100 C / 212 F. One hour, move leaves around, another hour.

The stuff that was already roasted in Taiwan (and aged) got bumped up to 120 C.
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Baisao
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Fri Jun 08, 2018 8:18 pm

tealifehk wrote:
Fri Jun 08, 2018 3:00 am
Baisao wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 2:47 pm
tealifehk wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:59 am
I roast and reroast my own stash of baozhong: been doing that for the last three or four years now! I had green baozhong die on me and after roasting, it was excellent! I recently reroasted some aged (and roasted) baozhong that the humidity got into. I wonder how it's doing...I put it away to rest and haven't tried it since!
Can you elaborate on how you roast your baozhong? I have been hesitant to roast without some advice.

I have a small clay Korean vessel that is used for roasting but have yet to try it. It might hold 15 grams of baozhong at a time.
First roast: 100 C / 212 F. One hour, move leaves around, another hour.

The stuff that was already roasted in Taiwan (and aged) got bumped up to 120 C.
Thank you! I’ll give that a try.
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tealifehk
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Fri Jun 08, 2018 11:14 pm

Baisao wrote:
Fri Jun 08, 2018 8:18 pm
tealifehk wrote:
Fri Jun 08, 2018 3:00 am
Baisao wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 2:47 pm


Can you elaborate on how you roast your baozhong? I have been hesitant to roast without some advice.

I have a small clay Korean vessel that is used for roasting but have yet to try it. It might hold 15 grams of baozhong at a time.
First roast: 100 C / 212 F. One hour, move leaves around, another hour.

The stuff that was already roasted in Taiwan (and aged) got bumped up to 120 C.
Thank you! I’ll give that a try.
Definitely worth a shot! I might try the aged stuff today as it has rested for several months now.
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Bok
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Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:45 pm

Baisao wrote:
Fri Jun 01, 2018 10:10 pm
I’ve often wondered what the more oxidized baozhong (a la Wang Shui-Qing) was like and if anyone bothers to produce it. I think it may be lost to history. Perhaps it was close to pengfeng.

In the mid-2000s I acquired some baozhong from the 60s. It’s positively wretched. The lightly oxidized baozhong ages terribly. If only it had been the other baozhong.
Just saw that Stephane from Teamasters seems to have found one, it is mentioned in his latest blog post. So it does still exist... need to go hunt one down on my own then :mrgreen:
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Victoria
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Fri Sep 28, 2018 10:34 am

Bok wrote:
Thu Sep 27, 2018 9:45 pm
Baisao wrote:
Fri Jun 01, 2018 10:10 pm
I’ve often wondered what the more oxidized baozhong (a la Wang Shui-Qing) was like and if anyone bothers to produce it. I think it may be lost to history. Perhaps it was close to pengfeng.

In the mid-2000s I acquired some baozhong from the 60s. It’s positively wretched. The lightly oxidized baozhong ages terribly. If only it had been the other baozhong.
Just saw that Stephane from Teamasters seems to have found one, it is mentioned in his latest blog post. So it does still exist... need to go hunt one down on my own then :mrgreen:
Do you mean the Teamaster’s lightly oxidized 2016 Spring Roasted Baozhong from Pinglin, Wenshan area? Not much in terms of aged BZ, his only go back to 2014. Interesting selection though.
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Bok
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Fri Sep 28, 2018 8:00 pm

Lightly oxidised but also medium roast. So at least a far stretch from the usual green Baozhong. This tea should still be ok to age, especially as teamasters normal has better quality base material.
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Bok
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Sat Jan 26, 2019 8:30 am

So I just had my first roasted baozhong, aged 40 years. Not bad from what I can tell, although I am sure I would have enjoyed it more if I could have brewed it myself...

Kind of difficult to describe the flavours though, no comparable thing comes to mind. Wish I could afford to buy some to investigate...
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