What Black Are You Drinking

[swordofmytriumph]

I remember having that tea last year in their black tea sampler, so I've poked around for my notes Don't remember it being too creamy. I've definitely found sweetness both in aroma and taste, almost honey-like, but with more clean/rocky note, so rock sugar? Tartness got classified as cherry, it's a note I've found in most taiwanese blacks I had from TTC. From what recall it was most prominent in Red Jade cultivar. Definitely something that took some time for me to like, although this wild tea was the best one from the sampler.

Thanks! Maybe it would be better to describe it as smooth rather than creamy. Still learning this tasting thing. And hey! I got some things right! It was cherries! yeah, rocky would be a good way to put it, but it’s underlying.

Did you get the black tea sampler too? That’s how I discovered this tea. And yes, this was by far the best of the sampler. Enough so that I promptly ordered more.

[Lemir]

Yeah, my order was basically a bunch of different samplers and some baozhong. Seems like the sampler didn't change either, so we can compare notes for the rest too I guess this will be at least partially in the spirit of this thread ^^
For the Golden Dragon Black Pearls I actually didn't write down any notes, but I distinctly remember describing it as a "slightly better and cheaper" alternative to Hatvala's Red Buffalo Oolong. Not much going on, hints of fruit during the first steep, but generally a very solid, sweet honey base. Crowd pleaser if you have guests and want to brew them something.
Both Sun Moon Lake Assamica and Sun Moon Lake Red Jade had similar notes as the Yuchi Wild (cherries), but Assamica was sweeter, and Red Jade more tart. I also noted that aftertaste of Red Jade reminded me of that base note you can often find in chinese hongcha (if that makes sense ). Both teas ran for about 8-9 steeps, although sadly I don't remember if they held up well throughout the whole session.

[swordofmytriumph]

I can’t recall. The golden dragon one, I don’t think it was in my sampler? But the assamica and the red jade were, and yeah, IIRC you’re pretty spot on with that, and I remembe the steepings holding up fairly average, not great, not terrible. I liked the Yuchi wild mountain best because it was just so much more complex, and each steeping was a little different. Also I really liked the bread crust flavor that was so strong in it. That flavor a lot of Taiwan black tea has as a really faint note was strong enough to knock me over in this tea.

[Victoria]

Taking a break this afternoon to properly focus on and enjoy Ethan's Championship Black from Taiwan. It is excellent, thick aroma and flavor profile of sweet honey, muscat, and spices/fruit? The liquor has a nice viscosity that I also enjoy in Taiwan oolong. The aroma and flavor are complex and rich, but I'm finding it difficult to fully describe other than it is a really good black tea. I finally found these steeping parameters to be perfect; 6.6gr/150ml/196f/1:35min, in 150ml porcelain Kiyomizu-ware Kokuho made houhin.

Would like to know more about the origin, cultivar, and processing of this black, maybe @Ethan Kurland can share a few details with us. And thank you Ethan for sharing this tea.

[Ethan Kurland]

Taking a break this afternoon to properly focus on and enjoy Ethan's Championship Black from Taiwan. It is excellent, thick aroma and flavor profile of sweet honey, muscat, and spices/fruit? The liquor has a nice viscosity that I also enjoy in Taiwan oolong. The aroma and flavor are complex and rich, but I'm finding it difficult to fully describe other than it is a really good black tea. I finally found these steeping parameters to be perfect; 6.6gr/150ml/196f/1:35min, in 150ml porcelain Kiyomizu-ware Kokuho made houhin.

Would like to know more about the origin, cultivar, and processing of this black, maybe Ethan Kurland can share a few details with us. And thank you Ethan for sharing this tea.

Leaves are from Lishan about 2000m up, bug-bitten by different insect than what bites Oriental Beauty--so I have been told. I wonder about that and whether it makes a difference since what leaves do to heal from a bite is what matters. Pesticide-free and lately organic but not certifiably, since bordering plots of land using chemicals and chemicals have been used on the land where the tea grew. I don't have information on processing and the cultivar is not dong fang meiren (I asked specifically when being told about bugs biting....) but I don't keep track of cultivars.
Victoria, you describe the tea better than I can. As usual, I use less leaves than most people, but will go with your parameters next time. I believe you are right to focus on this, when one drinks it. If I am going to be casual, one grade down serves me well.

[.m.]

Sun Moon Lake Assam from Klasek tea (Darjeeling.cz): This tea is seriously good. I wish I had another bag. Highly recommended if you're making an order there.

[Victoria]

Sun Moon Lake Assam from Klasek tea (Darjeeling.cz): This tea is seriously good. I wish I had another bag. Highly recommended if you're making an order there.

I’ve on occasion thought of ordering from them. How was shipping?

[.m.]

Sun Moon Lake Assam from Klasek tea (Darjeeling.cz): This tea is seriously good. I wish I had another bag. Highly recommended if you're making an order there.

I’ve on occasion thought of ordering from them. How was shipping?

I've been in Prague on christmas and had the chance to visit his store in person. A lot of nice teaware, I must say. Especially some pieces by Jiri Duchek, his "hakeme" and crakled glaze "ray" pieces have very nice sort of "korean" feeling to them, like this one
http://www.darjeeling.cz/en/creative-wo ... ms-jd-1639
or these
http://www.darjeeling.cz/en/creative-wo ... me-jd-1635
I think we should hear more about his work.
And some of the teapots by Jan Pavek are splendid too, as well as some pieces by Petr Novak and Mirka Randova obviously. Sorry to go off topic.

[Victoria]

That Sun Moon Lake Assam you had sounds so good, and I agree the ceramic artist they carry are high quality items.

[Rui]

2016 Mengsong black tea from White2Tea's club.

[Sarah]

Currently drinking the Singbulli Estate Darjeeling from Yatra Tea. I ordered the sampler a few days ago and this is the first one I've tried. So far I'm happy with it!

[YatraTeaCo]

Currently drinking the Singbulli Estate Darjeeling from Yatra Tea. I ordered the sampler a few days ago and this is the first one I've tried. So far I'm happy with it!

Cool! Have you tried the Puttabong yet? That turned out to be a favorite of mine from what I sourced in 2018.

Oh one piece of advice for the two Castleton teas - I'd let them steep a little longer, especially the white. Its particularly mild, but has some lovely floral notes to it. I've been letting it steep for 4 minutes.

Hope you enjoy the teas!

[YatraTeaCo]

I've been drinking a lot of lightly oxidized black teas from the catalog I carry. A couple of Darjeelings, a Nepali black tea. Every now and then I'll throw in a robust Assam into the mix if I am eating a heart breakfast, but otherwise its the lighter floral black teas for me!

[Bok]

I've been drinking a lot of lightly oxidized black teas

Aren't all black teas fully oxidised by definition?

[YatraTeaCo]

I've been drinking a lot of lightly oxidized black teas

Aren't all black teas fully oxidised by definition?

Technically, yes. But consider Darjeeling First Flush teas. They continue to be categorized and sold as black teas, even thought they are processed in a manner similar to oolongs. While I can't change the way the Tea Board of India officially categorizes such tea, I feel it makes sense to add a necessary descriptor like "lightly oxidized" so as to add a point of differentiation. So I would call such "black" teas lightly oxidized to distinguish them from say Assam black teas which tend to be fully oxidized.

But technically you are correct