What Oolong Are You Drinking

[Ethan Kurland]

Rickpatbrown Biluxi is one of the next lower elevations under Dayuling, where it is still allowed to grow tea. Usually you won’t find info on these locations as sellers prefer to just label them Dayuling and price it accordingly. I think it’s not worse and often better than Dayuling. If the sellers marks it as such it is definitely a sign that they are honest business people!...

Honesty may earn one a place in heaven but not in the first-class section of airplanes
I'd like to be able to say #1 quality gaoshan, #2 quality....#3 & leave names out of it. It feels so good to talk to people & then say this is the one you should buy. I have done it in person at some fairs & have had people become customers for years. However, online such a relationship is rare. People don't even like to talk on the telephone to ask a question etc. Many people like to read "Alishan" or "Lishan" etc. Or 2200 meters ...

Anyway I wrote in the other dayuling thread about it specifically. Cheers

[Bok]

Many people like to read "Alishan" or "Lishan" etc. Or 2200 meters ...

I have the same impression. People seem to be more obsessed about the supposed story and origin behind a tea, rather than its actual qualities. It's like people almost want to be told fairy-tales and then bath in the warm glow of the story, fooling themselves the tea has to be such and such because it is abcd... Even more obscure it is to me, why people need to know the exact location? Unless they are familiar with the area and what it implies, this info has little to no value. A general terroir-region ok, but specifics?

In my opinion and experience names do matter little and blur the vision keeping one from really focusing on the tea and seeing if it holds up to the story. Where I buy my teas mostly, they just use numbers and the price tells you how good it is roughly. That's it.

[Rickpatbrown]

Many people like to read "Alishan" or "Lishan" etc. Or 2200 meters ...

I have the same impression. People seem to be more obsessed about the supposed story and origin behind a tea, rather than its actual qualities.

For me, it was really hard when I started out. I had no idea what excellent tea is supposed to taste like. I could not rely on my taste, I had to listen to the stories. I'm glad that I've had some experiences to connect with more knowledgeable folks to teach me about tea, but expect a lot of people dont have the same experiences. It takes work and luck to learn about tea.

It's one of the most beautiful and most dangerous part about human nature ... we LOVE stories. Whether they are true or not doesnt matter, so long as they make us feel.

I'm glad that you pointed out the farmer's character. This tea came through a good friend and is following up a tea shipment from 2018 that had some Cuifeng that I really liked. They said that this years harvest was poor, so he sent the BiLuXi as something I might like.

I haven't opened the Biluxi yet. I'm going to settle into the Alishan for a few weeks before I open up a new pouch.

Happy drinking all ... good stories and good tea.

[OCTO]

Having some Competition grade DanCong Xin Ren Xiang (单丛杏仁香)... Aroma, fragrance, aftertaste, sweetness, smoothness... every note hits the right spot. Coupled with light music, dimmed lights, cooling rain.... that's what I call "heaven on earth".... hahahaha...

Cheers!!

[Noonie]

Many people like to read "Alishan" or "Lishan" etc. Or 2200 meters ...

I have the same impression. People seem to be more obsessed about the supposed story and origin behind a tea, rather than its actual qualities. It's like people almost want to be told fairy-tales and then bath in the warm glow of the story, fooling themselves the tea has to be such and such because it is abcd... Even more obscure it is to me, why people need to know the exact location? Unless they are familiar with the area and what it implies, this info has little to no value. A general terroir-region ok, but specifics?

In my opinion and experience names do matter little and blur the vision keeping one from really focusing on the tea and seeing if it holds up to the story. Where I buy my teas mostly, they just use numbers and the price tells you how good it is roughly. That's it.

I'm sometimes interested in where it came from, if readily available (for any type of tea). I like reading about it while drinking the tea. It doesn't do anything for me or the tea, more so out of interest in tea and tea culture. But I'll buy tea for different reasons than specific location, and then do a bit of research after I've acquired it (if that makes sense).

I guess it all depends on how we, individually, like to be marketed to...I like facts for sure, but hate the nonsense stories that some try and pass along with the tea.

[Bok]

Last night at a friends I had 1980s Baozhong. Stored by the farmer himself. Very nice and not much alike a fresh BZ at all, in fact if I weren’t told, I could not have guessed what it was. Typical aged oolong flavour but some flowery fragrances in the back.

One of those teas that one enjoys and then better forgets about, as it won’t be available or affordable anymore.

[Bok]

What is luxury? Going out to see a tea merchant on a Sunday afternoon. Having the same tea that is being roasted in the background in several stages of the roast. Brewed in one’s own Zhuni pot that has been brought along to show-off to the friendly tea maker. Doesn’t get any better.

Ah and the tea was a semi-wild high mountain oolong with orchid fragrance – and I could never afford to buy and he does not sell it either.

[d.manuk]

I've been drinking DYL 98k almost daily. Chugging? This one and Ethan's DYL are my top favorite teas. This time of year is always such a treat. Sunshine, my favorite tea, nice and hot weather, my plants are happy and growing like crazy, lots of fruit is in season.

The only sad news of this summer is that the Semi-Wild Baozhong from Tea Masters which used to be my favorite tea is no longer being carried. I ordered 2 bz's that he said might taste similar, I've tried quite a few in the past though and none really impressed me like that one did. I am hopeful, I think I'll try some once I finish this DYL packet.

[d.manuk]

Neither the 2020 Spring Qilan Baozhong nor the 2020 Spring Organic Baozhong are suitable replacements for the Semi-Wild Baozhong that’s no longer stocked this year at Tea Masters.

[Bok]

Neither the 2020 Spring Qilan Baozhong nor the 2020 Spring Organic Baozhong are suitable replacements for the Semi-Wild Baozhong that’s no longer stocked this year at Tea Masters.

I just recently had my favourite Baozhong so far, coincidentally as well a semi-wild Baozhong. Jinxuan cultivar. Delicious and very deep in what it has to offer, yet only slowly releases.

[d.manuk]

Ive been thinking but haven’t said up until now that I bet your source took this years harvest of that tea lol @Bok

[Bok]

Ive been thinking but haven’t said up until now that I bet your source took this years harvest of that tea lol Bok

Not only that one, took at leat a good dozen of other Baozhong of this season’s harvest

[Victoria]

With all this talk of Bao Zhong I decided to revisit a few that I have;
A ‘68 Wenshan Bao Zhong that Tillerman kindly shared with me last year. Heated dry leaf has notes of ginseng. Liquor has aged books, minty camphor, medicinal dry earth notes through many steeps. Most pronounced on 3rd steep, but continuing into 4-7th steeps. Also, has a very pleasant cooling expansive mouth feel. 7g/110ml/208f/50sec

'68 Wenshan Bao Zhong_DSC1358_.jpg (379.62 KiB) Viewed 7072 times

Next, I opened a Winter 2018 Wenshan Bao Zhong also from Tillerman that is much much greener and exceptionally floral. Rich aroma and liquor is like flowers in a cup. Wow, really enjoyable. I’m surprised I waited this long to try it. I'm going to enjoy this one more often. 7g/100ml/180f/90sec

2018 Weshan Bao Zhong_DSC1372_.jpg (417.22 KiB) Viewed 7072 times

2018 Weshan Bao Zhong_DSC1386_.jpg (463.03 KiB) Viewed 7072 times

[Bok]

With all this talk of Bao Zhong I decided to revisit a few that I have;
A ‘68 Wenshan Bao Zhong that Tillerman kindly shared with me last year. Heated dry leaf has notes of ginseng. Liquor has aged books, minty camphor, medicinal dry earth notes through many steeps. Most pronounced on 3rd steep, but continuing into 4-7th steeps. Also, has a very pleasant cooling expansive mouth feel. 7g/110ml/208f/50sec

Cooling mouth feel, also sometimes mentioned as minty, is one of the characteristics premium Taiwanese oolong should have, although these days it’s rare to find it.

[jason19870313]

Private fushoushan farm tea

Good taste

Very floral