Yancha Vendors: Highest Grade vs Bang for Buck Vendor Recommendations

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Demea
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Tue Apr 21, 2020 10:15 am

mafoofan wrote:
Mon Apr 20, 2020 11:00 pm
Demea wrote:
Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:59 pm
mafoofan wrote:
Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:08 pm


But when you look at where they are sourcing their Yancha, often the very prized micro-terroirs, the prices don’t seem that off-market.

Just seems to me an assessment of the tea itself is necessary to pass judgment, rather than making assumptions and inferences based on geography and real estate.
I’m speaking from my experience of having the tea there a number of times. It’s definitely “meh”, IMO. You are of course welcome to pay whatever vendor you choose, but I think there are at least two or three places where you can get better yancha from brick and mortar vendors in NYC alone...
Did you try the super high-end stuff?
Not sure what qualifies as “super high-end” but I’ve had their most expensive tier of yancha. The best actually high-end tea I’ve found in New York is from Fang’s annual New Years tastings. Those are quite expensive but very worth it, I think.
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debunix
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Sun Jul 26, 2020 5:33 pm

Placed several orders for Yancha yesterday to try out new (Old Ways Tea, Wuyi Origin) and familiar (Jing Tea Shop) vendors, using recommendations in this thread and elsewhere. I added some higher priced and less expensive versions from each vendor to see what's out there.
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debunix
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Mon Aug 10, 2020 6:46 pm

I've already gotten 2 of my 3 orders: Old Ways Tea, shipped from California, was naturally the quickest; Wuyi origin arrived today from China, not quite 3 weeks in transit via China Post. I've only had one of the Old Ways Teas so far, which was quite fine despite a not-very mindful brewing.
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Victoria
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Mon Aug 10, 2020 7:01 pm

debunix wrote:
Mon Aug 10, 2020 6:46 pm
I've already gotten 2 of my 3 orders: Old Ways Tea, shipped from California, was naturally the quickest; Wuyi origin arrived today from China, not quite 3 weeks in transit via China Post. I've only had one of the Old Ways Teas so far, which was quite fine despite a not-very mindful brewing.
Looking forward to hearing which teas you got from each vendor. From Old Ways Tea I really liked Gold Medal Rougui and Lǎo Cōng (Old Tree) Shui Xian.
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debunix
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Mon Aug 10, 2020 7:42 pm

I am not sure which of the OWT I first enjoyed last week; tonight I will try the Shui Xian, which the web site says is 2015 harvest, but my package label says 2017 harvest. I'll report on it in the oolong topic.
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Victoria
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Mon Aug 10, 2020 8:49 pm

debunix wrote:
Mon Aug 10, 2020 7:42 pm
I am not sure which of the OWT I first enjoyed last week; tonight I will try the Shui Xian, which the web site says is 2015 harvest, but my package label says 2017 harvest. I'll report on it in the oolong topic.
Yeah, he has nine different Shui Xian, two of those respectively are 2015 and 2017. Besides Lǎo Cōng I’ve only tried the medium roast SX, it was OK, but lacked aromatics of old tree, although it was pleasant and affordable. Higher end ones though are better overall.
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Youzi
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Tue Aug 11, 2020 4:41 am

Victoria wrote:
Sat Apr 04, 2020 6:17 pm
In the past year I have enjoyed quality yancha from;

...
Tea Hong (Hong Kong)
https://www.teahong.com/product/oolong- ... ordinaire/
What's your opinion of Tea Hong?
Their prices seem too cheap for their claims, for their wuyi.

Although they don't mention that their tea is zhengyan.
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Victoria
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Wed Aug 12, 2020 8:24 pm

Youzi wrote:
Tue Aug 11, 2020 4:41 am
Victoria wrote:
Sat Apr 04, 2020 6:17 pm
In the past year I have enjoyed quality yancha from;
...
Tea Hong (Hong Kong)
https://www.teahong.com/product/oolong- ... ordinaire/
What's your opinion of Tea Hong?
Their prices seem too cheap for their claims, for their wuyi.

Although they don't mention that their tea is zhengyan.
Looks like they are having a big sale on some good teas. I really enjoyed Tea Hong’s Cassia Extraordinare, I posted a little here. My notes indicated; Rich aroma and taste. Menthol, camphor, cinnamon and some stone fruit. Expansive in the mouth.
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Bok
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Wed Aug 12, 2020 9:02 pm

Victoria wrote:
Wed Aug 12, 2020 8:24 pm
Menthol, camphor, cinnamon and some stone fruit. Expansive in the mouth.
Interesting! Menthol, or a slightly cooling sensation, is one of the key features that premium Taiwanese Oolong in the most traditional Dongding style should exhibit. Something I have only encountered a handful of times so far though...
medroses
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Mon Mar 01, 2021 2:23 pm

Can anybody comment on the quality of yancha from the chinese domestic brands for sale on dragon tea house, like MATOUYAN brand or YUNYI brand for example? How do they compare to tea from other western facing yancha dealers like Tong Xin She and Wuyi Origin?
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Victoria
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Fri Mar 05, 2021 5:07 pm

medroses wrote:
Mon Mar 01, 2021 2:23 pm
Can anybody comment on the quality of yancha from the chinese domestic brands for sale on dragon tea house, like MATOUYAN brand or YUNYI brand for example? How do they compare to tea from other western facing yancha dealers like Tong Xin She and Wuyi Origin?
Welcome to TeaForum @medroses. I’ve only tried Wuyi Origin and TXS from your list. Lazy Cat tea has high quality yancha. Adventures in Every Cup has lower end yancha that is good after a meal.

I just realized your post should be in Yancha vendor thread, so I’ll move it there now. Apologies.
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debunix
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Thu Sep 01, 2022 9:50 pm

This is exactly the wrong time for this question for me because it’s towards the end of summer, we’re in the beginning of an epic heat wave in California, and all I want to do is drink chilled sparkling tea.

But I can say that I’ve had relatively lower priced blends usually sold as Da Hong Pao that have been quite tasty and pleasant and felt like every day drinkers. But the sessions that I remember going “ooh!” and “ahh!” have generally featured teas with more specific region & harvest provenance from Norbu (retail shop now defunct); jingteashop; and more recently, old ways tea & Wuyi origin.

I used to get my “daily drinker “blended” DHP from Wing Hop Fung, my local brick and mortar Chinatown specialty tea shop in Los Angeles.
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