Good eye.
Not new, but not shown here before... LQER Neiziwaihong from Fuji workshop. Yes, Biandeng is my favourite and collection focus point... i can probably indeed to a symphony orchestra one day haha
What Oolong Are You Drinking
... and on it goes with Dongding: a generous gift from a friend who asked my opinion about Hojo's Dongding.
It is a little crazy detour from Taiwan to Japan and back, but for the sake of getting the lay of the land, a fun opportunity to see how Hojo fares in his Taiwanese tea curation efforts.
It's his heavy roasted traditional Donging, as he describes it.
First of, I have a bit of it and felt like going the way of the habit first, not the neutral way in porcelain. For me that would be taking a pot I would use for DD and brew it the way I would normally do, ignoring any vendors recommendation.
First nasal impression is favorable, the dry leaves in the hot pot do smell rather nice. Which is confirmed in subsequent infusions. Fragrant and seemingly clean. I do detect some bug bitten notes, which makes me think that this tea has seen little if no use of pesticides. Heavy roast is skillfully done as it is not noticeable and the underlying leaves turn green after unfurling. The kiss of roast's death has not been given...
Somehow this tea makes me lean more towards a Tieguanyin profile, rather than Dongding. Slight hints of sour notes in the back of the mouth. Not sure, it is not a usual Donging, but something like what I would consider traditional, although of course I wasn't drinking any tea when the standard for this kind of tea was set The bug bitten notes become stronger in later steeps, not sure if I like that part. Maybe less leaf is better.
I could see myself drinking this tea daily, not bad at all. Will test further with porcelain another time.
It is a little crazy detour from Taiwan to Japan and back, but for the sake of getting the lay of the land, a fun opportunity to see how Hojo fares in his Taiwanese tea curation efforts.
It's his heavy roasted traditional Donging, as he describes it.
First of, I have a bit of it and felt like going the way of the habit first, not the neutral way in porcelain. For me that would be taking a pot I would use for DD and brew it the way I would normally do, ignoring any vendors recommendation.
First nasal impression is favorable, the dry leaves in the hot pot do smell rather nice. Which is confirmed in subsequent infusions. Fragrant and seemingly clean. I do detect some bug bitten notes, which makes me think that this tea has seen little if no use of pesticides. Heavy roast is skillfully done as it is not noticeable and the underlying leaves turn green after unfurling. The kiss of roast's death has not been given...
Somehow this tea makes me lean more towards a Tieguanyin profile, rather than Dongding. Slight hints of sour notes in the back of the mouth. Not sure, it is not a usual Donging, but something like what I would consider traditional, although of course I wasn't drinking any tea when the standard for this kind of tea was set
The bug bitten notes become stronger in later steeps, not sure if I like that part. Maybe less leaf is better.I could see myself drinking this tea daily, not bad at all. Will test further with porcelain another time.
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Ethan Kurland
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Teachronicles
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Hah, i similarly thought that was a great line, Ethan. That tea sounds worth trying Bok, thanks for sharing your impression.
@Ethan Kurland @Teachronicles Thanks! Sometimes inspiration strikes, blame it on the tea.
Even more dong ding (well, hong shui). Same one as last time, but in 60s hongni this time.
More emphasis on honey, with an occasional hint of some sort of interesting musky note in the aftertaste, but still bright and lively, and in no way dominated by the roast. It has a refreshing quality to it which makes me want to drink it quickly.
This tea is giving me ideas of finding a high quality dong ding or hong shui, and putting it into a sealed jar for a decade or two. The problem is that if I want to drink that tea every day when it's ready, I have to seal up a few jars each year and avoid touching them...
Andrew
More emphasis on honey, with an occasional hint of some sort of interesting musky note in the aftertaste, but still bright and lively, and in no way dominated by the roast. It has a refreshing quality to it which makes me want to drink it quickly.
This tea is giving me ideas of finding a high quality dong ding or hong shui, and putting it into a sealed jar for a decade or two. The problem is that if I want to drink that tea every day when it's ready, I have to seal up a few jars each year and avoid touching them...
Andrew
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TGIF
Stuffing the pot and then long steeps
Stuffing the pot and then long steeps
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- That's the first rinse
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Is that lid just the slightest bit pushed up from the pot?
Having a lovely session with JingTeaShop's Shui Jin Gui, a very mellow yancha with pleasing rock taste, earthiness, hint of sweet, very little plum, touch of astringency, and no bitterness. Just nice.
Having a lovely session with JingTeaShop's Shui Jin Gui, a very mellow yancha with pleasing rock taste, earthiness, hint of sweet, very little plum, touch of astringency, and no bitterness. Just nice.
It's definitely a full potdebunix wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 6:01 pmIs that lid just the slightest bit pushed up from the pot?
Having a lovely session with JingTeaShop's Shui Jin Gui, a very mellow yancha with pleasing rock taste, earthiness, hint of sweet, very little plum, touch of astringency, and no bitterness. Just nice.
@LeoFox: that little pot has a healthy glow...
It's interesting how having a nice pot can improve the overall tea drinking experience, even without factoring in any effect from the clay. I've certainly been drinking more yancha since I found the right pot (or pots) for it.
@debunix: I remember enjoying Jing tea shop's shui jin gui many years ago. I'm glad to hear that it's providing you with enjoyment as well.
I actually kept a large packet of it lying around which I've (more or less accidentally) aged since then. I'll let you know if I find it and try it (including whether it's aged, or just old...).
Andrew
It's interesting how having a nice pot can improve the overall tea drinking experience, even without factoring in any effect from the clay. I've certainly been drinking more yancha since I found the right pot (or pots) for it.
@debunix: I remember enjoying Jing tea shop's shui jin gui many years ago. I'm glad to hear that it's providing you with enjoyment as well.
I actually kept a large packet of it lying around which I've (more or less accidentally) aged since then. I'll let you know if I find it and try it (including whether it's aged, or just old...).
Andrew
Thanks, debunix. Your little share there cost me $178 US. For 3 or 4 years I would top up my Shui Jin Gui from Jing annually. I stopped buying from them until I read your entry today. I haven't found a WuYi that's quite like their Shui Jin Gui, so for the first time in a few years I decided to secure a batch. For good measure I threw in 50 grams each of 3 of their teas I haven't tried; Fruity Da Hong Pao, Qi Lan ( a fave of mine from WuYi Origin), and Fruity Rou Gui. I look forward to trying the Shui Jin Gui in a few pots I didn't have when I last tried that tea. Cheers.
Their Fruity Rou Gui is lovely too. That was my favorite from my RG tasting a month ago.
Good to know. That's one from Wuyi Origin I keep around, which is why I thought I'd try the Jing Teashop edition. Great cross comparison tasting notes, debunix.debunix wrote: ↑Sat Jul 03, 2021 1:05 pmTheir Fruity Rou Gui is lovely too. That was my favorite from my RG tasting a month ago.
Again with the deep roast Dongding from Hojo. The first impression holds until now after a few brews, this is a real nice tea.
Now convinced that it’s good and pesticide free base material, the bug bitten fragrance is quite noticeable. Nice and decent Dongding.
Now convinced that it’s good and pesticide free base material, the bug bitten fragrance is quite noticeable. Nice and decent Dongding.
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