Review: LongJing

For some reason, known as the poets tea. For me this wasnt the most accessible tea at first, its grassy and astringent and I found it bitter. After two years of drinking oolongs and Te Guan Yin I revisited it because I found a Japanese [HL] tea I liked. Also due to a shopping error by Alessandra, but in this case it was getting the right tea by accident.

LongJing, China [Green, Grassy] *** $$

Other Names: Dragonswell

Attention: This tea is very sensitive to temperature, make it with boiling water at your peril!

First Brew: Mild taste with noticable grassy aroma

Second Brew: Flavours develop significantly

Similiar teas: Sencha from Japan, grassy chinese teas, Reserve de Sichuan

Review: DaHongPao

My first exposure was at a workshop in London and I loved it so much I had a friend hunt for it while on her holidays in China. This is a fantastic little tea that holds you in its arms and makes you feel that life is just fine.

I became so addicted to this tea that I recently found myself on holidays in northern Mozambique skulking around chinese stores and accosting anyone vaguely east asian looking to see where I could get some chinese teas....I found my bonheur eventually at the flagship chinese store in Maputo!

DaHongPao, China [Blue-Green] ***** $$$

Other Names: Buddha Hand tea. 

First Brew: Great aroma, floral and slightly spicy, Take care not to brew too long.

Second Brew: The taste deepend and I find 2nd and 3rd brew to be the most comforting

Subsequent brews: This tea will loose flavour before it looses colour, I often try to do one brew over the line and have to throw out cause the leaves are too used

Similiar teas: Buddha Hand (Fo Shou), Wu Yi

Review: Tie Luo Han

I found this treasure in Langassetee and it was love at first....bite...or something. There are no words for my obsession for this tea. Well, maybe there are some words....

Tie Luo Han, Taiwan [Blue-Green Oolong, woody] ***** $$$

Other names: Wu Yi Rock Tea

Fresh, fragrant like a garden after the spring rain...this tea is like the more charming younger brother of DaHongPao. The small packet I bought as a special treat practically drank itself, its woodyness is typical of this kind of oolong but there are dark chocolate notes in the fragrance that are just marvelous.

Similar teas: DaHongPao, Thyiolo Oolong, Fancy Oolong

Review: Buddha Hand

Buddha Hand, China [Blue-Green, Floral] *** $$

Other Names: Fo shou

I'm sure this is a close relative of DaHongPao and I just love this family! Sweet to the taste with an ever so slightly woody finish. Gimme More!

Simliar teas: DaHongPao, WuYi

Review: Bai Mu Tan

Bai mu Tan Superior China [White, Floral] *** $$

Other Names: Pai Mu Dan, Bai Mu Dan

The leaves dont give much smell, slightly grassy if anything but I find the smell of this tea exremely comforting....almost milky. Light floral taste with smooth, sweet finish.

Simliar teas: Satemwa antlers

Review: Pu'erh Shan by Langassetee,

Pu'erh Shan, China [Fermented, Tannic] *** $$

Other Names:

Clove, pepper...there's something spicy going on in these leaves, that makes it seem like its food and not tea. Beautiful golden colour brew but packs an unexpected heavy taste, which might turn off some folks, it feels like it should be a much darker tea. 

I think I like it, but I'm not quite sure...however I do generally need to be in the mood for pu'erh.

Simliar teas: ?

Review: White Needle

White Needle, China [White, Floral] *** $$

Other Names:

Heavier colour than Bai mu dan and somewhere between its taste and that of silver needle. A bit like a version of Bai Mu Dan where the astringency and creaminess have been turned up a notch.

Simliar teas: Bai Mu Dan