Tea

 Vendor: Cultivar : Qingxin Oolong Harvested : by hand on May 2nd and 3rd, 2020. Origin : Yang Keng section, Shan Lin Xi (1300 m) Process : Lightly oxidized, rolled Oolong, dried with a light roast This tea garden had been cut down after last year's spring harvest. This would make it easier to be harvested and reduce the yield, but increase the concentration of aromas. The other effect is leaves that don't grow very evenly. day 1 it tastes powerful like Da Yu Ling and on day2 it tastes refined as Lishan,  Review: May 3: Brewed 5.5g / 100 mL Rinse/ 1 min /50s/ 1min30s / 2min30s/ 6min / 15min Early rinses have brothy umami, strong floral perfume and deep tropical fruit Later rinses are more brothy, with slightly rising astringency May 2: Brewed 6-6.5 g / 100 mL Rinse / 45s/35s/45s/1min/1min30s/2min30s/5min Very similar to May 3. Perhaps a touch stronger umami. Overall, both teas are flower, fruity and brothy. However, teas lack stamina and falls apart after 3rd or 4th infusion. L

Brewed 10 g/ 150 mL boiling except for rinse Warm rinse / 45s / 37s / 1 min / 1min 30 / 2min 45s / 7 min / steep it out 2-3 times Dried tropical fruit sweetness, mostly pineapple and maybe some prunes, that seems to linger for a long time (close to an hour after sipping). Along with this taste is an "after aroma" that is like aged wood, or very light incense. Maybe i am being biased by kyarazen's obsession with incense - kyaren also being a huge advocate of hy chen. First 3 steeps are the sweetest. Later steeps are more roasted (dark chocolatey, maybe some medium roast coffee) with some greener tropical fruit notes and floral scents emerging from time to time that is more aligned with gao shan from shan lin xi. Stamina is not high in terms of flavor and short steeps. Later steeps, though lighter in flavor, maintain long aftertaste. Also, long steeps after 6th steep is well tolerated and yield pleasant cups. Bottom line:  the surprisingly long and pleasant after taste is w

Vendor: Bai Ji Guan (aka White Cockscomb) is a classic Wu Yi varietal originating from the "Bat Cave" deep in the Wu Yi mountains. Bai Ji Guan is lightly processed through shade withering.   This tea has been grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Late April Harvest Review: Light yellow green and brown leaves with roast and toffee smell Brewed 5g/85mL gaiwan off boiling water Rinse/25s/30s/40s/1min/1min30s/2min/3min/5min/10min Bright lemon curd and citrus candy-like sweetness in early steeps framed with chocolatey yancha roast. Buttery toffee flavors emerge a few steeps in that lingers for a long time. A complex cup dominated by aroma over body. However, after only one week of opening, the tea falls apart.

 Vendor: Growing Region   100% Uji Year   2020 Harvest   First and/or Shincha Breed   Proprietary Blend Shading   Full Sun Steaming   Medium Review: 4 g/ 100 mL in akitsu mumyoi clay 60-70 C for first 4 steeps 30s / flash / 50s / 2min: beautiful cucumber brothiness with citrus outlines 75-80C for 2-3 min: stronger umami with some seaweed character and some refreshing astringency 95-100C for 5 min: almond and light grassiness