I have a conundrum, I am very hungry and need to get out of my chair to do some things, but there is a sleeping cat in my lap. When I try to move she makes this pitiful mew and starts whapping me with her tail, for such a tiny cat her tail is ridiculously strong…so here I sit with my leg and backside falling more asleep because I don’t want to wake my cat up. I am hoping that me typing (and therefore making the arm her head is on move) will wake her up and send her to find a more comfy spot, but consider she is drooling and super content, I think I am stuck for a while.
Today’s is Thursday, so that means it is time to plunge into the depths of my notebook piles to have a Throw Back Thursday review, specifically Yezi Tea’s Wen Shan Pouchong Oolong Tea. This #TBT reminds me of three things: 1. I need to drink more tea from Yezi, 2. I need to drink more Pouchong (or Boa Zhong, dialect depending) and 3. I need to dedicate a Yixing to Pouchong because having a Yixing teapot dedicated to each kind of Oolong is a fantastic idea. So, this Pouchong is from the Wen Shan district of Taiwan, which explains the name. The aroma of the curly green leaves is like a spring themed explosion in my nose, there are intense notes of orchid, honeysuckle and lilac accompanied by fresh vegetation, mown hay, and a hint of sweet chestnut at the finish. It is powerful and heady, like being in a humid conservatory where everything is floral and intense.
Into the gaiwan it goes, this was back when all I had was one gaiwan, before my crazed addiction to gaiwans really took off. Once giving it a steeping I can say that the entire room smells like flowers, my notebook is very clear that it was intense, and also the letters list off the page a little, I remember this tea having an affect on me, it was my first Pouchong! There are notes of orchid, honeysuckle, wildflower honey, and a hint of orange blossoms, it is so sweet and heady. The liquid is unsurprisingly very floral, the expected notes of honeysuckle and orchid are present, but there is still the hint of orange blossoms and chestnut, blending the wet and dry leave’s notes.
First steeping, the taste is sweet and floral, I would even go as far as to say this tea is sublime…even if saying that feels a little silly. The mouthfeel is smooth, not as creamy as some oolongs can be, but more like the smoothness of a green tea, the taste while being intensely floral is also delicate, that is probably my favorite things about Pouchongs, how they balance the heady and delicate so elegantly. There are notes of orchid and honey suckle, along with orange blossoms and fresh vegetation.
The aroma of the second steep is much headier, the orchid note is the most prominent followed by honeysuckle and lilac. It smells pretty, a very evocative tea that fills my mind with flowers. The taste takes its cues from the aroma and steps its floral game up, along with its sweetness, and its vegetation. Come to think on it all the flavors from the first steep are presents, just all of them are more intense.
Third time’s the charm! The aroma of this steep is no where near as intense as the previous, it is still very floral but it is in the same intensity level as the first steep. The notes are a blend of orchid and orange blossom, with just a touch of honey. The taste is quite mild and surprisingly buttery this time around, the initial buttery and slightly vegetal notes fade to honey sweetness and a lingering orchid taste. Gotta love teas that have a floral note that sticks around after you are done sipping it!
For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/02/yezi-tea-wen-shan-pouchong-oolong-tea.html
