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I’ve felt bad because I kept spending on tea samples, nevermind there’s going to be a swap soon. All the money I could have spent on the suggested teas I’ve spent on new ones, nevermind I do not regret any decisions for a minute so far. Avarice salivates my curiosity, and I will continue to explore the world in my cup, one or thirty at a time.

Hugo Tea has shifted more into tea snob territory lately with some exclusively cultivated teas. Lin’s black is actually from a mi lan xiang bush processed as a black. I’m always up for experimentation in varietals, and the pistachio description was a signal to try it out. I got the other Dancongs from the same producer, and splurged on samples.

Trying it out, it’s not as fruity as other Dan Cong Blacks I’ve had. The tea doesn’t lack sweetness at all, but it’s got texture in mouthfeel and flavor. I am definitely tasting a nutty profile, and I may have gotten pistachio clearly, but it leans heavily into the medium roasted heavy salt direction with hints of sweet honey depending on how I brewed steeping to steeping.

As I have been drinking tea lately, I’ve slopped it up between western and gong fu for my first sample, which I’d guess was closer to 5 or 6 grams. I brewed it, sipped a little after 20 seconds, really liked it, then let it steep for what I thought was 20 seconds that actually was likely over a minute. The shorter steep was heavy with honeyed pistachio, salt, mineral, roast, and fructose, but the heavier one was dominated by a sweet dense malt and tannin. The shorter steep was better, but the longer one was interesting because it kept the flavors.

Aroma and taste reminded me of Turkish delight I got near the border of Egypt and Sudan near Abu Simbel from a gas station, specifically used honey and lemon for the base while the surface was covered in pistachios and powdered sugar. There are times where I want to say rose for the tea, but I’ve used that word at least four times for the past four black teas and oolongs. It’s spring after all, so it’s on my mind concurrently with the other memory of Turkish delight that was rose flavored.

Later steeps lose some sweetness and lustre, but not layers. Tannin, some wood, more roasted nuttiness, and thinning body viscosity. I pushed it for four more steeps, and I got a little bit of lychee slurping the leaves sitting water.

Obviously, I like this one. I got two samples, but wish I got three. It is a weaker more floral black with enough body and umph to balance itself out. I am not quite sure about the allspice notes other than texture, though the tea tastes like a cross between Hugo’s staple black tea in roast and their nutty Qilan. I enjoy this one more than the Hugo mainstay black so far, but it’s more of a purist tea may or may not stand up to cream and sugar. If only I had more for certainty.

My next note will be shorter, though it will probably be some time before I decide how I want to brew the next sample. Tumblering it could bring out too much tannin, it’s good western or gong fu, though probably better for gong fu. Either way, I recommend this one. I also realise I tend to like grassier blacks, and this one is a bit more in that category than others. The intention to make it more like a Fujian black is also another quality I’d check off in what I like, so of course I’m into it and would recommend it if that’s what you’re looking for.

I also have way more notes to do….and way more tea I didn’t need to buy.

Backlog: This one is elusively light. I’ve put off writing about it to properly describe it, but doesn’t usually last passed the 3rd or 4th cup. It’s smooth, sweet, floral-vaguely rosey, balanced, and honeyed in a bright amber liquor, but then it fades to a light orange or yellow. The second steep is kinda in the chocolaty category of blacks, but honey dominates. I haven’t really pinned it down-it burst in flavor once then becomes weak.

I’d say it’s a good one, but a more subtle tea overall unless I gong fu it at a ratio that is just right. Over leafing it muddles the flavor gong fu or western, but it’s way too weak with too little leaf, and too malty tumbler.

I’ve tried this twice, and I hesitated on whether to get more than 30 grams because it’s up my alley, or staving off because shipping prices and my need to go through my oolongs…which I inevitably will. Quickly. No doubt. Don’t speak.

I know what you’re thinking, and I don’t need no reasons, don’t tell me ‘cause oolong. Anyway, my memories, well this tea is inviting, though price is altogether mighty frightening. As I sip, the tea is pretty close to TheTea’s description:
" Fruity and milky, made from Jin Xuan bush with zero astringency typical for many high mountain oolongs.

Here you will find: grassy freshness, almonds, strawberries, yogurt, cream and notes of white flowers (lilly of the valley, lilly). And something fresh and vivid you can literally name: mountain breeze."

It’s got the trademark milky smoothness of a jin xuan, and it’s very fresh like a Maofeng or Baicha, maybe even a Cuifeng, but of course, smooth as only an oolong can be. The florals weren’t surprising, but the fruitiness was. Aroma has a stronger sweetness than the actual tea, but the tea has a weird creamy strawberry yogurt aftertaste that’s refreshing. I get it both gong fu and western, though I still think I need to crack the tea.

The lily of the valley, cream, and grass are the most prominent, yet the strawberry brushes the aftertaste. Aroma is more pronounced gong fu, but flavor has been more rounded western in longer steeps. Despite all of that, the tea has been pretty forgiving of my mistakes.

I’ve done this too many times, but I’m going to come back to it even though I’ve shoved enough purple prose into the review. I’m sold on it being a tea I like and something for people looking for a cleaner quality Jin Xuan or greener style tea. It’s more grassy than spinachy having more freshness than most of the straight Jin Xuans I’ve had, and I like it actually has more forward fruitiness instead of “hints” of fruit. I was exaggerating a little on price because it’s not the most expensive tea they have by any means, but it’s a step up from the usual price of a Jin Xuan deserving of more discriminating buyers.

Local shop had it, so I got it. The tea spoke to me on two levels: 1. I’m a smart ass. 2. It has oolong in it. That’s all it needed to sell me.

Trying it out, the tea’s balanced. Lemongrass and peel are dominant with the ginkgo/ginseng. The oolong and green tea provide mostly body and texture, but not a lot in terms of flavor.

Overall, the tea’s straightforward. I can see a lot of people on this site snubbing it. I think it’s a little expensive for $15 for 2 oz, but I was happy I got it once to support a local cafe shop. This one is easy for me to enjoy because I enjoy lemongrass and lemon peel, and the gingko helps with my headache. Otherwise, I wouldn’t get it again and I’d only recommend it if you like lemony things or functional herbal teas.

Sip down. Had this tea for 6 years, used all I had, and it’s still pretty good. Mint is still dominant, but I needed mint for the moment. Good peppermint chocolate style tea.

Thank you Derk! Here’s my input-I’m going to have a hard time going into this tea blind since I’ve read your note and the description from the website, so here it goes.

I brew this in my gong fu 2 go, and intuitively make it. I did about 25-30 seconds in the first brew with about two thirds of the bag. I immediately noticed a geranium-lilac aroma coming from the cup, and drinking it up, chestnut or even butternut squash coats the palette. There’s some brown sugar sweetness here and there, and some woodsiness. It’s not as woody as other Japanese Teas I’ve had. Instead, it’s more floral and smooth bordering on some oolong qualities. How the florals flatten on my tongue, and then rise into my sinuses remind me of quality Baozhong flower notes, and even has the same kind of gold floral malt some of them have. The savory qualities make it lean more black, but the mouthfeel does interesting things, starting low, creamy, then cooling up into a sweetness with piquant bitter hints. Middle steeps were more floral, more rosy, but lilac, squash, brown sugar, and light wood hit my brain the most. Later steeps, 4 and 5, were sweeter/lighter towards squash and sugar, maybe cinnamon, and the last brew was sweet, light, and the most woodsy.

I’m not too sure about some of the fruitier notes described, but I can see them because the teas naturally sweet and has the kind of acidic bite strawberries might have. Camphor is something I immediately get to approximate the sweet wood cooling oil quality of the tea. I’m leaning towards petrichor in terms of mood and feel. Cinnamon is a little bit more psychological. I see it more in the later steeps than in the earlier ones, though I’m not sure if I’d peg that as a note comparing it to cinnamon in teas and Rou Guis.

I really like this one, and enjoyed it more than the Tsushima black a little bit because this one was more easy going. I still have one Japanese black to try out along with others, but I enjoyed this one. More experienced drinkers would be better with this one than newbs because it might just taste like a savory floral tea to them. I hope my input was decent derk!

I gambled, and put it into my gong fu 2 go tumbler western. I let it sit for about 3-4 minutes using 3-4 ish grams, maybe less, and I was happy that it’s a fruity floral style kind of white tea. I got honeysuckle, rose, grape, muscat, butter, and melon. The other two rebrews had a hint of astringency that was welcomed, like a really great lighter sheng. I kept coming back to it after the first two brews. The later steeps do become a little bit more astringent, but floral and fruity still.

Looking at the notes on the website, they put vanilla and muscatel, which I kinda see, moreso muscatel than vanilla. There’s a little bit more luscious fruit on my palette leaning a little towards apricot or peach, but they’re not prevalent enough for me to commit them in the database. The vanilla is the floral I’m having a hard time figuring out. Geranium, maybe? It was pretty close to rose for me personally. Oh well, I’m excited to see what other people think. The company was right in that this tea definitely suits a Taiwanese Tea lovers palette. I think this tea and Azure are my favorites so far from derk.

Thank you for the incredible white tea! I honestly don’t know what I’d rate it. Definitely higher than an 85, but easily approaching the 90s. I think so many kinds of people would enjoy this one, snob and newbie alike.

This tea has mellowed out the past few months I’ve had it. Cutting back on the leaf a little bit was also a good idea because the astringency and bitterness have been non-issues.

I’m finally going to rate it at least in the 88-90ish range as I finish off the rest of it. I think the main thing holding me back from a higher rating is that it really doesn’t always last that long depending on how you brew it. I usually haven’t gotten more than four or five great cups before it fades out into a thinner tea. You still get plenty of honey and viscosity in later rounds, though the malt fades with each steep. Steep two or three are usually my favorites for that reason, but the first brew can be the fullest in flavor and body.

I’m really glad this tea was in Whispering Pines selection because for me, it’s a unique black that shares more qualities with Fujian and Taiwanese blacks. I’m biased towards those types, and I think this tea is an easy stepping stone for people getting into straight teas. I also don’t think it’s too expensive, but there are other favorites I might pay cheaper or the same amount for despite this tea standing toe to toe with them. The tea has my approval either way.

I thought I’ve added or written about this one before. Guess I’ll write about it now, which maybe again.

I got this one because it was the same growers and roasters as the Phoenix Village Dong Ding that was in the club. This is a spring 2020 or 2021 crop, it the box notes the florals and dry fruit more than anything else.

I get those, but this tea is extremely tricky. Either I under leaf or over leaf this bad boy. Given Eco-Cha recommends a whopping 9 grams for western, this tea really needs to be pushed to coax out the full flavor. Every session has been refined, but earlier teas would mostly give me vegetal impressions of fruit, florals, and honey. The honey notes were shy, and usually showed up later. Doing this tumbler style over does the tea, making it too vegetal, and too malty somehow, reminding me of those raw fruit based fruit rollups or That’s It! bars.

As I’ve kept the tea for a little bit, my dry leaves have breathed out. I get more florals and fruit, and less vegetal qualities lately. It’s not super forward, but it’s complex having shifting tones of mineral, macadamia, plumeria or lilac, maybe vanilla, and other florals under a swiss chard body. Western has been the better method so far because it draws out the flavors instead of forcing them out at once giving me more complex mugs that change flavors as it cools.

I’m not sure what to rate it, but maybe between the 80s and 90s. It’s got high marks for aroma, complexity, and individual notes, but it’s harder to brew than the Club’s counterpart of the same kind of tea. I like that it’s easy going and not astringent or super grassy, yet there are so many aspects that are easily missed or overwhelmed by other qualities. I do think this is a much higher quality tea in taste than I gave it credit for, yet it took me a while to get down to it. I still think I overspent when I got it. I am, however, thankful I got so much so I can play and experiment with it. I still recommend Eco-Cha, and especially recommend this for someone willing to do a professional tasting of it. I can easily see some one meditate with this tea, and drink it in one large cup, slurping in spoonfuls after a busy day.

More notes after steep five-I have not been keeping time, but I’ve alternated between short 30-45 second steeps and minute steeps. Aroma is pretty high on this one. I got fruit loops in the steep, and green apple in the previous one. I’m looking forward to what else unfolds.

Overall, it’s hard to rank this tea. It’s a frist flush, but it’s between being an oolong and a white. I put it as a white tea under a Chinese nomenclature because the overall profile fits more with other whites I’ve had, though it’s got enough dimension to make you think otherwise. I think I’ll rate it a 90s minimum. I’m not sure how often I’d drink it. I know how deeply I’ve enjoyed the flavor and smell.