1557 Tasting Notes

68
drank Lin Yun White Downey by Teehaus Shila
1557 tasting notes

I see this is listed as both a white tea and oolong tea (in German) on Teehaus Shila’s website, but if I were to taste this blind, I’d guess it’s a Yunnan green. Looking at other websites, this type of tea originates in Guangxi.

Why is it like a Yunnan tea, more specifically young sheng puerh? Large leaf (at least the ones that aren’t broken) and a honeylike sweet, rich aroma and taste. It’s also grassy and mineral like young sheng can be and possesses a very muted wet smoke tone. And the apricot fruitiness. It lacks astringency but not bitterness; Martin says bitter cucumber — yup. Round taste, in a way. It is temperamental and seems to do best with water 175F and below. Surprisingly good in a bowl.

I do think this would make a very good cold brew, so I’ll use the last few grams for that.

Thanks for sharing, Martin!

Flavors: Apricot, Bitter, Cucumber, Fruity, Grassy, Heavy, Honey, Mineral, Rich, Round, Saline, Smoke, Sweet, Wet Rocks

Preparation
3 g 10 OZ / 300 ML
Martin Bednář

Soo, it seems I have been using too hot water.
I still have some left, so I will definitely try your steeping methods.

derk

Good luck :) The apricot note intensifies when the tea has cooled to ambient temperature.

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Working on sipping down this Canadian herbal tea.

Labrador tea has a fresh red-piney/rhododendron profile. It possesses both sedative and stimulant qualities wrapped up in a mildly anti-inflammatory brew. I notice when I drink it at night, I do get a mild, relaxing buzz akin to alcohol but deep sleep does not exist due to excited neurons, much like how opiates affect me. I’m still trying to figure out under which conditions I can best utilize the medicinal properties of this leaf.

The song I linked last note is still an appropriate mood:
https://vimeo.com/327382912

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75
drank Hong Long by Xian Cha Tea
1557 tasting notes

Malt is one thing that never comes to mind with oxidized red oolong but here, I can agree with the description as well as Martin’s. He describes that dark sweetness as beer-like — a dark Munich malt — and I think that’s spot on. It’s as well a floral tea, being of the Four Season’s cultivar, but I can’t tell what type of flowers. Maybe something more in the wildflower realm, almost like chamomile with it’s apple taste. Subdued citrus and a floral red fruit like hawthorn. Other, more distinct notes are comprised of autumn leaves and old wood furniture. It’s well balanced like its green counterpart, Ji Long, and very easy to drink. This made for a mellow daily drinker bowl tea at work.

Thanks again, Martin!

Flavors: Apple, Autumn Leaf Pile, Beer, Chamomile, Citrus, Floral, Honey, Jasmine, Malt, Red Fruits, Sweet, Wildflowers, Wood, Woody

Preparation
3 g 10 OZ / 300 ML
Martin Bednář

Soon, I will finish my pack and I am afraid I will need another one. And indeed, malt is not a common descriptor for red oolongs :) but I am really glad that we found some same notes in this cup of tea.

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drank Ji Long by Xian Cha Tea
1557 tasting notes

While not my preferred cultivar, this green oolong is the best example I’ve had of Four Seasons. It is a potent, heady bouquet of narcotic flowers but well balanced by soft vegetal and fruity pineapple tones. Performed very well as bowl tea and with water off-boil. Smooth with a lingering sweet aftertaste and some nice floral bittersweetness that sneaks in if left to sit.

For somebody that’s a fan of floral forward oolong, this tea would be a treat.

Thanks for sharing, Martin!

Flavors: Bittersweet, Butter, Floral, Fruity, Jasmine, Lily, Magnolia, Perfume, Pineapple, Rich, Smooth, Sweet, Vegetal

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 g 10 OZ / 300 ML

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93

If Vietnamese red teas are too strong and rustic for you, consider this oolong. It has a very similar taste profile without the harsh stomach. A beautiful tea, silky smooth with strong wet rock minerality and a slight rasp on the tongue. Alluring character that evokes damp smoke and tobacco notes weaving through a pristine high mountain clouded forest. This tea manages to capture citrus, red fruits, osmanthus, leather, cocoa and tobacco in equal parts. It also has a strong calming effect.

Thanks for sharing, Martin!

Flavors: Almond, Bright, Citrus Fruits, Citrusy, Clean, Cocoa, Coconut Husk, Dark Chocolate, Earthy, Floral, Geosmin, Leather, Mineral, Osmanthus, Red Fruits, Silky, Smoke, Smooth, Sweet, Tangy, Tobacco, Wet Rocks

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 1 min, 0 sec 4 g 4 OZ / 110 ML
Martin Bednář

I am really glad you liked it! Definitely, your note is more descriptive than mine :)

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90

Oh wow. That’s good. Better than the cocoa nib buckwheat tea? Maybe so.

Thanks, g. I needed this.

<3

Flavors: Buckwheat, Coconut, Cookie, Rich, Sweet

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more 3 tsp 14 OZ / 414 ML
gmathis

I think I still like the cocoa version better, but I’m not seeing it available anywhere.

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10

Random office find of unknown age, packaged in an open-to-the elements paper envelope.

Green tea fannings. That was gross. Dumped.

gmathis

Bad tea just serves to help you cherish the good stuff.

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50
drank Chai Spice by Farmer Brothers
1557 tasting notes

Had at Pete’s Henny Penny with pancakes, bacon and eggs for dinner.

Plain was fine. Adding a bit of half & half and honey drowned the spices so that it tasted mostly of “tea”. As an American diner chai tea had with breakfast-for-dinner with my loved one during a winter’s night windstorm, I have no complaints.

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80
drank Hefeng Maojian by One River Tea
1557 tasting notes

No notes yet. Add one?

Flavors: Alfalfa, Asparagus, Bread Dough, Butter, Savory, Soybean, Sunflower Seed, Sweet

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drank Sumibi Houjicha by ChaTo
1557 tasting notes

I got a BIG bag of this from a friend who got it in San Francisco’s Japantown. The amount of tea intimidated me, so I offloaded most of it to ashmanra and distributed half the remainder to other tea drinkers.

It’s exactly as Cameron B describes ( https://steepster.com/CameronB/posts/435684 ) and really pleasant to drink. Tonight’s sipdown was brewed in the big glass pot for 3 of us in the house. I paired it with a small white chocolate peanut butter cup. The tea is also rich and nutty but the slight astringency of the tea absolutely complemented the richness of my dessert. I like the charcoal taste here — the tea is roasted skillfully and has a nice, smooth roasted flavor.

This has a richer flavor brewed in a small clay pot and can be steeped again. It does equally well with the recommend 90C as with 100C.

Now I wish I had kept more of this houjicha for myself :$

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Buckwheat, Butter, Caramelized Sugar, Cashew, Charcoal, Grass, Nutty, Rich, Roasty, Smooth, Sweet, Woody

ashmanra

I had some a couple of nights ago to go with homemade vanilla ice cream. Nommmmmm

derk

Glad you enjoyed the pairing.

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Bio

This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. And thus I step away.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile. Terpene fiend.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, Nepal and Darjeeling. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possess off flavors/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s pu’er, I likely think it needs more age.

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California, USA

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