Mountain View Tea Village
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Thanks again to Cameron B! One tuocha to sample, so this is a sipdown! This is one of the tiniest tuochas I have ever seen. And judging by the flavor, I don’t think I have had this one before, including from another tea shop. The wrapper is plain white tissue paper and looks like a bird nest. 1999 is quite an old tuocha! The earthy richness is apparent even before the water hits the tuocha, which is why I had to double check the label on the tea to see if it was ripe or raw when the first brew was so so light. Really, the only flavor was a slight BBQ smoke and the tuocha in the infuser was barely different in appearance, no unraveling. The second steep takes off and the flavor might be the DIRTiest puerh I have ever had. (That’s a good thing IMO. ) The third steep was even richer, but then the fourth had kind of weakened, even with a 10 minute steep. Overall, happy to have tried such an old one! But the size of the tuocha doesn’t really lead to as many steeps and as much complexity in flavor as I would like, never really escaping that full dirt flavor. I’m honored this tuocha waited around for me though. :D
Steep #1 // 20 minutes after boiling // 3-4 minute steep
Steep #2 // 10 minutes after boiling // 5 minute steep
Steep #3 // just boiled // 5 min
Steep #4 // just boiled // 10 min
2023 sipdowns: 77
Flavors: Dirt, Earthy, Smoke
Fragrant and sweet, this lychee green oolong isn’t overwhelming, but IS however quite tasty. I know some are rather purist about flavored teas, and I’d venture to guess this isn’t for them. However, for those who like natural flavoring, this tastes like lychee. It’s refreshing in the mornings, and I bet it would taste wonderful iced.
I am still building my flavor palette for teas. The oolong flavor is understated, but noticeable if the tea cools, or if it steeps for two minutes. It is sold as loose leaf, and the rolled oolong leaves were not shredded or chopped in any way. If I were to hazard a guess, the tea used is a greener oolong that is mild in flavor and not too expensive, but not bottom of the barrel. Something, essentially, that would appeal to those who specifically like drinking sweet drinks.
I like drinking tea straight, and I like drinking tea blended or flavored.
Flavors: Lychee
Preparation
Fair warning, this is floral as heck, so if you’re not a fan of a flower shower, I’d advise to try another tea from MVTV. But if you’re a fan, like me, this tea is fantastic. Quite light tasting and smells great. I will admit that I have no idea how to optimally brew it, given that it’s a green/oolong blend (correct me if wrong)!
Flavors: Flowers, Rose
Preparation
Well that was pretty excellent.
The best pu-erh I’ve had so far. Generally I’ve found it to be overwhelming, fishy smell, etc. this pu-erh has none of those problems. Smooth and complex with some interesting flavours.
The colour of it is particularly striking, it’s very dark, like coffee. That’s pretty surprising given the comparatively lighter taste and lower caffeine levels. An interesting and nice cup. Enjoyed it!
Preparation
Hollllllllllly craaaaaaaap this is amazing.
This is a fantastic, extremely rose heavy fragrant green oolong, it is totally awesome. I am generally a big rose fan (I love rose water, for example) so heads up that it’s pretty potent, but I thought it totally rocked. Great punch to it, and excellent flavour, really fantastic.
Preparation
You know when you leave your favorite tea for other, more attractive, (pumpkin spice) flavored teas? You even put in cream. And honey. And you’re happy with them, because it’s fall, and it suits your mood. But then one day you get a new teapot in the mail and it tells you, “Hey. That tea and I were made for each other.” So you get out your old favorite, and it makes you swear off “corrupted” tea and junk food, too. At least for today. Maybe you’ll even do some yoga.
This tea brews easily and tastes fabulous after several steepings – squeeze every last drop of tea from it. And that first quick 30 second “rinse” steep – the one that some people dump? I drink it, too. I’ve really pushed what’s acceptable to do to oolongs, and it’s hard to mess this one up. The description mentions cinnamon notes, but I mostly get sweet sweet floral on my palate. Perhaps the “cinnamon” is the grounding flavor that keeps it from being perfume instead of tea. Some of the early infusions might have that delightful buttery feeling, too. The leaves themselves are packed densely, but don’t put off much of an aroma, but even that first pale cup just wafts deliciousness.
I got this package on a trip to Mt. View, and the teashop itself is just amazing. Canisters of teas both (tastefully) flavored and “pure” that the owners are practically giddy (but not pushy) about sharing a whiff of. Tables of yixing pots. Even some crazy flea market style antiques in the back. It’s a trip in itself just to visit for kicks.
Preparation
This is a great tea for what I was seeking. I wanted a pu-erh that I could enjoy daily, and for me, that meant finding a good combination of flavor and quantity. The shop owner pointed me towards this tea, and I’ve now been drinking it for a few days.
I have started using two of the tou cha’s for a stronger steeping. I probably wouldn’t have to do this if I had more control over the temperature of the water at work. If you want to drink pu-erh on the daily, this is the one.
Contains quite a bit of stem which I think contributes a bit of a woody flavor. It may even contribute a bit to what the other person indicated was a smokey flavor. It is sweet, and what you would expect for an oolong.
I have so far done three infusions and it still holds flavor, which is nice. I don’t really notice anything super particular about this tea just yet – but I’m also drinking it as I work and am not providing a great deal of focus to my sipping.
Preparation
A very interesting tea. I was seeking a stronger pu-erh and the owners recommended this one. Was a bit hesitant to buy a tea that was older than I am, but it turned out to be a great selection. Also the owner gave me a very ‘generous’ ounce :)
I think that the tea is great through 4 or so steepings, and does bring a rather earthy flavor that is also smooth and I might even say more relaxing than some of the other pu-erhs that I’ve had. I will go back to this tea for special occasions.