253 Tasting Notes
Got 75 g of this tea with my latest WFT order as I liked it so much last year! This year’s batch is similarly amazing, but maybe slightly less so. I’d give it a 98 this time around. Still fantastic, but maybe not as much pizzaz as last year. So glad I got a lot though!
Harvest: Spring, 2025
Cultivar: Qing Xin
Location: Bi Lu Xi, Renai Township, Li Shan, Taiwan
Elevation: 2300 m
This Gyokuro is simply phenomenal! I’m at a loss for words. Definitely more seaweed/umami in this one, but still very unique for a gyokuro.
This is a den/hon gyokuro shaded for 20 days. No sweetness, bitterness, or astringency. Fairly potent for 4-5 infusions.
Harvest: Spring, 2025
Location: Hoshinomura, Yame, Fukuoka
Flavors: Cucumber, Seaweed, Umami
From a new Kettl order. This shincha is very unique! One of the strangest tasting senchas I’ve had. I like the complexity and novelty, but it’s not my favorite combination of flavors honestly.
No sweetness, bitterness, or astringency. Basically no seaweed/umami that I usually get from Japanese greens. But it is still very savory, just in an herbal way. In fact, their tasting notes are pretty spot on.
Harvest: Spring 2025
Cultivar: Yabukita
Location: Minami-Yamashiro (150 m)
Flavors: Artichoke, Green, Herbs, Savory
This one was a free sample from Verdant with my order. Glad to get to try another of Mrs. Li’s Dragonwells. This is the most potent by far. At the opposite end of the spectrum from the #43. Actually a bit too potent for my liking, but certainly not bad.
Lots of chestnut and big mouthfeel. A touch of hot astringency too. No sweetness or bitterness.
Harvest: March 2025
Cultivar: Longjing Qunti
Location: Longjing Village, Zhejiang Province
Elevation: 300 m
Flavors: Chestnut, Vegetal
This is so much better than that junk from iTeaworld. Don’t ever plan to buy from them again. This is the Longjing I’m looking for.
Not as transcendant an experience as the variety I tried last year from Verdant, but still quite nice. Minimal to no sweetness. No bitterness or astringency. Lasts 5-6 steeps.
Harvest: Pre-qingming, 2025
Cultivar: Longjing Qunti
Location: Longjing Village, Zhejiang Province
Elevation: 300 m
Flavors: Chestnut, Roasty
Well this is very different from the other Dong Ding I’ve tried. First of all, the leaves look NOWHERE near as dark as in the photo. In fact, they’re not even brown. And the smell of the dry leaves is pretty fruity. I was convinced this was not roasted until I tried the liquor. Even still, it is a VERY light roast (they call it a medium roast though).
This isn’t bad, but just confusing. The flavor is there and there’s some sweetness and stuff, but it’s just a bit jumbled to me.
Flavors: Cream, Fruity, Honey, Roasty, Sweet
Interesting. I created the page on it, and it was more of medium roast when I first got it. I almost didn’t order it because I thought they did a darker roast based on the picture. That’s a good thing for me in my recent order. I particularly like this one because it’s fruity with a little bit of roast.
Yes definitely mostly fruity and not too much roast! It was a super confusing tea for me haha.
The first of the oolongs I tried from my first spring order from WFT this year. So good just like last year! Similar mix of flavors too.
Harvest: Spring, 2025
From my Verdant order that I placed to secure some Dragonwell after a disappointing first effort. I decided to add a sample of this tea, a style I’ve had my eye on for some time but have yet to try. It is definitely a unique flavor!
Unfortunately, there is no “okra” descriptor, as that is the exact smell the dry leaves give off! On the palate, that has evolved into artichoke for sure. The broth is somewhat sweet (medium low) and thick as milk. Definitely a nice green!
Harvest: Spring 2025
Location: Guixi Village, Qimen, Anhui
Elevation: 200 m
Cultivar: Shi Da Ye
Flavors: Artichoke, Milk, Sweet, Vegetal
So ecstatic for my fresh order from WFT! In their infinite kindness, they sent me 30 g of this tea as a free sample, a value of $22! And a great tea it is indeed.
The sweetness is there from the get go and evolves into a more savory flavor as the infusions progress. Definitely get a mung bean flavor throughout. No bitterness or astringency. Nice potency and decent longevity for a green – about 4-5 infusions.
Harvest: Spring 2025
Location: Sanxia
Cultivar: Qing Xingan Zi
Elevation: 400 m
Flavors: Chestnut, Creamy, Mung Bean, Seaweed, Sweet
Another one I forgot to review. I don’t think I had ever even tried this one as I don’t remember it at all. It is very very nice!
The sweetness is very palatable and intense, especially in the earlier infusions. Wish I could get a cake of this as it’s very affordable, but will hold off until the tarriff situation blows over haha.
Flavors: Camphor, Honey, Sweet, Wood
