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“This tea is just plain fun! I enjoy tea – all types (with only a few exceptions). However, when there is a special fun factor involved, I enjoy it even more. This Monkey King is just such a...” Read full tasting note
Tai Ping Hou Kui Tea is named after its main producing area Houkeng Village, Tai Ping county, in Anhui Province,China. Kui is the name of the inventor and it also means the best one. It won a gold medal in the 1915’s Panama Pacific Exposition and is listed as one of China’s Most Famous Teas.
The tea can only be picked 2 weeks a year. Normally tea producers pick small buds and new leaves, but Tai Ping Hou Kui is different. The pickers pick large leaves. They pick leaves which are 7 to 15cm in length. The leaves are fried to kill the oxidizing enzymes. Then, the leaves are pressed between cloth and fully dried in an oven. The leaves are lovely green. It’s renowned for its “two knives and one pole”: two straight leaves clasping the enormous bud with white hairs. The fresh and mellow taste comes with high pure aroma which known as “monkey rhyme”. It smells like orchid, natural and refreshing. It’s clean and elegant flavor sets it apart from other regular, or even top quality, green teas.
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This tea is just plain fun! I enjoy tea – all types (with only a few exceptions). However, when there is a special fun factor involved, I enjoy it even more. This Monkey King is just such a tea.
I had heard about Monkey King from a former Chinese exchange student in one of the courses I taught a few years ago. He said that I would definitely enjoy it. I never forgot that recommendation and I’ve been on the lookout for the tea.
I recently placed an order through an eBay tea shop based in Shenzhen (Royal Tea Bay). By the way, I would recommend this direct source for tea from China – shipping cost is included in their tea prices and my order arrived at my front door just 7 days after placing it online. I was delighted to discover that they had a new Spring 2013 harvest of Tai Ping Hou Kui (Monkey King Green Tea) and I had to order it. My order arrived late yesterday and I was quite excited to try it early this morning.
I am in love with this tea – the whole experience! First of all, be prepared to be blown away by the size of the leaf - 4" to 4.25". Beautiful thin, whole, flat leaves with lovely shades of green coloring in each. They are very delicate and paper thin like tissue paper. The aroma of the dry leaf is slight but pleasant.
The recommendation for brewing this tea is to use a clear glass with 175 – 180 degree water. I decided to try it in my 16oz Chinese glass tumbler with filter for drinking. I was unsure of the leaf amount so I started with 22 long leaves added after pouring the heated water. It was a pleasure to watch these tall soldiers stand at full attention in the water. The tea aroma was vegetal and sweet and was a very pale yellowish-green color. The flavor is sweet with clear vegetal overtones and I was able to detect a little citrus.
As I finished half of the liquid in the glass tumbler, I added more hot water. This continued over a three hour period using the original 22 leaves, adding more and more water, and it was only at the very end that I detected a slight astringency.
This tea is fantastic and this was a wonderful tea experience. I’ll definitely reorder. Teavivre has a Spring 2013 Tai Ping Hou Kui Green and that will probably be my next Monkey King tasting.
