Cha Ceremony

I usually am not a fan of aged oolongs, for they sometimes hurt my stomach. I’m not sure what it is, but there is something about the aged tones that act aggressive towards my digestion. This is only apparent in aged oolongs though, for I incredibly enjoy aged puerh. This tea did not have that effect on me. The leaves are nice and dark and carry dry oak tones along with some roasted fruit. The impression is tangy, mildly acrid, and without complexity. I warmed my pot up and placed what I had inside. The aroma from the leaves is prominent with roast, and there are a few sweet tones and some cedar that take the backseat. This is a nice experience, for it is both smoothly sweet and harshly bitter. I washed the leaves quickly and steeped away. The bowl contains a drink that is very heavy with roast; however, it is not overwhelmingly so. The roast brings some good mouth watering and a returning sugar cane sweetness. The brew is mildly oily. The drink continues in this manner with a smooth appearance that covers the muted rough wood tones. I enjoyed this tea, but the aged tones were almost non-existent. I can guess that age shows its face with curved cedar tone, but it is mostly consumed by the classic roast and cliff taste. Perhaps this hasn’t aged enough, or perhaps it was re-roasted not too long ago. In any case, this is still a fair tea, and it makes a good daily drinker.

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I feel that Wuyi teas are trickier than Puerh, for there are a lot of Wuyi’s but there are veeeerry few good ones. Luckily, this tea falls into that category. However, I wouldn’t call it luck, for it was well made. This Shuixian this different that ones I’ve had before. I’m a fan of Laocong, for it has a more distinct cliff taste, and I enjoy how oily they are. This tea fits those perfectly. The leaves are nice and long and wiry with a bit of strength to them. They carry a hearty smooth roast of toasted berries and subtle peach pie. It is very pleasant. I warmed my teapot and placed what I had inside, so that the pot was completely stuffed. The aroma from the lifted lid is of intense roast, graham crackers, some slight earth, and coffee. It’s an awakening aroma. I washed the leaves quickly and prepared for brewing. The brew was quick and the water was hot. I pulled out one cup full of laocong goodness. The taste begins very sweet and thick. There is a massive huigan that continuously cycles as it washes over my tongue. The taste is long and filled with stevia sweet sensations. The next sip brings a more prominent cliff taste along with a tannic undertone that scurries behind my tongue. The brew is surprisingly well rounded and full without hardly any edges. Upon completion, I can fell my mouth salivating and tongue well lubricated. This is some awesome stuff. In my experience, shuixian is bit drier and tannic with slate tones. This tea is much different than what I’ve had. I enjoyed my session. It’s good to know there are still great wuyi’s accessible to the west. :)

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I have been away for a bit due to life being hectic, my travels, and the move, but I am slowly returning to my affair with tea. I’d like to jump back in with this yancha. This yancha was hand roasted by Cha Ceremony, and it makes for an interesting brew. The leaves are a bit wiry and thin but the have a nice broad leaf and fairly long. Due to the med. roasting, they have retained a good portion of their forest green appearance. The dry leaves give off an aroma of light fruitiness and hay with some dry wood undertones lightly creeping in. With a breath over the leaves, I can pick up a smooth roast tone with berry and yam mixed in. This is a nice classic roast aroma. I warmed my vessel up and poured the leaves inside. The roast scent spikes up with sweet potatoes, mahogany, and leather; thus forming into the typical sturdy and familiar roast scent. I washed the leaves briefly once and began my steeping. The taste is smooth and thick with a good roast base. A light returning sweetness waves over my tongue along with a stout creaminess that remains. I can note a bit of cherrywood that provides structure. This is a decent tea, and it makes for a solid daily yancha. My only addition to add would be that this tea is quite perfectly a “medium”. Meaning, that this tea is grounded right in an awkward middle ground, for the tea is neither dependent on its roasted tones nor is focused on the fruity vibrant greens. Therefore, the tea lacks in each department making it “too balanced”; however, this is me just splitting hairs. The tea is able to withstand a second steeping due to its lack of heavy roast, and it brings back a 50/50 meld of vegetal and char that soothes and calms with a classic cliff taste. I enjoyed this tea, and this would be perfect to stock up on guests that are casual drinkers.

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Thank You Marcus Reed for this sample. This was quite good. It had a light roast profile. The charcoal roast flavor was not overpowering. By the fourth steep I noticed I couldn’t taste it anymore. I am kind of at a loss as to how to describe the main flavor note of this tea, but it was good. This is a fairly recent harvest, I think Spring 2015 but I am not sure. this is one I would consider buying even though I am not as big a yancha fan as a puerh fan.

I brewed this twelve times in a 50ml gaiwan with 3.1g leaf and boiling water. I gave it a 10 second rinse. I steeped it for 5 sec, 5 sec, 7 sec, 10 sec, 15 sec, 20 sec, 25 sec, 30 sec, 45 sec, 1 min, 1.5 min, and 2 min. Judging by the color of the tea in the final steep I’d say these leaves would go three or four more steeps but I’ve had enough at twelve.