188 Tasting Notes

92

Simple is not the word for this luscious tea. Your tongue will thank you as you sip (I slurped) it’s many layers of spice, citrus and florals all within a gentle sweetness. Again I’m impressed with the selection of Nilgiris Teabox offers and as I am a novice in this terroir I do know a good tea when presented to me. It also has a great kick to it so follow the steeping guidelines, which I did for the first cup then added another dose in the second on top of the first. BOING is the appropriate word.

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 5 min, 0 sec 2 g 6 OZ / 177 ML
Doug F

Maybe I’ll start with this one. Sounds excellent!

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90

Very nice sample, again following the steep guidelines to a ‘tea’, I used a non descriptive teapot 6oz and took my time brewing, being mostly a small gaiwan gongfu kind of guy it really is hard for me to wait the requisite 5 minutes but I persevered.
The wait is worth it, dark coppery liquor with wet leave whiffs of graham cracker and dried peaches. The flavors of muscatel is what brings this to fame and the emergence of different fruit notes that are all in like a line up, musk melon, peach, and dried apricot. There is a bit of sweet and tannin. The tannin had me add 1/2 tsp of dark muscovado just to give it the ‘tea and peach pie’ all in one flavor. Teabox is showing its best teas in its free samples and why not, I would reach out to this tea again for sure.

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 5 min, 0 sec 3 g 6 OZ / 177 ML
Doug F

Is this a 2015 second flush?

BigDaddy

I think so, website is not specific but I’m assuming its from 2014 summer (second) flush.

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82

Forays into Darjeeling, large sample order from Teabox. I followed the instruction on the bag and used a small teapot. Liqor was deep orange gold with aromas of what I thought marigold petals. the flavor of muscatel, lemon, honey all equally balanced but slightly muted, slight sweet and bitter not too noticeable. Seems to me to be a nice afternoon tea although I drank it post morning. One sample down 25+ to go.

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 g 6 OZ / 177 ML

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88

Bought this a while ago and finally giving it a go. I mostly drink oolong but have been somewhat hesitant to buy them from Yunnan Sourcing as I think they are really average teas and not much definition. That said I do like all they offer in greens and pu erh, that’s where they shine. This tea is from the US website and must of been sourced prior to the Taiwan Sourcing site going live.
Dry leaf has usual floral hay scents, the liquor is deep golden with a definite creaminess, floral bouquet and mild char from the roasting. You can get a hint of chocolate from the first couple brews as the website suggests. After the first 6 steeps flavors drop off but still the structure is there in the viscosity and color. I played it out for a total of 12 steeps.
Now I have to re-examine my purchasing to include more oolongs from USUS.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 30 sec 8 g 5 OZ / 150 ML
TeaBrat

do you have a favorite vendor for oolong?

BigDaddy

For Wuyis and Phoenix oolongs Dragon Tea house, Tea Drunk, and Tea Urchin. All have top flight teas. Anxi oolongs I get pretty much from all types of vendors as it is one of the most consistent varieties, Aroma Te Shop has some under the shelf stuff that’s drop dead gorgeous. For Taiwan oolongs Song Tea, Taiwan Sourcing and a local shop in Flushing at New World Mall Yun Xiang. The proprietor is from the mainland but the store is mostly Taiwanese teas, she also has some of the best green jasmine I’ve ever had. Hope that helps.

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92

Everything you want in a Dan Cong. From dry to the spent leaf there is abundant florals touch of sweetness and amazing structure. Bright yellow-orange soup from my medium walled gaiwan, flavored direct representation of orange blossoms and peach-apricot pit. It is so pleasing that you dread finishing. Hats off to Shunan at Tea Drunk, her sourcing continues to marvel.

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 0 min, 15 sec 8 g 4 OZ / 125 ML

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96

For an experimental cultivar this is over the top unctuous. Song’s description is in itself so spot on the only thing I can add is that the mouthfeel is heavy, like light maple syrup and with good rock notes coming in later infusion. I brewed this in a standard gaiwan and the color is off the chain golden. The medium roast and high oxidation make this a very clean tea drinking experience. Glad I skipped the urge to only buy a small amount and got a big bag. My friends I served it to had an other world tea, for sure.

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 0 min, 30 sec 8 g 125 OZ / 3696 ML

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96

Thick walled gaiwan same prep for the Da Hong Pao I brewed yesterday. This tea in its dry state smells like the DHP but with a bit of smoke. Smooth, thick, bold almost chew-able and an incredible follow through. I especially made a point of aerating this more than my usual sip and the cigar smoke is heavenly. Not as flowery as some of the lighted roasted Shui Xian I’ve tried previously. The roast is very heavy resulting in a dark liquor that of a Shou Pu Ehr. The spent leaves are all uniform dark dark brown twisted and not a broken one in the bunch reminding me of hijiki. If you like big and bold this is for you

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 15 sec 8 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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98

Comes in prepacked 8g foil packets. Used a thick walled gaiwan. Dry leaf has notes of molasses and cocoa. Did three steeps into my fair cup all just a few seconds in length. I can tell you that this tea can make you cry its so good. Deep brick soup color. Wet leaf aromas of toasted rice and slight florals, flavors of cocoa, grain, dried cherries, floral notes and a pleasant smokiness. Smooth, layered, just enough sweetness, medium roasted, thick on the tongue. I ended up with 16 steeps and a belly full of goodness. Glad I splurged on this.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 15 sec 8 g 3 OZ / 100 ML
Doug F

Where did you find this?

BigDaddy

Its available from Dragon Tea House

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94

Wow, what a great brew. The dry leaf is fairly roasted. Nice bouquet of cereal and faint floral. I used a small celadon tea pot and the soup was bronze indeed, sweet honey, apricot pit, thick but not too roasted. Very good structure throughout its steeps as I’m at 10 now and there is still a lot of flavor and color. Cant wait to try the Dong Ding I purchased from them as well. Taiwan Sourcing, don’t miss it.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 15 sec 2 tsp 7 OZ / 200 ML

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Food and Drink fanatic. Expanding my horizons with new teas. Accomplished cook with a love of wines, liquors, cocktails, coffees and teas.
Semi-retired Interventional Cardiology Registered Nurse

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East Village NYC, Red Hook NY, USA

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