Nannuoshan

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drank Dian Yin Zhen by Nannuoshan
818 tasting notes

I enjoyed the rest of my sample of this tea today in my new gaiwan and cup from Nannuoshan! I love the buttery grilled taste of this tea and it was so beautiful to enjoy in my new teaware, which is also amazing! I think I did pretty well not burning my fingers with a true gaiwan! Yay! All my previous gaiwans were “easy” gaiwans. I was waiting until one “spoke” to me and this one did! Here are some pics:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16812263281/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16625805978/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16812262832/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16191014604/

Shae

How pretty! I love the lined rim. What is the design on the front?

Tealizzy

The gaiwan has a bird on a branch and the cup is a grasshopper with some grass! Are you on Instagram? I have some close-up pics from the day it came in the mail. :)

Ubacat

Ah, the bird gaiwan and insect cup. They are beautiful.

Tealizzy

Thanks, Ubacat! :)

Shae

I am! Must have just missed those. Found the pics and they are lovely!

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drank Dian Yin Zhen by Nannuoshan
818 tasting notes

Thanks so much to nannuoshan for all the samples! This is my last one and I can honestly say that all of them were of excellent quality and delicious. I will be picking up some tea in the future.

The dry leaf of this tea looks like a silver needle crossed with a golden needle yunnan black. It is sea foam green color and smells fresh, with some potato and mint notes.

I followed the recommended gong fu parameters, but was able to enjoy a couple more infusions than were listed. The liquor is like a creamy yellow/taupe color, but clear and lightly viscous. The first sip tastes sweet with a juicy texture. There are definite potato notes and a delicious grilled taste with maybe some sweet pipe tobacco. This is amazing! It’s like velvet in my mouth.

Wow, this tea is so different than other white teas. Usually, white tea has hay or cucumber notes, but the grilled taste in this one is just fabulous! The uniqueness of this one makes it stand out to me, and it has definitely earned a place on my “buy” list.

Pics of the leaf and liquor:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16363591558/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16550165422/

Jennkay

Sounds interesting for a white tea! And it looks so pretty! Adding it to my list for later.

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drank Long Jing Xi Hu by Nannuoshan
2170 tasting notes

This is my second sample of the day from Gabriele and nannuoshan. Thank you!

My brother came over for dinner tonight and while I was cooking I let him pick a tea from my bag of remaining samples. He narrowed it down to this green tea, a white tea, and an oolong. We opened each to have a look and take in the scent, hoping it would help him in his decision. My brother loves fruity teas so when I opened the first pouch (which was the white tea) this is what he says — “It smells like Lipton.” I followed with the oolong and green teas which he said smelled like “stronger Lipton”. It made me laugh out loud, but I completely get it – each of them smells simply of tea. I’m no tea connoisseur but after learning about so many different teas here on Steepster I’m finally able to pick out a few distinct notes and really start learning the characteristics and myriad flavors of each type of tea. It’s been so much fun, but I’ve only barely scratched the surface. There’s still so much to learn and experience.

This tea reminds me so much of spring with its blue skies, pink and white blossoms, and cool green grass under bare feet. The tea leaves themselves are the color of moss and look just like fresh-cut blades of grass. They are pressed flat as if they’ve been stuck between two pages of an old book. The smell is fresh and green – it’s quite refreshing. I steeped half of my sample for a full minute in the gaiwan then poured the liquid into three cups. It’s very light in color and smells of grass and toasted rice. I’m pleasantly surprised by the taste. It is delicate but also very flavorful, much like its aroma.

I steeped this twice more, with both cups tasting much the same as the first. It started to become a little bitter and just a touch astringent, so it was probably best that I stopped at three.

Of the two I’ve tried so far from nannuoshan, this one I like the best.

Infusions
4 ounces water + 175 degrees + 60 sec, 65 sec, 90 sec

Flavors: Grass, Green, Toasted Rice

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 1 min, 0 sec 3 g 4 OZ / 118 ML

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drank Nannuoshan 2013 by Nannuoshan
2170 tasting notes

Thank you to Gabriele and nannuoshan for this sample. It’s such a generous one!

Gabriele sent eight teas to sample over the course of the next week and I am starting the day off with this one. Packed with the teas and all of my beautiful teaware was a typed note filled with personalized steeping recommendations for each of the teas I requested. For this particular one, it was recommended that I use the entire package in my gaiwan. This will be my first time ever to use a gaiwan so I have to admit that I’ve been nervous about it all morning. I’m so worried that my inexperience will somehow negatively influence the taste of this beautiful tea. I did watch a couple of videos earlier today and Gabriele directed me to some photos on Facebook that took me through the process. It seems so involved but also so much more of an experience.

The dry leaves of this tea are almost too pretty to take any further. They are long and lovely and smell so sweet! Most are dark like fresh-tilled earth; some are white and fuzzy with a coat like a Jack Russell terrier. Still others are bordering on shades of nude or wheat. They twist and curl at the ends like unmade corkscrews.

I told a friend last night that we had bought a gaiwan and he jokingly asked if that was the method where you just pour tea all over everything. I wasn’t sure what he meant but now I think I understand. I poured water over the leaves and immediately tipped the first infusion out over all of the pieces to warm them. I made a terrible mess, of course, but the tea tray seems to be well prepared for such a thing. The leaves are starting to unfurl and now have more of a savory aroma, something like spinach or turnip greens.

For my first true steep, I could not seem to get the water in fast enough to empty the gaiwan. By the time the water filled the vessel, the timer in my head was already at six seconds and I was rushing to get it into the pitcher before the bitterness set in. The color of the tea liquid is reminiscent of the flesh of a yellow peach. The sweetness has returned in both flavor and fragrance, but there is a trace of bitterness there which I know is my doing. I can also taste an underlying fruitiness, but the specific fruit is set on evading me. I’ve slowly been adding caffeine back into my diet (but only in the form of tea) and I can feel the effects here. It’s almost that feeling of having one cocktail too many, a wooziness in the head.

I completed five infusions total with each one gentler than the last. It was amazing to see the tea start as thin twists and over time open into full leaves. Toward the end, the leaves still carried their vegetal aroma. The liquid was also bitter through each steep, but not excessively so. Once I become accustomed to using the gaiwan I would like to try this one again. I think there is so much there that I was unable to tap into.

Infusions
4 ounces water + 212 degrees + 6 sec, 7 sec, 10 sec, 15 sec, 15 sec

Flavors: Fruity, Spinach, Sweet, Vegetal

Preparation
Boiling 7 g 4 OZ / 118 ML
Tealizzy

Good job getting used to the gaiwan! I still only have easy gaiwans, but I’m looking forward to my first genuine gaiwan to come soon! I recommend doing several 5-second steeps of this one at first. Also, it’s good to rinse it a couple of times before brewing it.

Shae

Thank you! It was actually really fun once I got used to doing it. I’m looking forward to seeing the one you ordered. I hope you’ll post some pictures!

Thank you for the tip – I will definitely try the 5-second steeps when I order again. I’m going to have to move a little bit faster next time. :) So do you rinse in cool water? I’m guessing you would still have to do that first infusion afterward to warm the cups? (I’m going off the notes that Gabriele sent that say that the first infusion is for just a few seconds and is not for drinking but can be used to rinse/warm the pitcher and cups.)

Tealizzy

Actually, the first infusion to warm the cups is actually a rinse with the hot water. I only did 5-second rinses…so you have to be quick! Two rinses are usually recommended for raw puerh. Then drink the next infusion, but then I still recommend a few 5-second infusions to start off. Take a look at my note on this tea. :) Oh, and I will definitely post pics!

Shae

Gotcha! Your note is so helpful. I think we may have gotten a few of the same teas so I will read the others you posted before my next attempt. Thank you!

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drank Yixing Hong Cha by Nannuoshan
818 tasting notes

Thanks for the sample, nannuoshan! This is the third black tea I tried. The dry leaf is dark brown to black in color, thin, and twisty. It smells like malt. I followed the recommended gong fu parameters to brew this tea, but I was able to enjoy a couple more infusions than were listed. The brewed liquor is a nice reddish-brown.

I taste a tiny bit of cocoa, but the flavor seems more potato in nature. I also get a bit of a tang. It is smooth and lightly viscous. Overall, it is clear that each of the three black teas I tried are different enough that one might enjoy all three at different times.

Pics of the leaf and liquor:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16354321967/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16353948049/

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Thanks for the sample, nannuoshan! This is the second of the three black teas I tried. The dry leaf consists of very curly, thin, dark brown leaves with some lighter brown sprinkled in. I used the recommended gong fu parameters to brew this tea and I was able to enjoy more than 3 infusions. The aroma is malty and smoky. The liquor is lightly viscous and reddish-brown in color,

With the first sip, there was an explosion of flavor. It was like a bunch of flavors were bouncing around in my mouth. There’s chocolate, vanilla, caramel, a bit of smoke, and even a bit of fruit, like dried cherry. The flavor is rich, like fudge. Nannuoshan’s website states this is a higher grade keemun (which are known as “Qimen”) and based on the flavors I tasted in this tea, I can tell this is of excellent quality. This is really a fantastic tea!

Pics of the leaf and liquor:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16341830268/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16528472902/

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drank Tanyang Gongfu by Nannuoshan
818 tasting notes

Thanks for the sample, nannuoshan! This is the first of the three black tea samples I tried. Gabriele wrote in his note that it seems like I like black tea because I requested three, and he’s right! I do love black tea!

This one sounded like a good one to try first. The dry leaf consists of about half-inch long, thin, twisty black leaves and smells like malt. Here’s a pic:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16504814202/

I followed the recommended gong fu steeping parameters, which are not that different than how I usually gong fu brew black teas. The steeped leaves smell like malt and cocoa. The liquor is reddish-brown in color and smells like cocoa and honey. It is medium viscosity, not overly thick or thin, and smooth and clear.

The first infusion is smooth and tastes like cocoa, honey, and nuts. Yum! In the second infusion, the liquor is more red in color, like a cherry wood, and the flavors continue with cocoa, honey, and some malt creeping in. I found more even more honey notes in the third infusion, at least in the aroma, with light malt and cocoa.

The recommended 3 infusions are perfect as the flavors start to diminish after that.

Of the three black teas I tried, this one is my favorite. The cocoa and honey flavor lingered in my mind. I’m excited that I still have enough leaf for another session! Maybe I’ll wait to have it in the new gaiwan I ordered!

cookies

I loved this one!

Tealizzy

@cookies – high fives! :)

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96
drank Anji Bai Cha by Nannuoshan
6 tasting notes

It has an intense smell even from the first seconds of infusion.
I like the fine taste of fresh green tea, that reminds me scents of fruit and a little bit of nuts. When I drink it, it seems to me that it is fresh-picked.
It is very good, I would dare to say that It is a tea appropriated to meditation.

As the Long Jing and all the other teas that I consume, I use to infuse it 3 times as in the gong fu cha method:
1°) 85° – 1min
2°) 83° – 2min
3°) 83° – 3min
I can only say that it was definitely not bitter in each one infusion but it was always more tempting and palatable.
Thank you Nannuoshan!

Flavors: Fruity, Grass, Tea

Preparation
3 g 5 OZ / 150 ML

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95

It is a fine and tasty tea. The smell is full, very unique. I like the taste because it is not bitter, It is full of flavours, with an aftertaste of chestnut, dry fruit and fresh green tea that entices to drink it.
I have infused it 3 times with the gong fu cha method.
1°) 85° – 1min
2°) 83° – 1min
3°) 83° – 1.30min
In each infusion there was a good taste of fresh and delicate tea. In the last infusion there was a little presence of bitter taste, but it was not strong so i enjoyed it.
Personally I like this tea very much, it is one of my favorites teas with Yin Zhen and Taiping Houkui.
Another time Thank you Nannuoshan!

Flavors: Chestnut, Fruity, Grass, Tea, Wood

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 1 min, 0 sec 3 g 5 OZ / 150 ML

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drank Nannuoshan 2013 by Nannuoshan
818 tasting notes

Thanks a bunch to nannuoshan for this sample! The dry leaf is a nice mixture of green and gold. I only had enough sample for one session…about 6g. I rinsed the leaf twice at 5 seconds each and then steeped it for 5 seconds. Because of my gooseneck kettle, I was barely able to finish pouring the water over it at 5 seconds! You have to be quick!

The wet leaf smells like dried fruits! The liquor is a pretty amber color. There were some other reviews about this one hitting strong after 5 seconds, so I went more gradually than usual and had three or so 5-second steeps, and then I started to add time with a 15-second steep and then a 25-second steep and so on.

From the beginning, it tastes like dried fruits and apricot. There’s a hint of sheng bitterness, but the short infusions prevent it from overpowering the flavor. At the 25-second steep, I noticed it was getting sweeter and that it was having a calming effect on me. It just kept going and going, getting sweeter and sweeter. I lost count of how many infusions I enjoyed. I was going to stop a number of times, but the developing sweetness kept calling to me, making me steep it “just one more time”, which actually became several times! The spent leaves are whole leaves and they look so fresh, like they were picked yesterday.

With longer steeps, initially there was more bitterness. I think it would be worth it to let this one age for a couple more years to mellow it out, especially since that dried fruit flavor is so delicious! I may pick some up with that in mind!

Pics of the session:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/15911361573/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16344088350/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16344088310/

Stephanie

Sounds great

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99
drank Tie Guan Yin 1993 by Nannuoshan
318 tasting notes

The dry leaves are fairly short and twisted in the “loosely rolled” style. Dark brown to green with slightly reddish stems. Thick, sweet aroma of date, cocoa, and leather.

The first step brew up a nice yellow-orange color. Wow, this one has some serious flavor! Ginseng, vanilla, clean leather, fall leaves, dates, guava, floral hyacinth finish. Thick, spicy tropical fruit aroma in the cha hai.

The second steep gives stonger fruit flavors with notes of lychee, moscato, and grahm cracker. Slight green tartness. Viscous, syrupy mouthfeel.

Later infusion become dryer in taste, like fall leaves, white wine, and incense. A mild, steadying qi becomes apparent.

The spent leaves are uniformly dark green and are somewhat broken, accounting for the small size.

An excellent tea, complex and delicious.

Flavors: Dates, Floral, Graham Cracker, Leather, Lychee, Vanilla, White Wine

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 g 5 OZ / 150 ML

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96
drank Bai Mu Dan 2008 by Nannuoshan
318 tasting notes

I’ve been interested in trying some aged white teas, so I was really excited about getting to sample this from one Nannuoshan.

The dry leaves on this one are fluffy and light brown with many silver tips. Aroma is sweet and musky with notes tulsi, vanilla, sourdough bread, and old book. It’s hard to place yet very feels very familiar .

The first infusion brews up a nice medium yellow color. Like the aroma the aroma, it tastes of tulsi, vanilla, sourdough, and has a light citrus flavor like pink grapefruit. A smooth and mellow cup with a dried flower sort of aroma.

Later steeps have more sweetness and a thick, syrupy mouthfeel as well as raisin, ginseng, and fragrant wood notes. Good stamina, putting up with ten infusions.

The spent leaves vary from deep brown to light brown-green. They are fairly small with lots of buds and a rubbery, flesh-like texture appearance.

I really enjoyed this one! Thick, complex flavor and good stamina

Flavors: Bread, Citrus, Raisins, Tulsi, Vanilla

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 5 g 5 OZ / 150 ML
Cwyn

I like Bai Mu Dan myself once in awhile, it is a great summer tea for me.

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drank Da Hong Pao by Nannuoshan
818 tasting notes

Thanks for the sample, nannuoshan! I think this is my first Da Hong Pao, although I’ve had roasted oolongs before. The dry leaf includes medium sized leaves that are dark, wide, and twisted. It smells like twigs, maybe some charcoal, and burnt popcorn (in a good way!)

The tea liquor is a pretty peach color, smooth, lightly viscous, and tastes like a roasted oolong with a hint of peach. The roasted flavor glides over the top, but it’s not too strong. In the second infusion, there’s a really nice juicy texture coming through. Mmmm! The third infusion is similar to the second and the subtle peach notes in the aroma are very pleasing. I followed the recommended gong fu steeping parameters for the first 3 infusions, but continued infusing it a few more times. In later steepings, I noticed that nice touch of mint that I sometimes taste in roasted oolongs. Overall, this is a warming and comforting tea, good for a cold winter night.

Pics of the leaf and liquor:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16319393209/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97273956@N03/16503942511/

nannuoshan

Thank you for the nice review!
Is it a bamboo tea-tray from Taiwan, the one in the flickr picture?
Although we cannot see it all, it looks a neat tray of high quality bamboo?
Can you post a couple of pictures of it?

Tealizzy

Thanks! Actually, the wood below the cup in the Flickr picture is just my desk! I do have a nice tea tray though, but it’s liighter in color, and the cutouts are in the shape of a cloud and breeze. I love it!

nannuoshan

maybe we speak of two different photos :)

Tealizzy

Oh! I thought you meant the photo in my review! Yes, that’s my cloud and breeze tea tray. I got it from Mandala, but I think Dragon Tea house also has it. I will post a photo of the whole thing for you.

nannuoshan

thank you :)

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81
drank Dian Yin Zhen by Nannuoshan
15006 tasting notes

So I am not generally a white/green/oolong tea fan. Whites in particular tend to taste like sweet water to me. I opted to brew this one western brew for about 3 mins. The taste here reminds me a little of wild monk from mandala but not quite. there’s a sweetness here that is really tasty and something that could almost be smoke..but that isn’t. I am a fan! I might even consider picking more of this up in the future…which says a lot for a white tea :)

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85
drank Yixing Hong Cha by Nannuoshan
318 tasting notes

Small, wiry, and twisted leaves. About 1cm in length and deep brown in color with reflective golden hairs. The dry aroma is both sweet and salty with cocoa, potato, and longan fruit notes.

The tea liquer is a warm orange color. There’s some really unique (and kind of strange) soy sauce and potato sort of flavors alongside fruity, floral, and chocolate notes, as well as a tamarind/greenish tang. An interesting balance of sweet, savory, and tangy.

The spent leaves are a milk chocolate brown, very small and tender. A good tea with a very interesting flavor profile, though to me it was a bit strange.

Flavors: Caramel, Chocolate, Floral, Fruity, Potato, Soy Sauce

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 g 5 OZ / 150 ML
Cwyn

This is a black tea, was it stored in Yixing jars? Trying to figure out the reasoning behind the name.

tperez

I believe it’s from Yixing (the town) I’ve seen a few other vendors offer Yixing black tea

nannuoshan

Right, it is from Yixing city. It is not as well-known as other Chinese black tea but has quite a good reputation in China.
Yixing, apart from the famous teapot, is also known for black and white tea (xue ya).

Cwyn

Nice! I thought of the jars because Teachat people have posted several photos lately of “old” clay jars full of tea showing up at auctions and selling for big bucks.

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86
drank Nannuoshan 2013 by Nannuoshan
318 tasting notes

Long and twisted grey-brown leaves with plenty of furry white buds. Leaf size is moderate for sheng. Slightly sweet marine aroma with notes of peach and clay.

This is a mild, friendly sheng with a light yellow infusion. Slightly brothy with umami, yet very clean and fresh. Slight floral daphodill flavor with clay and woody notes. Slight rock sugar sweetness.

By the third steeping the bitterness becomes more prominent, but is still pretty mild. Slight tobacco note, leather, peach, grain, and sandalwood. Good lingering aftertaste. The qi is mild, but very relaxing/sedating in nature.

After brewing, the leaves are long and slender. Olive green color with fairly plump purple-ish stems and prominent veins. A nice mild sheng.

Flavors: Clay, Floral, Grain, Oak, Peach

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 g 5 OZ / 150 ML

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94
drank Rougui by Nannuoshan
318 tasting notes

My second Nannuoshan Wuyi oolong. The dry leaves are medium-large, smaller and slightly more roasted than the Ban Tian Yao. Deep brown with touches of red and green. Strong aroma with slight roasted notes, very sweet with raisin and spice.

Brewing the tea I’m hit with an amazing floral/cinnamon aroma. Delicious cup with a moderate mineral taste. Notes of walnut, cinnamon, vanilla with just a faint touch of floral greenness. Aroma lingers both in the cup and in the mouth. Later infusions give stronger peach and cinnamon notes, a bit of musk, moderate sweetness, and a nice sparkling quality. This one has less stamina the the BTY and begins to fade by the 7th infusion. However I’m left with a nice calming qi and tingles across the top of my head

The spent leaves are a fairly uniform brown and green, darker and more broken than the BTY
Overall an excellent oolong with full flavor and aroma, but somewhat lacking in stamina.

Flavors: Cinnamon, Mineral, Peach, Walnut

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 g 5 OZ / 150 ML
Anlina

Sounds amazing! Wishlisted!

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84

Very small and tightly curled leaves. Fluffy and chocolate brown in color with a nice mix of golden buds. Lightly smoky mesquite aroma.

Nice coppery liquer. Savory butter and smoke flavors balanced out by fruit and honey notes. Slightly floral wild flower finish. A fairly delicate black tea.
Later infusions give more lychee/longan fruitiness, a touch of cocoa and honey, clean leather, and lesser smoke with a floral background. The mouthfeel is clean and round.

The spent leaves are tiny and tender with a light brown color with twinges of green, many under 1cm. Considerable time and effort must be put into picking so many young leaves
Overall a nice tea with a lovely appearance. Like the Ban Tian Yao it was nicely balanced with a mild flavor.

Flavors: Floral, Honey, Leather, Lychee, Smoke

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 g 5 OZ / 150 ML

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96
drank Anji Bai Cha by Nannuoshan
1118 tasting notes

My last Nannnuoshan for today. I’ll save the oolongs for tomorrow. ;-)

Oh my goodness, I love this one. It’s smooth and buttery with a light sweetness and a delicate sugar snap pea flavor. I felt like I was drinking something decadent as I sipped, and I can honestly say I’ve never thought that about a green tea before. This tea definitely took me to my happy place. The quality of the tea is excellent, and it resteeps very well (a big bonus in my book).

Another one for my wishlist. Thank you, Nannuoshan for the chance to sample such a nice tea!

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 1 min, 45 sec 1 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML
TeaNecromancer

I am so excited for mine to arrive, Anji Bai Cha is one of my favorite teas ever!

Ubacat

So looking forward to trying this tea!

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90

This is a good one. There’s lots of malt, bread, chocolate and smoky notes, and they’re all very well balanced. It’s not a heavy tea, but it’s a full tea – if that makes any sense. I like the amount of smoke in this tea as it enhances the other notes in a really nice way. To be honest, everything about his tea is really nice. It’s just super tasty, and it’s going on my wishlist.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML
TeaTiff

Nannuoshan has caught my eye. Must be all the reviews:) Which tea that you have tried is your favorite? You seem to have very similar taste as mine.

Veronica

I really like this one and I like the Anji Bai Cha. If you like green teas I’d give that one a try. It’s like springtime in a cup.

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89
drank Long Jing Shi feng by Nannuoshan
1118 tasting notes

This is another sample sent to me from Nannoshan. Thank you!

The first thing I noticed was how incredibly well sealed the Nannoshan sample packages are. I had to pull out my heavy duty scissors to cut through the packaging. Once I did get the sample open I could smell a nutty/vegetal scent from the leaves. I also noticed that the dry leaves were long and a beautiful bright green.

Once steeped the flavor was not as strong as I was expecting given the smell of the dry leaves. Instead there was a soft nutty flavor and a light sweetness. There was also a bit of a mineral note at the finish. The tea tasted clean and very fresh. Even though the flavor was soft it had a brightness to it as well that I really like in high quality Long Jing.

I kept wanting to say there’s a floral note in this tea, but there’s not. The natural sweetness of the tea along with the over all softness of the cup gives the impression of something floral-like. Overall, a very nice cup.

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML

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97
drank Ban Tian Yao by Nannuoshan
318 tasting notes

First tea of my Nannuoshan tasting extravaganza!

The dry leaves are long and twisted and range of color from dark brown to military green. They give off a dry, musky roasted aroma with pine and fruit notes

First infusion gives a light orange liquer. Strong mineral note with lightly floral and citrus accents. Very smooth with just a touch of rock sugar sweetness. A sweet, warm spice/floral aroma is left in the bottom of the cha hai.

The following infusions begin to give a more pronounced sweetness with nectarine, vanilla, and allspice notes and a slight green tartness.

By the sixth steeping I begin to feel a subtle chaqi that imparts feelings of warmth, strength, and calm which I can feel along the top of my head and radiating through my body. Very nice, the strongest I’ve experienced in an oolong.

As the tea begins to fade I increase the infusion time and experience mild and creamy notes of linnen, sticky rice, peach, and baked goods. Ten good steepings overall.

The spent leaves are lovely and full, deep red-brown to olive green. Average around two inches with minimal stem. Overall a very nice tea with good complexity. Smooth and mild, only really lacking in intensity of flavor/aroma. A truly excellent first impression

Flavors: Green Wood, Mineral, Rice, Stonefruit, Vanilla

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 OZ / 150 ML

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77
drank Nannuoshan 2013 by Nannuoshan
15006 tasting notes

Another sample from nannuoshan. The directions on this one warn not to steep for longer than 5 secs unless you can handle the intensity. This is probably what i’m least a fan of with this one :) I accidentally steeped this one for about 10 sec and it was too bitter for me. While i didn’t mind the taste of this one…it’s a little finicky for me as far as a puerh goes. that being said, if you DO steep this one with the short steeps, it’s a pretty smooth puerh and worth the time spent enjoying it. it’s refreshing, slightly sweet and enjoyable! thank you again gabriel!

Ysaurella

I loved this one very much

Sil

i saw that. it was a little too finicky for me, but was good.

OMGsrsly

So… it’s a sheng?

Sil

that would be my guess…

Ysaurella

tastes more like a sheng sure but technicaly it is a Mao Cha

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drank Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong by Nannuoshan
15006 tasting notes

this was another free sample from nanuoshan. This is very similar to other tea of the same variety that i’ve had before. brewing this gonfu, at gabriel’s request. I don’t love this one as much as others that i’ve tried, but it’s not a bad tea. I’ll have to try this one again before i reserve judgement. Gonfu, i’m not a huge fan. Western, i might be more amenable to this one. either way, i genuinely appreciate the sample from nannuoshan.

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