Okay, as those of you who read my previous review for this tea may be aware, I was not completely satisfied with my brewing method, so I decided to change it up a little bit. I still went with a more or less Chinese gongfu approach, but used less leaf and started with a longer rinse and a longer first steep. My steep times for this session were as follows: 30 seconds, 35 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds, 1 minute, 1 minute 15 seconds, 1 minute 30 seconds, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, and 5 minutes. I still got all of the aromas and flavors I got before and in the same order to boot. Maybe my first attempt, though not ideal, was not so bad after all. I still really adore this tea.
Flavors: Apple, Apricot, Butter, Cinnamon, Cream, Cucumber, Floral, Honeysuckle, Lettuce, Osmanthus, Pear
Preparation
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Absolutely on my shopping list. When I allow myself. smdh
Are the shipping rates better for Canada on Beautiful Taiwan Tea Co.?
The shipping for Canada is free over $50, so yay! (Or $10 otherwise.) I would always do the free shipping limit because one never knows when duty will be slapped onto it too. Usually there is no duty for tea. However, HOWEVER, I got slapped with a serious duty fee on an order out of the States this year.
And the currency exchange sucks. A lot.
These are all factors.
Evol, the sample of this I had was from an earlier harvest in 2016, but the winter 2016 harvest is in stock now. At this point, I would add three things about this tea. First, if you have had or are used to some of the contemporary Dong Dings that are more heavily roasted, don’t expect this one to be all that much like them. The roast is much lighter than you will expect. Honestly, it is very subtle and tasteful. Second, don’t expect really strong, pronounced flavors, especially if you flash steep. This is the kind of tea that revels in restraint, but manages to keep you intrigued with subtle changes for an extended period of time. Third, invest in more than a sample size. It’s expensive, but go with at least a 2 ounce pouch. With this tea you are paying for both high quality and a unique experience. I would have loved to have had more of this particular harvest so I could have gauged how it changes over an extended period of time.
Thank you for the addendum, eastkyguy. Much appreciated. I’ve saved it with my shopping list for the moment that my self-restraint fades, not that I have much to begin with. Thank you for taking the time and effort.
No problem. I spent way too much on tea this past year, and especially in the last 2-3 months. I’m fighting off the urge to place a large order from Beautiful Taiwan Tea Co. as we speak, but with my birthday coming up soon, I doubt I’ll be able to manage.
Same. The Yu Shan looked great and that Dong Ding was one of my favorites. I was able to get some good floral and nut notes the last time I had it, even considering that it was western. I liked alternating on that one though. I decided to get some Li Shan costing under $13 for 50 grams from What-Cha that I really liked. And this way, I got more Rohini Golden Bud Darjeeling and a wild Lapsang that looked promising.
Daylon, I’m trying to decide whether to go with What-Cha for my next order or B.T.T.C. I noticed that B.T.T.C. recently brought in some interesting new black teas, including a rolled Alishan black tea they have never offered before. It definitely looks interesting. What-Cha, however, has a bunch of their small-holder Assams on sale. Right now, I am considering a What-Cha order consisting of the following:
1.) Assam Heritage STGFOP1
2.) Assam Joypur Small-Holder Hand-Made Black
3.) Assam Kanoka Hand-Made Black
4.) Assam Lakua Small-Holder
5.) Bihar Doke Black Fusion Hand-Made Black
6.) Darjeeling Gopaldhara First Flush China Special
7.) Darjeeling Gopaldhara Second Flush China Muscatel
8.) Darjeeling Gopaldhara Second Flush Wonder Muscatel Gold
9.) Darjeeling Second Flush Pasabong Small-Holder
10.) Darjeeling Second Flush Rohini Golden Buds
11.) Korea Dong Cheon Daejak Semi-Wild Green
12.) Taiwan Shui Xian Oolong
13.) China Fujian Jin Xuan Oolong
I don’t know if I’m going to go through with it though.
How many of them have you had and what are your specific preferences for oolongs and blacks?
Of the teas listed, I haven’t had any of them yet. I tend to like blacks and oolongs almost equally. With oolongs, I either lean toward earthy and roasted or light,creamy, and floral. There isn’t much in between. With blacks, I’m pretty much an open book. I have had some of the more standard Darjeelings from Gopaldhara and Rohini, though I haven’t reviewed them, and I tend to like what those two estates do. I am entirely unfamiliar with all of the Assams listed above. Korean teas are a new frontier for me. I haven’t had any before.
I can remember one right now which was the Dancha, though I might have had others. I’d think they generally taste similar to Japanese blacks.
Don’t even get me started. I kept a tea purchase log this year month by month. After the first six months, I stopped calculating the monthly subtotals because it was too painful.
And Happy Birthday to you! This most definitely deserves a blowout or several. :)
Yeah, I’m an enabler.
Evol, thank you. Just so you know, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a fairly sizable What-Cha order.
Absolutely on my shopping list. When I allow myself. smdh
Are the shipping rates better for Canada on Beautiful Taiwan Tea Co.?
The shipping for Canada is free over $50, so yay! (Or $10 otherwise.) I would always do the free shipping limit because one never knows when duty will be slapped onto it too. Usually there is no duty for tea. However, HOWEVER, I got slapped with a serious duty fee on an order out of the States this year.
And the currency exchange sucks. A lot.
These are all factors.
Evol, the sample of this I had was from an earlier harvest in 2016, but the winter 2016 harvest is in stock now. At this point, I would add three things about this tea. First, if you have had or are used to some of the contemporary Dong Dings that are more heavily roasted, don’t expect this one to be all that much like them. The roast is much lighter than you will expect. Honestly, it is very subtle and tasteful. Second, don’t expect really strong, pronounced flavors, especially if you flash steep. This is the kind of tea that revels in restraint, but manages to keep you intrigued with subtle changes for an extended period of time. Third, invest in more than a sample size. It’s expensive, but go with at least a 2 ounce pouch. With this tea you are paying for both high quality and a unique experience. I would have loved to have had more of this particular harvest so I could have gauged how it changes over an extended period of time.
Thank you for the addendum, eastkyguy. Much appreciated. I’ve saved it with my shopping list for the moment that my self-restraint fades, not that I have much to begin with. Thank you for taking the time and effort.
No problem. I spent way too much on tea this past year, and especially in the last 2-3 months. I’m fighting off the urge to place a large order from Beautiful Taiwan Tea Co. as we speak, but with my birthday coming up soon, I doubt I’ll be able to manage.
Same. The Yu Shan looked great and that Dong Ding was one of my favorites. I was able to get some good floral and nut notes the last time I had it, even considering that it was western. I liked alternating on that one though. I decided to get some Li Shan costing under $13 for 50 grams from What-Cha that I really liked. And this way, I got more Rohini Golden Bud Darjeeling and a wild Lapsang that looked promising.
Daylon, I’m trying to decide whether to go with What-Cha for my next order or B.T.T.C. I noticed that B.T.T.C. recently brought in some interesting new black teas, including a rolled Alishan black tea they have never offered before. It definitely looks interesting. What-Cha, however, has a bunch of their small-holder Assams on sale. Right now, I am considering a What-Cha order consisting of the following:
1.) Assam Heritage STGFOP1
2.) Assam Joypur Small-Holder Hand-Made Black
3.) Assam Kanoka Hand-Made Black
4.) Assam Lakua Small-Holder
5.) Bihar Doke Black Fusion Hand-Made Black
6.) Darjeeling Gopaldhara First Flush China Special
7.) Darjeeling Gopaldhara Second Flush China Muscatel
8.) Darjeeling Gopaldhara Second Flush Wonder Muscatel Gold
9.) Darjeeling Second Flush Pasabong Small-Holder
10.) Darjeeling Second Flush Rohini Golden Buds
11.) Korea Dong Cheon Daejak Semi-Wild Green
12.) Taiwan Shui Xian Oolong
13.) China Fujian Jin Xuan Oolong
I don’t know if I’m going to go through with it though.
How many of them have you had and what are your specific preferences for oolongs and blacks?
Of the teas listed, I haven’t had any of them yet. I tend to like blacks and oolongs almost equally. With oolongs, I either lean toward earthy and roasted or light,creamy, and floral. There isn’t much in between. With blacks, I’m pretty much an open book. I have had some of the more standard Darjeelings from Gopaldhara and Rohini, though I haven’t reviewed them, and I tend to like what those two estates do. I am entirely unfamiliar with all of the Assams listed above. Korean teas are a new frontier for me. I haven’t had any before.
I can remember one right now which was the Dancha, though I might have had others. I’d think they generally taste similar to Japanese blacks.
Don’t even get me started. I kept a tea purchase log this year month by month. After the first six months, I stopped calculating the monthly subtotals because it was too painful.
And Happy Birthday to you! This most definitely deserves a blowout or several. :)
Yeah, I’m an enabler.
Evol, thank you. Just so you know, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a fairly sizable What-Cha order.