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“The most distinct of the WFT oolongs for sure. Very complex as others have mentioned. This is the only one that is not a high mountain oolong either. Also a different cultivar (Xue Li = “Snow...” Read full tasting note
“After seeing all of the rave reviews for Wang Family Tea on this site, I finally pulled the trigger and placed an order last November. Picked up 25g each of Gangkou, Lishan, Shan Lin Xi, and Long...” Read full tasting note
This unique oolong comes from Gangkou Village, Pingtung County. This makes it the southernmost tea growing area in Taiwan. Further adding to its rarity, this oolong is produced using the seldom grown Xue Li（雪梨 / Snow Pear）cultivar. According to the Tea Research & Extension Station (TRES) investigation, Gangkou oolong has five flavors: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy and salty.
Dry tea leaves are ocean green, with white downy trichomes. The tea leaves are loosely rolled in the traditional manner. The dry leaf aroma is slightly salty and grassy, almost like seaweed. The first round of brewing yields a tea with notes of mung bean cake, plum blossom, sucrose, and just a hint of salt. The aroma is high, and somewhat like Baozhong (包種茶). The second round is more floral than the first, but not overwhelming. The huigan (回甘 / returning sweetness) on the aftertaste is rather unique; it’s sweet at first, but is quickly followed by a splash of sea salt. This further morphs into the unique snow pear flavor this cultivar is named for. A strong floral and fruity sweetness lingers on the palate for many minutes. In the third round, the florality has become even more dominant. The taste of longan and osmanthus flowers is obvious and strong. Interestingly, this florality is remarkably similar to that of the No.22 Radiant Jade cultivar. Notes of honey, mung bean cake, snow pear, and seaweed are also present.
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The most distinct of the WFT oolongs for sure. Very complex as others have mentioned. This is the only one that is not a high mountain oolong either. Also a different cultivar (Xue Li = “Snow Pear”). The difference is not only notable in the flavor, but in the liquor as well, which is darker yellow and not as clear as the high mountain oolongs.
Medium bitterness, no astringency. Medium-low sweetness. Aftertaste lasts multiple minutes and is salty and sweet.
Harvest: Spring 2023
Cultivar: Xue Li
Location: Gangkou, Manzhou Township, Taiwan
Dry leaf: Floral, seaweed
Wet leaf: Salt, seaweed
Flavors: Floral, seaweed, fruity, umami, mung bean, vegetal, sweet, salty
Flavors: Floral, Fruity, Mung Bean, Salty, Seaweed, Sweet, Umami, Vegetal
After seeing all of the rave reviews for Wang Family Tea on this site, I finally pulled the trigger and placed an order last November. Picked up 25g each of Gangkou, Lishan, Shan Lin Xi, and Long Feng Xia. I’m happy to report that all of them were outstanding and having experienced these teas, I get the hype for this vendor now.
Gangkou is the first tea I tried and the sole low elevation tea of the bunch. Wang Tea’s website describes it as having five flavors: sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy. Indeed, this was the wildest one of the bunch as the flavors are all over the place. The website recommends a high leaf to water ratio and “heavily boiling water“ to steep. Despite my better judgement I followed their steeping parameters initially.
The dry leaf had aromas of flowers and freshly baked cookies. A rinse brought out cucumber and a little incense. The tea starts off with some strong vegetal notes and slight bitterness but eventually this fades and fruitier apricot and pear notes emerge. The bitterness wasn’t as bad as I feared but I decided to revert to my usual steeping method and kept the temperature below boiling which produced better results. Lowering the temperature and leaf quantity brought out gentle floral notes of jasmine, honeysuckle, and orchid intermingled with some sugar plum fruitiness. Along the way, there were hints of autumn leaves, toffee, spice, and perfume. When steeped grandpa style, it has a richer mouthfeel, mineral notes, and a sweet, lingering wildflower honey flavor.Overall, this was a complex and enjoyable tea although a bit challenging at times due to how unpredictable and inconsistent it is.
How was the Long Feng? I’ve been meaning to get it, but I always pay too much for all their other goodies. I got a bunch of the green Shan Lin Xi Shui Xian (Chefs Kiss) and Jasmine Shan Lin Xi. Their roasts are also incredible too, though I usually move away from roasted teas.
I’m currently drinking the Long Feng Xia. It’s quite good, tropical-floral flavor but less in your face than other gaoshans. I’m enjoying it more than some of the LFXs I’ve had from TTC.
Haven’t tried their roasts yet but plan to next time. I really want to order from them again this spring but unfortunately they don’t have baozhong which is one of my must-haves. I may end up splitting an order between Wang Tea and maybe Floating Leaves for the Baozhong.
I’m having the same kind of issue for the splits I’m looking for. I am desperate for some Lishan Black and tried Green Terrace, but they’re paypal isn’t accepting mine for some reason. No idea why. I’m also interested in some of Wang’s Shan Lin Xi White Tea. They don’t always sell it, but they’ve been really kind to give me some, and now Liquid Proust sells it. Leafhopper has talked a lot about Ethan Kurland on a tea forum that you buy directly from vendors and farmers. I haven’t done that yet, but I know he has some good Baozhong. Trident’s Baozhong is also insanely good.
Green Terrace seems to bd all but closed. Their online inventory hasn’t been updated in a while. I know What-Cha has Lishan black but they’re sold out of it including a lot of other teas I want. Thanks for the tip about Trident, will check them out.
The Lishan Black was a limited summer crop sold later in that year, and there’s no 100% guarantee it will immediately return. I’ve been hoarding it while I can. Their Long Feng and Shan Lin XI are also good, along with their Darjeeling selection.
Interesting! I’ve never had a Gangkou oolong because I was warned away by the bitterness.
There is definitely some mild-moderate bitterness, but it’s not so bad as to take away from the tea in my opinion. And I think I’m fairly sensitive to it. I don’t drink things like coffee or IPAs (and lots of young shengs) because they are too bitter for me :).
I drink both coffee and IPAs on occasion, but don’t enjoy bitterness in my oolongs! Glad it isn’t a deal breaker in this one.
I totally agree! Not generally something I appreciate in any tea, but the occasional touch of bitterness doesn’t bother me much :).