Nong Xiang Tie Guan Yin and Longjuan Meizhan Oolongs

I'm reviewing two random oolong samples from Moychay, a Nong Xiang Tie Guan Yin and Longjuan Meizhan Oolong.  Pretty much only TGY means much to me; I'll cite their descriptions to explain what these are.

Flame Tie Guanyin Oolong Tea (Nong Xiang Tie Guanyin)  (60 grams for $23.36)

Origin:  China · Fujian · Sanming, Around 1,300 m · handpicked

Nong Xiang Tie Guan Yin · deeply baked · traditional processing

A traditional deeply baked Tie Guan Yin with a rich and warming character. Roasted fruit and honey meet persistent orchid notes and smooth minerality.

The body is full and rounded, followed by a long, sweet finish.  The liquor is clear amber-red.  Main taste notes:  Roasted · Orchid · Honey...

The intensive baking transforms the greener character of Tie Guan Yin into a warmer profile of baked fruit, honey, orchid and mineral notes.

Longjuan Wild High Mountain Meizhan Oolong Tea , 7g  (only available as 7 grams for $5)

Longjuan Yesheng Gaoshan Meizhan Youji Wulong Cha (2024)

Meizhan is a traditional Chinese oolong tea from Anxi County, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province. Grown at altitudes between 500 and 800 meters, this tea is hand-picked during two main harvest seasons: mid-April to mid-May and mid-September to mid-October. The plucking standard is one bud with three leaves, and only manually harvested leaves are used...

When brewed, Meizhan offers a floral and toasty aroma, with a balanced, rich, and smooth taste profile.

What is Meizhan though, a tea style, cultivar, or something else?  Google AI weighs in:

Meizhan (梅占, or "Plum Blossom") is a versatile and robust tea cultivar from China primarily processed into oolong, though it is also adapted for black or white teas.

• Origin: Native to southern Fujian Province (Anxi County), Meizhan has also been widely planted in the Wuyi Mountains (Wuyishan) since the 1960s to produce rock oolong (yancha).

• The Bush: Often called "tall stem" or "big leaf" Meizhan, the plant grows into a tall tree-like bush with a distinct trunk and thick, leathery, elongated leaves. It is one of the earliest sprouting cultivars in the spring.

Note that primary references it is citing are credited there (Rivers and Lakes Tea, Tea and Whisk, and Nannuoshan's Youtube content).  That's not offering so much source credit, but at least it's a start.

So it's really a plant type.  Probably not necessarily a cultivar, in the strictest sense, since that's usually intended as meaning only a plant type with controlled genetic character, like a Taiwanese hybrid.  Older, broader plant types, like Qing Xin in Taiwan, or Rou Gui in Wuyishan, would vary quite a bit, as genetics drift over time.  It still generally means "plant type," I'm just making that clearer.

On to how the tasting notes relate to all of that.

Review:

Tie Guan Yin:  just getting started.  This is really promising though; the roast input comes across nicely, in a novel form.  There's a root beer sort of sweetness and depth to this.  It should be good, but I'll add more flavor list next round. 

Longjuan Wild High Mountain Meizhan:  also slow to fully infuse, but faster, related to this being open strip form oolong, and also very promising.  Warm roasted tones stand out in this, in a different kind of way.  This tastes like really nice Wuyi Yancha can, when deep floral range is brought out by roasting, instead of masking and replacing it.  One part inclines towards spice, not so far off cinnamon, just not exactly that.  It has great mineral range and depth, and a touch of brandy or liqueur like aromatic range, which is both pleasant and a good indicator of quality.  

For some tea versions I might struggle to place just how good a tea is, or how limited quality or positive aspects are, when one really doesn't stand out.  These stand out. 

Tie Guan Yin #2:  I infused this a little longer than the other, to account for the form difference, and it needing to open up.  Not long though; the other I brewed for 10 seconds or less, and this for not much over 10, maybe 15.  It's good.  There's always the question of why traditional style, more oxidized, and well-balanced roast input form Tie Guan Yin are rare, with the bright and light versions most of what you see (nuclear yellow, a favorite old blog reference would call that, Marshal N of Tea Addict's Journal).  

This isn't exactly that older and better balanced style.  Roast level is high but oxidation input is probably limited, with more on that to follow.  

It's good, but the other version is probably going to make it sound more limited than it actually is, for being so positive and novel.  It tastes like TGY, that characteristic floral flavor (which some could peg to actual flower types), just warmed and changed through more oxidation and roast input.  

Warm, inky tones are a balanced part of the rest.  I suppose it could be even better with very well integrated additional oxidation, which would sweeten and warm the flavor in a different way.  But it's good.  Often higher roast will seem to cover a flaw in a tea, for example to mask when a version is really a year or two old, and is getting a bit stale, but these results are so positive this could be an intentional optimization of leaf potential instead (or an attempt at it; it would be hard to plan for and identify a perfect outcome).  I'll try to break down the aspects more as a list as I go.

Longjuan Meizhan:  there is no familiar flavor profile or style to this.  I've compared it to Wuyi Yancha, but it's not a close match to the main conventional types of that, even though Wuyi Yancha covers a very broad range of plant types, terroir inputs, and processing styles, so it would be hard to say what couldn't be represented there.  

The combination of spice input with unique floral range is different, and this oxidation input balanced really well with the rest.  It's probably roasted, but you can't identify the inky and heavy input as with the other, a more conventional form.  It at least seems like oxidation input has caused the main transition, and roast input is light, and secondary, supporting that.

Feel is nice, but it could be a little thicker.  Aftertaste carry-over is positive too, but that could also be stronger.  Interesting and positive flavor is the high point of this tea version, which is a nice thing to experience.  Warm mineral base input works, balancing the rest, in a positive and subtle way.  It's all balanced, and to an extent refined, which is a concept or term I use to express that lots of subtle aspects fall together in a very well integrated way.  The other tea version hits a few levels and notes pretty hard, which does balance, but this ties together a half dozen more subtle inputs.  For a sheng pu'er drinker maybe intensity is limited, but then tea character blasting you is more of a sheng thing.

TGY #3:  it's still quite pleasant.  I suppose this is an example of a more roasted but lighter oxidation input TGY, not the older and differently balanced style.  But it works.  Just adding lots of roast to a flawed or limited light version doesn't get you this kind of result.  There's a good bit of floral range, an inky minerality, and a hinting towards spice.  Feel is full enough, and there's some aftertaste carry-over.  If someone was promoting this as some next-level, 80 cent a gram quality range version I wouldn't buy that, but it's a pretty solid tea.  Those inputs balance and integrate fairly well.  There are probably plenty of people who would absolutely love this style and character outcome, then others who wouldn't.

Longjuan Meizhan:  it's interesting how those different flavor inputs balance, and shift from round to round.  This now tastes like a different bark spice than cinnamon, a range of themes I was more familiar with in my 30s when I drank a lot of tisanes.  I think people would unpack a flavor list in vastly different ways, so even though it is complex, balanced, and integrated there probably wouldn't be much agreement on what flavors are going into that.  That would be challenging related to creating a vendor description. 

This is from 2024, so it has settled a bit already, and that wouldn't completely shift flavor but it might let it integrate in a different way than initially.  Roast input could soften over time, but this doesn't seem to have been heavily roasted anyway.

The feel effect is different in both.  You might expect that this kind of aspect range is a good way to distinguish a difference between these teas, and to describe both better.  The first version has a conventional fullness--moderate in intensity, not pronounced--that is common to rolled oolongs in general, and this version is harder to describe.  It's not astringent; there is no roughness, and it doesn't come across as a structured feel.  But it's that little bit towards that, from typical oolong fullness, more impactful in feel, just not rough or dry.

TGY #4:  these teas are far from fading away but I'll still do one longer infusion round (20 seconds or so) and stop taking notes; this runs long enough, and they're not transitioning that much.  It's as positive as it has been.  That set of aspects balances well, the warm tones, mineral, hint of spice, and warm floral range.  It's interesting how as a list it sounds like the other tea, but in actual experience it's all fairly different.  The tones within those categories aren't the same, and the general effect is different.  Maybe for some they would seem almost the same, but to me they're not.

The base of this experience is a somewhat greener Tie Guan Yin input, with that distinctive floral range.  After the roasting input it comes across as deeper and broader floral tone, lets say including lavender instead of just lighter tones, that I'm not good at placing.  Let's ask AI what it thinks:

Tie Guan Yin oolong tea most commonly tastes and smells like fresh orchid flowers.

Depending on the specific style and how it is processed, the floral notes can also feature other delicate characteristics:

• Orchid: The signature and most famous floral note associated with the Tie Guan Yin Oolong cultivar.

• Gardenia: Lightly oxidized, modern green-style versions can offer bright, dewy gardenia and spring floral aromas.

• Osmanthus or subtle sweet florals: Traditional roasted styles soften the sharp floral bouquet into a warmer, toasty, and creamy sweetness with faint fruity undertones.

I could kind of see the orchid but that doesn't sound right, even though there are lots of orchid types, and osmanthus is also close but maybe not that.

Longjuan Meizhan:  like it was last time.  Maybe it picked up a little depth and complexity, or maybe not.

Where the other tea includes 3 or 4 main flavor inputs that balance this comes across as a complex and well-integrated broad range of flavor.  People could describe it differently, since it's hard to describe.  To me a bark spice flavor is central, not cinnamon though.  Floral range might be next, and it also leans towards or includes rich dried fruit range, like tamarind, perhaps with a touch of citrus zest.  Aromatic tones are even harder to isolate.  It might include something along the line of vanilla.  There's a touch of creamy effect, that could be interpreted as relating to a caramel sweetness input.  There's a lot going on, but it comes across as a broad and integrated range.

I suppose I like the second version better, and see it as a more novel and higher quality level tea.  It's approachable; there isn't much to it that I would expect some people wouldn't like.  But it's nothing like a conventional more oxidized oolong version, like a rolled "red" oolong, even though it's kind of along a similar line in some ways.

Bao Zhong and Dong Fang Mei Ren from Moychay

 

I'm reviewing a Bao Zhong and Dong Fang Mei Ren (Oriental Beauty) from Moychay, more from a set of samples.  I'll skip the background story part here, since I've covered that before, and get right to their site listing descriptions, and the review notes.

Baozhong Oolong Tea, (22 Euro for 80 grams, $25.55, or 32 cents per gram)

Baozhong Oolong Tea is a high-mountain oolong produced in Sanming, Fujian Province, at an average elevation of 1100 meters.Co-developed with Taiwan in 1998, this tea is harvested around the Dragon Boat Festival, a time considered challenging for tea production. What makes it unique is the natural bite from small green leafhoppers (Jacobiasca formosana), which triggers a biochemical transformation in the leaves, releasing aromatic terpenoids that give the tea its signature floral-honey profile.

Baozhong tea is "younger sister" of Oriental Beauty oolong tea, also made from the Jin Xuan cultivar and picked entirely by hand, using a one bud and two leaves standard. It undergoes a multi-step process: sun withering, shade withering, repeated tossing (浪青), semi-fermenting (60–80%), fixation, a second fermentation, rolling, loosening, and drying. This yields a visually distinctive tea with curled strips and a five-color mix of red, yellow, white, green, and brown.

The brewed liquor is golden amber, with a mellow, clean, and honeyed flavor. Layers of fruit, flower, and gentle vegetal notes unfold over multiple infusions. The tea is smooth in texture and long-lasting in taste, known for its clarity and richness.

I wasn't familiar with the tie-in between Bao Zhong and Oriental Beauty / Dong Fang Mei Ren; most of what I've tried is processed to be less oxidized, and not like that.  It's interesting reading this after the notes; they're mostly about how close this is to DFMR, and how it differs.

This works as a reference for what is more typical of what I've tried, two origin area themed versions from Tea Mania, another favorite vendor.  On to the second tea's site listing description:

Oriental Beauty Oolong Tea (Dongfang Meiren Wulong Cha), (36.24 Euro for 80 grams, $42, just over 50 cents a gram)

Oriental Beauty Tea is a traditional semi-oxidized oolong produced in Sanming City, Fujian Province, at an average altitude of 1100 meters. Co-developed with Taiwan in 1998, this tea is harvested around the Dragon Boat Festival, during a narrow seasonal window considered particularly challenging for tea production. Its distinctive character comes from the natural bite of small green leafhoppers (Jacobiasca formosana), which triggers a transformation in the fresh leaves, producing natural floral and honeyed aromas.

The tea is made from the Jin Xuan cultivar and picked by hand, following the standard of one bud with two leaves. Its production involves withering under sunlight and shade, repeated tossing (浪青), semi-fermenting (60–80%), fixation, a second fermentation phase, rolling, breaking, and slow drying. The final leaves are twisted, down-covered, and display a five-color appearance—red, yellow, white, green, and brown.

When brewed, Oriental Beauty Tea yields a bright golden liquor with a rich and mellow flavor. Its aroma carries layers of honey, fruit, flowers, and freshness, with a soft and sweet body that lingers on the palate. It is known for its smooth, clean profile and complex fragrance, often referred to as “beauty fragrance.”

I thought that OB was usually made from an older Qing Xin local cultivar (local in what sense I don't know; the plants surely came from China at some point, but Jin Xuan is the product of a much later breeding process, a hybrid).  Let's check on Wikipedia's opinion on that:

Dongfang meiren is produced from a variety of cultivars of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, that are grown without insecticides to encourage a common pest, the tea jassid (Jacobiasca formosana), to feed on the leaves, stems, and buds...

Because of the need for J. formosana feeding, the tea must be grown in warmer areas. In Taiwan, it is primarily grown in Hakka areas of the hilly northwestern part of the country at lower altitudes (300–800 m or 980–2,620 ft) between the mountains and the plains.[1] Beipu and Emei in Hsinchu County are noted centers of production...

The tea bushes are planted on the leeward side of hills in areas with sufficient humidity and sunshine.[1] The tea is only harvested in the middle of summer, only about 40–50% of the leaves can be used, and the harvest is susceptible to drought.[1] Therefore, the annual yield is low and the price is relatively high.

So according to what random people wrote there plant types vary; fair enough.  I must have written at least a dozen posts on other OB versions here, but I'm not going back through any of that, or developing this issue further here.  The tea experience is the thing, so on to the review notes.

Review:

Baozhong:  that tastes like Dong Fang Mei Ren alright (with all of this comparison between types written before I read those descriptions, and their take on the connection).  

The dry leaf definitely looks like it, instead of being a lighter oolong, as is common.  I can't say how atypical a more oxidized version actually is, since I'm not that familiar with the type, but if it works well then it works.

It has those nice sweet cinnamon and fruit notes common in DFMR / Oriental Beauty.  There's a bit of citrus, but the depth and complexity imply I'll be able to list out more flavors once it gets going more.  I brewed this for over 30 seconds, to get it started, but the leaves are only completely wetted now.  Feel is pretty good, and aftertaste expression is pleasant, especially that cinnamon note carrying over.  This is quite good.  Not the style I expected, but one I like even better than that.

DFMR:  in the same range as the first, including warm tones, some cinnamon, great depth, and plenty of complexity.  There's a brandy or cognac like flavor quality to this that's better than the other, but the first expresses better aftertaste at this stage.  There's a lot going on in this, but I think it might be easier to unpack next round.  Sweetness level is great, warmth works well with the rest, and deep mineral tones ground it well.  It's also a pretty good tea.

I was just thinking going in that if these are just ordinary range that's fine, and I should emphasize how not every tea needs to be an amazing version of a type.  It's nice when that comes up, but for a basic type like a blended Da Hong Pao you aren't really looking for that.  I just tried a Da Hong Pao from Moychay that I won't write about, that was fine, but not amazing, just decent.  And a Bai Rui Xiang wuyi yancha (rock oolong, Wuyishan area Fujian oolong) that wasn't that good, that fell well below the norm (don't buy that from them).  

I only write about teas I like, in general, from any vendor, unless the flaw or limitation tells a story, something like a Lapsang Souchong that is finally too smoky.  For these Moychay teas some were more exceptional than others, but that pair was the only ones so far that I've not posted the notes as a review for.  They're solid in general.  But these seem great, so far, so it's the other kind of case, where they really do seem to define the high end of a range.

Baozhong #2:  it hasn't really evolved.  Flavors were quite positive the last round, so that's not so bad, but it seemed like these might push on to being even more distinct and intense.  I'm kind of judging this as a Dong Fang Mei Ren, since it resembles that style, and in a sense that's not fair.  Related to what I had expected of type-typical Baozhong style this shouldn't be this fruity, or taste this much like cinnamon, and shouldn't be this oxidized to begin with, (which could be an error on my part; the normal range could be different from or broader than I thought).    

It's pretty good.  Cinnamon is pleasant, the hint of citrus works, and it seems to include general spice and fruit tones beyond that.  As a best-case DFMR the flavors could pop a little more, but it would still stand up as a pretty decent version of one of those.  Feel and aftertaste could be slightly more pronounced but they're in a very positive range.  Mineral depth is good, and overall complexity.

DFMR:  cinnamon really develops in this; it grounds the rest in that warm, almost earthy range.  Fruit is pronounced, but again not as distinct as it could be, so there's some citrus, and other dried fruit, but it would require imagination to pull that apart as a flavor list.  Some vendors would be happy to add another half dozen aspect descriptions, and for as complex as this is it would be justified.  But it all kind of mixes together, so it's not that apparent.  

Some of the fruit range reminds me of banana bread, or cooked banana.  The citrus is mostly just orange.  Mineral depth adds a lot.  This is so oxidized that the warmth and feel is essentially the same as for mild black tea, which is fine, to me that works.  The other tea doesn't include that astringency structure, and touch of dryness; it's more like a well-oxidized oolong (which makes sense; it is that).  

Yesterday I tried those other two Moychay oolongs, the Da Hong Pao and Bai Rui Xiang, and the plants around me shared more than I had, but I'm reluctant to give them any of this.  Maybe once it brews out more I'll share more.

These kinds of teas work well brewed lightly, so that you can really pull apart the flavor range, and savor the experience, but it might be nice to try them a little stronger, to see what that changes.  I'm still not going to brew them over 20 seconds, to avoid wasting the tea, but at around that timing they'll be quite strong, at this proportion (7 grams in a 100 ml gaiwan).

Bao Zhong #3:  not changing much.  Interpreted as an ordinary, more oxidized oolong this is really favorable.  Feel is fine (better than that, really; it's rich and full), flavor complexity is pretty good, taste range is positive, and it balances.  Trying to get it to match a Dong Fang Mei Ren standard type and outcome doesn't work as well, but it's not that.  As an OB / DFMR it doesn't pop quite enough, with specific flavor intensity a bit muted, but it is expressing cinnamon and fruit.  It's still quite good.

DFMR:  this is quite good too, just in a different character range.  The maxed out oxidation level would be familiar to people who drink a lot of DFMR, or have tried a good number, a half dozen decent examples.  It can be like that, and other versions are close enough to it.  Feel structure softens, and it feels fuller; it's interesting that it would transition like that so fast.  The most intense fruit has faded already, and warm tones and depth stand out.  Cinnamon is still really pronounced, the main thing that stands out.  

For someone most excited about fruit range these both might already be declining.  That's a little fast, but brighter tones extracting first isn't so unusual.  I'll probably write notes for only one more round.

Bao Zhong #4:  again pretty solid, but some of the lighter and more interesting flavor has faded, the more intense cinnamon and citrus.  This is still good; the flavor range and depth is nice.  More vague floral range picks up, and a more subdued fruit tone supports that, something like dried longan (a personal favorite; that fruit note is limited, but what is there is nice).  

DFMR:  pretty much the same as the last round, so there's not more to tell.  It's still quite positive.  It might be interpreted as holding up to more infusions more positively than the other, which is a good sign for quality level.  Or on a different read they just transition differently, not better and worse.

Conclusions

Really solid tea versions!  It will be interesting seeing the vendor descriptions.  I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't completely match some of that, especially related to the Bao Zhong, since interpretations can vary, and I doubt that they emphasize a match to DFMR style [I was wrong; they did].  

It will also be interesting to see pricing.  These were good, and unusual, so it wouldn't be so easy to place a market value on them.  DFMR tends to be pricey, for above average versions, and this wasn't unusual and particularly exceptional, but it is pretty good.  [later edit]:  the second, the DFMR, was priced higher than the other, and that seems fair, related to the type difference, and a possible quality level difference.  30 and 50 cents per gram for these seems fine; that's good value, for oolongs of this quality level.

Wawee Tea red / ruby oolong

 

This reviews a Wawee Tea red oolong, or more oxidized rolled oolong version.  It's a familiar type, but you really don't need to have any background with this tea type to get it.  Better versions are very pleasant and approachable.  

I compare it to a Bangkok Chinatown black tea version, from my favorite shop, Jip Eu.  I don't think they still carry it, and I don't know the details of what it is, so the point is just highlighting how completely random Chinatown tea sourcing goes.  It's a theme that gets covered in describing a recent Chinatown shop visit to another place, to K. Mui Kee Tea.  I'm fairly certain that this is from China, not local, and that's about it.

I can cite some of a description of a Wawee Tea version that may or may not be identical, since it's last year's, from their Shopee site (but now sold out):

Ruanzhi Oolong Red Tea, Spring 2025, Ruby of Wawee. This Oolong tea is 100% fermented, guaranteeing a sweet, fragrant, and smooth finish

Google thinks it knows what this is, based mostly on a Facebook page post:

Ruby of Wawee is a specialty red oolong (ชาแดงอู่หลงหร่วนจือ) produced by Wawee Tea from Doi Wawee in Mae Suai, Chiang Rai. It is crafted using traditional Ruan Zhi (Oolong No. 12) cultivars processed with a deep 100% oxidation technique, yielding a bright ruby-red liquor that bridges the gap between oolong and black tea.

#12 is really Jin Xuan, and what Ruan Zhi is turns out to be complicated.  This is about how the tea is anyway, not all of that.

Related to value, that was selling 120 grams for 580 baht ($17.50), which is great value for a tea that good.  This could be that 2025 version; I'm not sure what year it was from.

I should also mention that Jip Eu is still closed for building repairs, after a front awning section collapsed earlier.  This would be a good time to buy some tea from them through a Shopee online platform storefront, if someone is in Thailand, to support them during this transition.

Or people might think that since I don't really love this black tea that makes less sense.  Fair enough.  I have had good luck with their Wuyi Yancha, Dan Cong, and jasmine white teas as tin-presented versions, which I don't buy often for myself now, more as gifts for others, since I've sorted out where to buy other versions I'm currently hung up on.  Like Wawee Tea; I just ordered two of those, which I've already reviewed, as very exceptional sheng and black tea cakes.

Review:

Wawee ruby / red / hong oolong:  it's not really opened yet, and won't be fully opened next round either, but this is very promising.  Just the scent includes plenty of rich dried berry and spice, and the flavor does as well, but it's still thin.  The fastest way to speed this along would probably be to use a rinse, then a long first infusion time, after letting the leaves rest a little between steps.  I just started brewing it, not even using a rinse.  I'll add more next round.

Chinatown / Jip Eu shop black:  that's really unique.  It includes a good bit of tartness, which I usually don't like in black teas, but this includes so much dried fruit that it gives off a strong cranberry effect, which kind of works.  And there's quite a bit of cacao. 

I'm not loving the overall effect, due to the tartness, but it's interesting, and still somewhat pleasant.

Wawee oxidized oolong #2:  this is a great version of a "red oolong," or relatively more oxidized oolong.  That oxidation level can overlap with normal black tea range, making it an interesting category.  People sometimes use a percentage to describe it, but who knows how accurate or informative that would usually be. 

Flavor still includes dried fruit, most centered around dried cherry, or possibly blackberry, with some cacao.  The earlier spice edge has diminished and dropped back as a supporting input.  It might be complex, a hint of cinnamon, combined with even stronger nutmeg.  Sweetness, rich feel, and all the rest are very positive.  This is good; well made, pleasant, and interesting tea, well worth talking about.

Chinatown black:  flavors shift, but tartness remains the main flavor input.  For people like me who dislike tartness as a primary black tea flavor this just wouldn't match with preference.  Others would love that more, and for them it could be exceptional.  Tones warm in this, so it comes across differently.  It picks up a dark toffee sort of sweetness, and base mineral increases.  The fruit reminds me more of a tart apple this round, although of course cranberry still works as a description of part of it.  Cacao tastes like dark chocolate; often it's more along the line of hot cocoa.

Wawee red oolong #3:  this is only now fully opened up.  The flavors list is the same though:  dried cherry, some berry, cacao, and spice.  It's a nice mix of sweet, fruity and warm tones; it balances well.  You could try a lot of "red oolong" and not discover a version this positive.  But there's not much more to add in description here.

Chinatown black:  the best it has been, since tartness is easing up.  Warm tones enter in, maybe along the line of spice, or maybe even towards a dark rye bread flavor.  If someone loves tart black teas this could be an exceptional experience.  If they don't it wouldn't be good.

Oddly I can drink brewed roselle (a fairly tart tisane), and I'm fine with it.  I need to add sugar, which offsets tartness being too strong.  Maybe if I added a little milk and sugar to this I'd like it more, but I won't try that.  It's fine that it's mostly a miss for me.  If I had bought 100 grams of it I probably would explore that, and might drink most of it made that way.  I only bought some samples one day awhile back, to try something different there.

Wawee oolong #4:  the warm spice range picks up; it's as nice as it has been, and it was really pleasant before.  This should brew a couple more very positive infusions, then you could keep stretching it.

To me this is an ideal tea version to get people started on tea.  Everyone would love it, and you can't really screw it up by using the wrong brewing approach.  It would work well light or brewed strong, and using really hot water or cooler infusion would be fine (but hotter would be better, I think; there is no astringency to brew around).

Chinatown black:  the best this has been.  It works for me, like this.  Tea evolving to be better and better across rounds is a great sign for quality, but this related more to tartness fading, a normal aspects transition cycle.  Still, it's pretty good quality tea, to be this intense and pleasant 4 rounds in, with earlier rounds brewed at kind of medium intensity.

I'll drop the note taking here.  It will be interesting to see how three more infusions work out, but it won't be much of a story to tell.

Conclusions:

The Wawee Tea version was much better, but then that's not a fair comparison, since it's a relatively favorite type.  In that other Chinatown shop visit post I mention that what you find in Chinatown shops tends to be all over the map, just random, and this black tea exemplifies that.  Some people would love this, so the final result would be the opposite for them.

This Wawee Tea version is pretty solid as oolongs from Thailand tend to be.  Often you can find pleasant enough versions, but they usually lack this distinctiveness, complexity, and balance.  They often brew out a bit faster, not holding together as very pleasant through lots of rounds (the next two were also good, although it was thinning past that point).  I could definitely recommend this, to almost anyone.

To many this "red or ruby oolong" might just seem like black tea, and the oolong part wouldn't make sense.  My take is that it's processed similarly to oolong, from a cultivar used to make oolong (more often), in a rolled form like oolongs.  Mixing the two categories in the naming works; lots of people would be familiar with the general type.  It's closer to a mild, sweet, complex black tea than to oolong, as I've described.

What does it mean when tea versions aren't type-typical?

 

an atypical wild origin Thai oolong, left, and a more standard Oriental Beauty (DFMR) version

This is something I've been giving a lot of thought to lately.  I just re-tried a Thai oolong that doesn't match an established oolong style closely (based on Assamica material; one might expect that), and realized that it's quite pleasant in a completely different way (than related to standard oolong range).  

I would've said that in the review (from a month or so ago), but somehow what it means to me has changed in that month, or at least I'm working back through it again.  Looking back that tea was reviewed along with a Jin Xuan cultivar based Dong Fang Mei Ren (OB) version; that's not completely typical either.

Often how I frame ideas in very specific communication helps, when I respond to a group post theme, or when I'm discussing an issue with a friend or producer.  Drawing on that form, this is what I've recently said to a producer about this subject, about that oolong:

I just had the rest of that oolong with breakfast, and it's quite pleasant.  One thing I've been considering lately is that my expectations about teas being "type-typical," about matching styles I expect, may limit how much I can appreciate some versions.  I've been considering this for a long time, but I'm seeing it in a new way recently, related to having a lot of experiences with that theme.

I don't mean that I described that tea negatively, when I shouldn't have.  What I mean is that everyone's expectations would be colored by that, to some extent.  How well people like teas that don't match a specific style closely may relate to maturity of their tea experience.  It would take a long time to learn how different styles are expressed, then even longer to move past that as a main framework for evaluating teas.  I'm not finished with the second part, I don't think.

For more background, I've been using Moychay tea versions as comparison in some recent posts, because they sent some samples to review (as in that post).  Some of them are very pleasant, but not completely type-typical, usually only related to a single aspect not completely matching, so not that far off.  Or in that case presenting an OB version made from a different plant type (variations of Qing Xin are more normal, I think, but this isn't a key point in this content, and maybe that's not right).

I try to express that this kind of variation isn't necessarily negative, since some people would like many kinds of changes better, but at the same time a very close match to expectations could be positive in a limited way, in that it's what someone is probably often trying to buy.  And if they want to have the most typical experience related to building up awareness of types that works better.

That Assamica based oolong included a touch of atypical roasted input flavor, and the feel is structured differently.  It's all exactly what one would expect from wild-origin, different plant type tea (from variety Assamica instead of Sinensis, as most oolong is produced from).

The wild origin material theme really changes a lot.  In many cases oolongs are made from controlled genetics cultivars, for example from Jin Xuan, from #12 in a series of identified, cross-bred tea types (most typically produced as a light style, rolled form oolong).  Even teas made from traditional, older, conventionally established plant types--oolongs from Taiwan, Anxi, Fujian, and Guanzhou China, as types of Tie Guan Yin, Wuyi Yancha versions, and Dan Cong--would tend to be a limited range of things.  Cultivar genetics wouldn't be controlled, but plant types would tend to be similar, or would vary across a narrow range (which is two ways of saying the same thing, those last statements).

A plant growing out in a forest doesn't change it's genetics, but plant types can evolve and drift a bit as different plants die and are naturally re-initiated.  They can cross-breed themselves, more or less.  Maybe having a lot of other varying vegetation around changes outcome quite a bit, as many believe, but that's something else.

So far this is heading towards an assumed conclusion that we should also appreciate aspects and styles as they are, instead of filtering our enjoyment into narrow style and type preferences.  But why?  That kind of works, but neither extreme seems necessary, or intuitively right.

Processing inputs are something else, that we would consider differently.  Producers evolve production processes over time, grouped into distinctive approaches and styles, and in the best cases what works best gets carried on, and what doesn't is filtered out.  So these traditional final-outcome styles represent that, as the most possible outcome that producer feels that they are able to achieve.  

Broad preferences for styles and aspects can still vary over time.  For whatever reasons a lot of higher level oxidation and roast input to different types of oolongs, from different areas, has been getting unselected, with lighter styles becoming more dominant.  This isn't a recent trend; Marshal N wrote quite a bit about this in his early "A Tea Addict's Journal" blog.  That was mostly critique of modern "nuclear green" Tie Guan Yin being unfavorable, not as pleasant as traditional more oxidized and roasted versions, and not as favorable for your stomach (per his take, but there's a lot of truth to be considered in almost everything he says, or said).  But he also must have made other comparable observations about other types and styles, at different points.

I recently tried a Dan Cong that was made in that older style--assuming that one accepts what I've described as a broadly applicable and accurate generalization, which probably doesn't completely work--and it was very favorable.  That review was here, which compared that to a much lighter style Dan Cong version.  So why don't producers stick with earlier styles that seem so pleasant?

that second one is a little light, right?

Maybe it relates to preferences shifting over time.  Maybe the additional processing steps add difficulty, without bringing additional sales draw, in terms of increasing demand and selling price.  I don't really know; I would expect that causes and conditions are complicated.

This concern makes teas falling within limited types and styles being "type-typical" a moving target.  Could Assamica (plant type) material based oolong ever become conventional?  It seems unlikely, but it could become more established.  Could a broad demand for a lot of more oxidized and roasted oolongs become common again?  Sure, that seems more likely.  Or maybe that never actually dropped out, but producers and vendors were able to sell really light versions for a long time, in high volume, even though perhaps a broad sub-set of tea consumers didn't ever want that.

My overall favorite oolong producer, Wuyi Origin, favors a fairly light style, in general.  But then they also produce oolongs in a range of different styles, related to all of the inputs, so they can serve a broad audience with different preferences that way.  They are pretty good about accurately describing styles of what they sell, stopping short of a long flavor list breakdown, which I think makes sense.  People only need a sense of what they are buying, not a complete and detailed interpretation, which can vary by person anyway.

What else comes up related to these recent reviews; what can I pass on from them?  At times one aspect that seems like a very limited negative, perhaps even a flaw, can seem to affect a final judgment in a disproportionate way.  I think it's possible to focus too much on an ideal, and hold expectations that are too prone to ranking experiences, instead of just appreciating what is positive.  

As an example, a black tea recently didn't express complexity across a broad flavor range in the earliest couple of infusions, and then as it evolved later that filled back in (very recently; I just posted that while editing this).  The tea became very balanced and positive.  I'm not sure why it brewed like that, over those rounds.  

Evaluated against expectations of superior quality, specific style, and balance across all dimensions that could seem like a significant flaw.  But then maybe in some cases expectations evolve to make allowance for just this kind of thing, in terms of personal favorites.  Let's go with an example of that.

Dian Hong is my favorite range of black tea, Yunnan styles, which tend to not be all one thing, even though people would use the category bundling in different ways.  Sometimes versions include a lot of pleasant depth, but not as much pronounced forward flavor intensity.  I can still absolutely love versions like this, even though it sort of represents a significant limitation.  

a Moychay Dian Hong (right), recently compared with a Thai black tea

Such a tea might express pleasant cacao, dried fruit, roasted yam, or roasted sweet potato flavor, but in a limited intensity, with a lot of mineral depth (to add some specifics to that).  My take is that the Assamica material used to make such tea is often used to make pu'er in the spring and fall, and a summer harvest, that is weaker in intensity, is often used to make that black tea type.  So a spring harvest version of the exact same tea would be more complex and intense; it would be an example of a limitation.  But in some cases the tea can still work well anyway.  In a strange twist it would still be "type-typical," the theme I've been covering, because this is a normal way for Dian Hong to be.

So maybe I'm more open to that limitation because I expect it, based on having a range of related earlier experiences?  That seems strange.  As I experience it the tea style still just works.  The extra depth adds a different kind of complexity.  

To be clear here I'm using "depth" to mean that I automatically associate parts of the tea flavor experience in a physically represented way, with forward, intense, aromatic flavor aspects (fruit, floral range, whatever it is) as higher, and mineral or earthy "base" flavors as lower, and deeper.  I don't think that imagined spatial analytic form is necessary, or that it adds much to the experience, it's just how I've came to "see" tea experience.

pressed Da Hong Pao oolong (reviewed here); some novel presentation themes really work out

Conclusions

Where am I going with this?  As I try more examples that aren't completely type-typical I feel as if I'm changing how my own expectations relate to my own enjoyment of teas.  Calling that "maturity" imposes a value assessment framework I really don't intend (in a comment earlier here), but there's not another readily available concept to use for this.  I'm associating this with a part of a natural experience curve, and of course others would experience their own understanding and preferences shift in different ways instead over time.

Earlier in my tea exploration and communication I would ask others, through this kind of writing, to add their own perspective in comments.  That essentially never happens.  But I'll stick with these ideas, and see if they keep changing over time, and if my experience of different ranges of tea styles does.

As I try the rest of that oolong version, the later steeps, past a half dozen in count, I'm really enjoying it.  The feel structure is interesting, evolved to be rich and full, and smooth.  The flavor is unique.  A roasted input aspect gives it an almost almond-like character, with other vegetal tone one might interpret in different ways, positively as roasted grain, or barley, and more negatively as cured wood (depending on how they see it).  

It's nice.  But it absolutely doesn't match any typical form of oolong I'm familiar with, and I've drank quite a bit of oolong.  

To put this conclusion another way, I think it's possible to get stuck in the habit of looking for standard tea type experiences, and to experience minor flaws, or even what isn't present, as overly important, which reduces your ability to appreciate what is there, and is positive.

Vietnamese Assamica based oolongs, reviewed here

Mi Lan Xiang and old bush Wuyishan black / red teas

 

I'm reviewing two teas from Moychay, provided by them for review (in part related to helping with editing, but still, many thanks!).  

I've been using their samples (they sent a good bit) as comparison for other "local" South East Asian teas, but it will be nice to just compare two of them instead.  All the other versions were good.  There were some issues related to them matching the standard type form perfectly, to trueness to type.  When a tea is made from wild origin material that seems to automatically come up; the starting point in the material itself varies (at least one of them was, and maybe two).  This concern led me to write about that theme separately, about trueness to type, in another post.

For a market-style vendor like that buying in significant volume and selling at moderate pricing could also be issues.  Of course I'm not going to overthink any of that here; I'll just describe the teas.  I'll add their product descriptions after writing the tasting notes.

Before that, the type-typical theme largely drops out here.  I would've had comparable teas before, but I still come in without the pre-determined expectations of a main set type.  It might come down to whether or not these express tartness, which I really don't care for in black teas, typically.

Honey Orchid Black Tea (105 Euro or $121 USD for 50 grams; that seems wrong, doesn't it?)

Grown in the highlands of Meizhou, Guangdong at 800 meters above sea level, this black tea comes from old bush tea gardens using the Phoenix Dancong cultivar. The gardens are free from pesticides and chemical fertilizers, relying instead on natural forest humus and ecological pest control. The Phoenix cultivar naturally carries the honey–orchid aromatic profile that gives this tea its name.

The tea is handpicked as one bud with two leaves during the early spring, when the tea plants have accumulated nutrients throughout the winter. The fresh leaves are processed using traditional black tea techniques. After natural sun withering and indoor resting, the leaves are gently rolled in bamboo machines, fermented in a high-humidity room until the signature honeyed aroma emerges, and slowly baked over wood fire to lock in flavor and aroma.

The dry leaves are wiry and dark with golden tips. The brewed liquor is clear and orange-red, with a rich honey fragrance and soft orchid notes. The taste is smooth, sweet, and lingering, combining depth and elegance.

Over $2 a gram for black tea?  That seems wrong.  50 to 80 cents should be the normal high end range, and any vendor charging over $1 / gram is usually messing with you.  If a tea type is rare enough and demand is high enough then the cost would climb, with no real ceiling on that, but a black tea couldn't be good enough for me to see that as decent value for anything.  It was pretty good, but there is no pretty good value related to that pricing.

I can clarify what I mean by that by citing a comparable listing from another favorite vendor, from Wuyi Origin (a business ran by a family who I'm friends with a member of, Cindy, to be clear about potential bias):

Wuyi Origin Mi Lan Xiang Black Tea 蜜兰香红茶 (2026)  ($17.60 for 50 grams, so 35 cents a gram)

Mi Lan Xiang, or “Honey Orchid Fragrance,” is one of the most celebrated cultivars of Phoenix Dan Cong. While most Mi Lan Xiang teas are crafted as oolongs, this unique version is processed as a black tea, combining the fragrance of Dan Cong with the richness of Wuyi-style fermentation. The result is a rare and elegant expression that blends the sweetness of Phoenix Mountain with the smooth body of Fujian black tea.

This 2025 harvest comes from Daping Village, where the 40-year-old Mi Lan Xiang bushes grow naturally in clean, high-altitude gardens. The leaves are fully fermented on-site to preserve the honeyed aroma and smooth mouthfeel. The liquor is rich, mellow, and entirely free of bitterness. As soon as it is brewed, a soft sweetness fills the air, reminiscent of warm honey and ripe fruit. It is a tea that soothes and delights in equal measure.

Comparing a highly atypical, high quality producer direct source is a little unfair.  These types of sources barely even exist, as Western facing outlets, but when one does it has a competitive advantage, for selling their own unique teas without any middleman resale costs.  But this is the right range, just on the low side of cost, for what that tea would be.  Normal vendors would sell it for 50 cents a gram or more, instead of 35.  Just as a guess, for as good as I expct that it probably is more than 50 cents per gram pricing would still be normal.

Maybe within Europe it's a problem to buy directly from China, in lots of places.  There are import duties to be considered, and testing protocols for imported goods.  This citation is not offered here as a competing option, more to identify the normal pricing range.  It probably is a fairly similar tea, but then one would have to try both to compare them.

Black Tea LAO CONG HONG CHA, Old Bush Red Tea from Wuyi Mountains, Chinese tea from Wuyi, Fujian Province (Red Tea), 60g (12 Euro or $14 for 60 grams)

Old Bush Red Tea is produced from 40-year-old Meizhan and Shuixian tea bushes in the southern foothills of the Wuyi Mountains, Fujian Province. The tea is cultivated at an altitude of 500 meters in from 2006 year certified sustainable agriculture tea gardens that are part of a 4000-acre estate managed by the producer.

Harvested in April and May, this tea is hand-picked, focusing on two or three leaves per sprout. The leaves undergo a traditional black tea processing method, including withering, oxidation, rolling, fermentation, drying, and refinement. The result is a tea with tightly rolled leaves and a robust appearance.

When brewed, this tea yields a bright red liquor with a sweet and mellow flavor, characterized by notes of caramel and a rich, full-bodied texture. The unique processing reduces polyphenols by over 90%, creating the distinctive red hue and smooth taste associated with black tea.

This costs just over 10% as much as the other version.  Could that first version pricing be a site listing error?

The first version seems better in quality level (related to trying them before adding this section), and Dan Cong material is in pretty high demand, but that pricing still seems wrong.  At 50 cents a gram it would be a costly tea, and at $1 / gram at the top of the high side, for the normal range.

Review:

Mi Lan Xiang Hong Cha / Honey Orchid Black Tea:  a little tart.  This tea is still fine, very exceptional.  Floral range is unique, heavy and distinctive, but also clean and refined (at only the first infusion).  Maybe that does taste like honey orchid; it's hard for me to tell, even though I've drank a lot of Mi Lan Xiang Dan Cong.  The tone is warm, so it leans a bit towards lavender.  

A fruit input is really exceptional.  It's not far off peach, which does come up a good bit in Mi Lan Xiang Dan Cong, but it might also have a citrus edge.  It could be broader than peach, including a bit of apricot as well (or maybe it's more apricot, with a touch of peach).

Feel is good, balance is nice, and refinement is a strength.

Lao Cong Hong Cha Wuyishan / Old Bush Red Tea:  not as intense, but this seems to express more depth.  It includes cacao; that's nice.  And more of the roasted yam / sweet potato / butternut squash range.  I'll try more of a flavor list next round; these flavors integrate, so it's hard to separate them apart.

This seems to be framed along the classic more forward, sweeter, lighter flavor aspects (the first) and a version including warmer tones, more mineral, and lots of depth (this tea).  The first includes a touch of tartness, which means more to me than it probably does to most people.  

In general I might like the second more, since Dian Hong is my favorite type (or rather it's the other way around; Dian Hong is my favorite type because I love the experience of depth and certain forms of complexity in black tea).  But it's not as good, in at least one other sense.  This Wuyishan version includes a limited enough forward flash of flavor and sweetness that it might seem like a gap, at this stage.  But then this is only the first infusion.  And it stands out a lot more for it being brewed alongside a tea that emphasizes that initial floral hit.

MLX #2:  this falls into a great balance.  All of the tones warm a good bit, and tartness backs off.  The intense floral range moderates a bit, but there's still plenty there.  It's not easier to separate the flavors into a list this way, but the complexity balances well.  It still includes warm floral tones, which probably does include rich orchid flavor, and fruit, now emphasizing a warm mineral base more.

One bright tone stands apart from the rest, and gives it a nice counterbalance.  It's like that juicyfruit gum flavor, or not too far from teaberry.  Or given this context one could interpret that as floral range instead of fruit, even though I've done the opposite here.  

Feel is good.  It includes a hint of dryness along with the structure, but that doesn't come across as a flaw, in the type and level, along with the rest.  It just has an astringency structure, which works.  It's still a soft and rich tea, nothing like a more challenging version of Assam, even within the better orthodox whole leaf range.

Wuyishan:  this is softer and richer, with more depth.  Again the flavor range seems to express a gap; there is a lot of warmer, deeper tone, and some more forward flavor (cacao?), but it's not continuous along the entire range in between.  One could interpret part of this as tasting like soft and warm malt (ovaltine or malted milk ball, not Assam malt).  Something along the line of roasted sweet potato fills in flavor depth.  But in between that initial flavor hit and the depth that comes later there is a short pause in the experience.

Brewing this stronger would offset that effect.  I've brewed these for 15 seconds or so, not long.  Intensity is still pretty good (they're brewing at 7 grams per 100 ml gaiwan), but I expect the profile would seem to "fill in" at a higher intensity, for this version.  The other was already intense enough.

Someone more critical of this tea's character might say it tastes like cardboard.  That's partly right, but it's an effect coming from heavier mineral and limited somewhat earthy tone.  I would imagine that positive or negative bias would have one "seeing" either the better parts that work well or else what might come across as gaps or flaws.  I try to see it as it is.

It's a bit strange but I tried mixing the last of both, to see how it would merge and blend.  In a limited sense it is better than either version, but it's also less distinctive and interesting, so in another sense both lose what makes them work.  

MLX #3:  I gave these just over 20 seconds this round, to see how that changes them.  This version had been intense using a shorter time, so it may be a little strong.  

It is.  That works though; the pronounced warm floral tones really pop, supported by pleasant fruit.  I think this is just what someone would be looking for in a Mi Lan Xiang black tea version.  Even that touch of early tartness is normal, as I recall from other versions.  Depth is really nice in this, the way warm mineral tones fill that in.  Flavor complexity and refinement are exceptional.  Some might not love that touch of structure and dryness in this version, but for others that could be a main strength.

Sweetness is a main positive, obviously.  I've not explicitly said that, and just describing sweetness related flavors doesn't necessarily connect with that, even though it does here.

Wuyishan:  this is better for being brewed stronger, more appropriate for this tea version.  A hint of cinnamon joins the rest, filling in a nicely complex flavor balance.  The rest has transitioned.  A touch of cacao grounds the rest, and there is still roasted yam and limited dried fruit input in this (or maybe it has evolved to where those stand out now, and there were only related flavors in the first two rounds, nothing identical).  

Simply brewing this a little stronger did seem to resolve an overall balance / range gap described earlier.  Or the evolution across rounds did; it would be hard to be sure.  

That seems like enough for notes.  These will shift a little more across two more positive infusions, and you could stretch them for two more beyond that.  I would probably mention another flavor aspect for both, or a different balance of what came earlier.  But the basic story has been told. 

Later editing note:  a liqueur or perfume like character stands out in the Mi Lan Xiang version, a good indicator of tea quality, and something that's pleasant to experience.

I really liked both.  The style of the second (Wuyishan origin tea) suits my main preference better, but the strengths of the Mi Lan Xiang version really stood out.  It would be normal for people to judge it as a better quality tea version.  But really their character just varies, looked at another way.  The Wuyishan version got a slow start related to brewing a full flavor range complex character, but that was just an early round anomaly, and could have related to it working better being brewed slightly stronger.

The only anomaly or concern here is the $2+ per gram pricing of the Mi Lan Xiang version.  That's a lot; probably too much.

Thai wild Assamica based oolong, Jinxuan based "oriental beauty"

 

Chang Kham Thai oolong left, in all photos

This reviews a Thai forest origin Assamica based oolong and a Jin Xuan based Dong Fang Mei Ren, a tea type formerly known as Oriental Beauty.  They sell this as Golden Grace Beauty; more often vendors avoid the term "oriental" by calling it Eastern Beauty. 

These are from Chang Kham, a Chiang Mai based shop vendor, and Moychay, a Russian vendor now selling tea from Amsterdam.  Both sent the teas for review; many thanks! 

Both are sort of non-standard, but the Thai tea really falls outside of standard categories. Apparently it's tricky to make oolong from Assamica, with more on that in the review notes.  There is no product description here since this is from a physical shop, not an online source.  There may well be a sales listing somewhere for it, on a local Thai online platform like Shopee or Lazada, but I didn't look one up.

DFMR / OB usually isn't based on the Jin Xuan cultivar, I don't think, and this oxidation level seems unusually low, but the results aren't too far off the standard type outcome. 

Golden Grace Beauty Oolong (Jinxuan Meiren Cha)

Golden Grace Beauty Oolong is a rare type of Oriental Beauty tea made by Moychay order in Southern Fujian, in collaboration with Taiwanese tea artisans. 

Grown at an altitude of about 1100 meters in pesticide-free gardens, the tea is uniquely shaped by nature: the tea leaves must be bitten by a specific insect — the “small green leafhopper” (Jacobiasca formosana). This triggers a natural enzymatic response, promoting the release of terpenes and resulting in complex aromas of honey, fruit, and flowers. 

The tea is entirely handmade using the Jin Xuan cultivar and follows a labor-intensive oolong process that includes sunlight withering, oxidation (60–80%), multiple fermentations, and careful drying. 

Its distinctive appearance displays five hues — red, yellow, white, green, and brown — with prominent white hairs. The infusion glows golden like amber, with a smooth, rich, and lingering flavor. Layers of honey, fruit, floral, and tender vegetal notes unfold in the cup.

That costs 19.73 Euro for 60 grams, or $24 USD.  That's 40 cents a gram.  Is that good?  It's hard to say.  If the style is a good match to preference for someone, the changes from most typical type character, then that's quite fair, but some people might be put off by those differences, and then it wouldn't be about fair or low price.

That might be all the more true of the other tea version, that for people who happen to like that distinctive and unique style it could be a great tea, but that it being atypical might drop the level of appeal for others.

Review:

Thai wild Assam oolong:  that's interesting.  Warm tones and an astringency structure stand out first, but there is sweetness and plenty of flavor complexity.  I'm not sure what tea type this reminds me of.  It's probably not a close match to any standard type of oolong, but then being made from Assamica material is a step away from that, and material being from a wild origin source usually changes things, into a less familiar but often interesting form.  

It's hard to identify a flavor breakdown, or even to add range to this.  There's a lot going on, but warm mineral and astringency structure mask the rest.  There might be both fruit and floral range, and possibly some warm spice, and it's that complexity, so much going on, that makes it hard to identify distinct flavors.  A savory edge, and the flavor, might relate to sun-dried tomato.  I'll try again next round for more of a list.

Moychay Jin Xuan "Meiren Cha," Golden Grace Beauty oolong:  that does express a lot of the type-typical "oriental beauty" range, the muscatel oriented citrus, a raisin note, and warm spice, pretty much just cinnamon.  The color looks much lighter than I would see as standard, but the flavor range is heavier and warmer than expected.  Feel is pleasant; it includes fullness and richness already.  Aftertaste expression is even kicking in.  It's pretty good.  They might have got even better results adding just a touch more oxidation input, but you can't argue with the results as this stands.  

There's a hint of lighter floral range still, the more normal Jin Xuan character, and a good bit of creaminess.  It's not perfectly type-typical "oriental beauty."  I guess I could start writing out Dong Fang Mei Ren instead, and avoid using either the old, politically incorrect name, or else Golden Grace Beauty, which is just a work-around to not say "oriental."  It doesn't matter.

In trying the second version and then the first that astringency edge in the Thai version stands out all the more.  It's not like a black tea astringency, and definitely not like oolong, which almost always lacks any kind of edge.  So I guess it's the green tea range carrying over, in spite of added oxidation?  It's not bad; it will be interesting to see how it evolves.

Thai Assamica oolong #2:  this first sample is smaller, maybe 5 grams, while the other is 7.  For now I just poured out the second Jin Xuan infusion first, not adjusting timing by much, but I might have to.

This evolves to be a lot stronger.  It was brewed pretty fast, but it's already quite intense.  Faster infusion times may work for this, or rather the lower proportion relating to making a related change.

This is pleasant, but it tastes like a tea processing style still being developed.  Integration and balance are a little off.  Warm tones and astringency are fine, but sweetness and flavor complexity aren't there in the right level to balance those.  Sweetness is limited.  It has nice depth, and intensity is fine.  No flavors are really off; it all works, but it could balance better.  Feel is a little structured, even towards seeming dry, for this to be a normal oolong style.  

I don't think this is an early attempt at processing; I would expect that it took some work to get this to balance as well as it already does.  But converting oolong processing to work for Assamica material might be tricky.  I've tried other attempts, and only two really worked.  This is quite good in relation to the range of the rest, just not quite where those two were.  Those were from Vietnam, sold by Hatvala, prepared as rolled oolong, reviewed here in 2019.  I guess it's a theme that doesn't come up too often.

There's a unique flavor in this that's pleasant, that's hard to pin down.  It's on towards rust, a warm mineral input, but it's not that.  It's closer to a wetlands sort of variation of "forest floor."  That sounds unpleasant, like I'm saying it tastes swampy, and I don't mean that, it's nice.  It could use one or two other notes to balance it, but those may evolve over the next couple of rounds.

Jin Xuan Dong Fang Mei Ren:  that warm spice note really stands out, along with something like dried tangerine peel (or muscatel; that kind of works too).  The spice may be in between cinnamon and nutmeg.  What I interpreted as raisin is a fainter background input now.  Warm mineral supports the rest nicely, and all the other aspects integrate really well:  sweetness, rich feel, aftertaste effect, and balance of flavors.  Then it's unusual that a bit of lighter floral is in there as well.  It gives it even more complexity, but it also reduces the impact and effect of the rest some.

This is pretty good, as oriental beauty variations go, but it's hard for any version to be towards the top of that scale, which relates to an amazing overall set of integrated and balanced aspects.  These warmer fruit and spice tones could be even warmer, and more intense, and could combine differently.  A honey sweetness sometimes stands out.  The citrus note can pop more than it does in this.  It's a good version, but not completely type-typical, and not a great version, in terms of pleasantness of experience.  It's on a level above the other tea; that one doesn't come together in the same way.  But then they're producing something really non-standard, not just using Jin Xuan instead of whatever other cultivar is more standard for OB (a type of Qing Xin, was it?).

Thai Assamica oolong #3:  it's interesting how the color changes in the second version, how that evens up over the rounds.  And how this has been staying as intense as the other, even though it's around 5 grams instead of 7.

This is the best this has been.  The flavors tie together better than ever, and the feel picks up richness, with the earlier astringency mellowing.  It was never harsh or edgy, to be clear, nowhere near Assam black tea range, or sheng intensity and rough feel.  It just had a lot of astringency structure for oolong, and a touch of dryness, which is lighter now.  

That one flavor is all the catchier.  It's not so different than the one edge in black tea, towards malt, not completely unlike some cured hardwood tone.  But hard to fully describe.  It seems like floral range is filling in some depth and complexity, and spice is, but they're hard to make out as distinct flavors.  It might be more like a tropical hardwood, teak, mahogany, or the like (which I guess makes sense, for a forest origin Thai tea).  One part I'm not capturing well in description relates to spice, sort of along the line of bay leaf.  

It's pleasant.  It doesn't match any other standard tea style or type, but that's fine.

Jin Xuan Dong Fang Mei Ren:  the balance of those earlier flavors shifts a little, but they're all the same.  Maybe the citrus stands out a little more this round.  I'm brewing this quite light, for 10 seconds or so, and you could draw out the warmer and heavier flavors more just by adding more time.  I'll try that, and probably leave off notes after the next round.

Thai Assamica oolong #4:  that astringency edge is much stronger, brewed longer; no surprise there.  It leans towards a green wood effect made this way.  This tea is more suitable for being brewed lighter.

Jin Xuan OB:  warm spice does stand out a little more for being brewed a little longer, but this may be fading already, since intensity didn't really increase.  A couple of more rounds would tell for sure.  [later edit]:  it wasn't dying, but it was fading, which isn't a good sign for quality, that happening so fast.  It made a few more decent infusions, but intensity had already dropped off some.

Conclusions:

These kind of review posts probably don't work very well for vendor marketing.  For people who the descriptions ring a bell, related to them sounding great, or interesting, the teas would seem appealing, but it would be as likely that it's not enough of a strong sales pitch.  The teas were good, but not high up the scale as good teas go.

It's nice that Moychay is turning up interesting versions of some standard teas, and selling them at moderate cost, at a good value.  But I'd expect a lot of tea enthusiasts to be seeking out the most type-typical, highest quality, most pleasant versions, and this may or may not make the cut, depending on judgement.  It's pleasant, so that part works, but slightly off the most typical Dong Fang Mei Ren style.

The other tea is even more unusual.  It's fine, also good, but again few people are probably looking for distinctive oolong that has an atypical feel and flavor profile.  If it all meshed together really well then sure, and this tea version balanced ok, but it was only on the lower end of "good."