Bi Yu and Lishan Taiwanese rolled oolongs

 

I'm reviewing two very interesting and pleasant Taiwanese rolled oolongs, from Tea Mania, a vendor based in Switzerland.  Peter, the owner, passed on these samples in a visit awhile back (many thanks).  There's a lot to say about them so I'll cite the product listings for more background and get on with the review notes section.

I might first add that I was really more into rolled oolong scope very early in tea exploration; it's essentially where I started, checking out Thai versions that were around (in Bangkok).  Variety and quality scale is pretty broad, and it's my opinion that the best versions come from Taiwan.  I tried a pretty good more oxidized and roasted Tie Guan Yin, from Anxi, China, not too long ago, but these are something else.  Thailand can make ok versions, and Vietnamese range can be better than Thailand's, really extending to the top of the Taiwanese quality range in the rarest cases, but it could be hard to find those best of the best versions from there.

Bi Yu  (15 CHF or $17.63, seemingly for 50 grams)

Bi Yu is a rare Taiwanese cultivar that descends from the well-known Qing Xin and Jin Xuan cultivars. The aroma profile of Bi Yu lies between the two parents, Qing Xing and Jin Xuan. A decisive difference is the pronounced fruitiness which is underlined by floral notes.

Due to the traditional processing, it can be stored without any loss of aroma. With increasing age, the aroma changes and develops its very own charm.

Harvest date: spring 2021

Aroma: fruity, with light, floral notes on the finish

Oxidation: approx. 40%

Roasting: middle

Terroir: Mingjian, Nantou, Taiwan

Lishan Gaoshan Wulong (30 CHF or $35.25 for 50 grams)

Lishan Gaoshan Wulong is a slightly oxidized, bouquet style highland tea from Lishan. Due to the slight oxidation the tea has a very floral and refreshing character, which reminds of the floral in the green tea, but due to the processing as wulong tea it has a much stronger body and is a much more intensive taste experience. With the slightly oxidized wulong, the leaves are not shaken as much, but are handled much more gently. This means that there are no red leaf edges, which makes the tea taste much more floral and refreshing. The infusion in the cup is also much brighter. The reverberation in the mouth is still clearly perceptible even over a longer period of time and it is a pleasure to trace the character of the tea in meditative silence and to fathom its complex character more and more.

Lishan Gaoshan Wulong is not roasted and only slightly but nevertheless well oxidized. Thus the character of highland teas is clearly visible. Due to the traditional processing it can be stored without any problems and without losing its aroma. With increasing age, the aroma changes and develops its very own charm.

Harvest time: spring 2020

Aroma: floral, with notes of osmanthus and honey

Oxidation: approx. 20%

Roasting: non

Terroir: Lishan, Nantou, Taiwan

Note that these are from different years, 2021 for the Bi Yu, and 2020 for the Lishan, and oxidation level is higher for the Bi Yu, with only that version roasted.  I don't speculate about those inputs in these review notes (I checked the descriptions and added them later in editing), focusing on the experienced aspects instead.  Even that tends to run long.

I've researched and written quite a bit about Taiwanese cultivars in this blog, just nothing for the last half a dozen years.  I'll also skip going into any of that, but anyone interested could search it up here.  One reference I cite in those posts covers what the older plant types and newer hybrid cultivars are.  Jin Xuan is an example of the newer range (#12 in that series), as Bi Yu must be.  Qing Xin is really a range of more original plant types, not just all one thing genetically, according to this research study reference.

this post covers more about this, with the table from this reference

Bi Yu left, in all photos

Review:

Bi Yu:  it's quite good; I expected that.  There is an intensity of floral range and mineral base that's distinctive across most Taiwanese rolled oolongs, and this expresses that.  Floral range is intense and complex.  A mineral base is harder to notice but that is what helps ground the rest, making it come across as a very complex experience.  

Intensity is good, on the high side.  I brewed this for longer than a typical infusion to get it started from still completely dry and compacted, for 30 seconds or just over, and it's not on the light side at all.  The effect is just as it should be.  

Related to regional character, tied to the origin, or the cultivar type, I won't be able to comment on what is or isn't most type-typical; I just don't drink that much Taiwanese oolongs.  I've had good versions before, but it will still even be hard to place these within the scope of the highest quality range.  It's quite good; that's all I can tell.  I may not be able to get much further than describing this as expressing complex floral range; it's not one of my things to list out 3 or 4 flowers this resembles.

Lishan:  interesting!  I had expected this to be pretty similar to the other version, but it's not.  It's creamier, and it includes a nutty sort of flavor aspect.  Plenty of sweetness and floral range too, but it's quite different.  A touch of vegetal range enters in along with the floral tone, and the rest, but it's limited, and hard to place.  That might either develop or else drop out, and then I'd have either some or no chance of describing it further.  Mineral is a little different in this too.  It's so heavy that it leans a little towards salt or metal, in a good sense.  Maybe that vegetal range links with a savory edge too, and I'm just not connecting the parts appropriately.  

In re-trying the first version after tasting this the aftertaste in the Bi Yu version extends longer.  It's really pretty close to what I expected this tea to be like.  Am I thinking of conventional Alishan character instead?  I'm not at all clear on tea production areas in Taiwan, and tea plant types also factor in.

Bi Yu #2:  I brewed these for about 15 seconds, probably long enough to draw out plenty of intensity.  I didn't have the best guess for proportion in these, having been mostly off rolled oolongs for awhile, trying only a few over the last year, but I guessed it would be a good bit, a gaiwan full, so on towards the 10 grams I might often brew at one time.  It's too much for many people's preference, but kind of familiar range to me.  It will limit getting far through a full infusion cycle of two versions.

Creaminess picks up.  Intensity would also, if it hadn't been so intense in the first round, but I think the added complexity makes it come across as stronger.  Feel is nice and rich, aftertaste range is extended and pleasant.  The main story is intense floral taste.  It's almost like that new car smell, but in a good sense, a little towards plastic of an unusual kind.  But it's heavy floral range instead, a theme that's quite familiar to anyone who has explored much above average quality Taiwanese oolongs.  

Is this an example of one of the most pleasant styles, and highest quality levels?  Maybe, at least towards that.  I've heard someone criticize Taiwanese oolongs for being too intense before, claiming that they're accomplishing that through heavy fertilizer use.  I'm skeptical that's true, but it's at least possible.  Then that leads me back to considering food issues; would we be shocked to learn that a producer is using fertilizer to grow our tomatoes or spinach?  It would be surprising if they didn't.  I love the idea of wild-grown, natural conditions produced tea as much as the next person, but I'm not hung up on it.

[later editing note]:  the product listing description places flavor range as mostly fruit, supported by floral scope, which isn't what I've interpreted it as here.  When the two themes mix in a tea it can be hard to sort out which provides more input, and what you expect can factor into judgment.  If I had read that description prior to tasting I'd have been discussing fruit tones, but without that it seemed essentially entirely floral to me.  The character would have changed a little over 3 1/2 years; it's hard to factor that in.

Lishan:  nuttiness is pronounced again.  There would be different ways to interpret that; others may not see this as tasting like nuts, and it's not exactly like nuts, just in that general range (cashews, I guess, or maybe macadamia nuts instead, or in the middle).  There is floral range as well.  

I'm not noticing even a hint of vegetal range, maybe related to brewing it so much lighter, but the mineral layer is still a bit savory.  It comes across as less full and rich in relation to the first tea really dialing up that range, but that's partly related to a comparison effect, not a gap in aspects.  I could imagine someone like either one of these more than the other, but to me the first is nicer, related to getting back to experiencing that really dialed up floral range experience again.  Pleasant mineral base, rich feel, and long aftertaste support that.

Bi Yu #3:  it would work to brew these lightly, using half the proportion that I am, and still moderate infusion times, and intensity would still be fine.  Nah; I'm dialing it up.  At least I am only brewing these for 15 seconds or so, but at this proportion that brews a strong infusion.  I think some of that relates to acclimating to young sheng intensity, which is hard to moderate, no matter how you brew it, so brewing oolongs or other teas lightly just seems thin to me.

Richness really stands out this round, and the floral tone picks up a bit of warmth, taking on a perfume-like character.  Or that also reminds me of cognac or brandy, one part of that range of experience, which I've not been through in decades, since I barely drink any alcohol, a few beers a year.  

Floral tone is heavier.  Someone more capable of describing two dozen distinct floral tone inputs would be offering a different list of them this round.  More like lavender?  Intensity has been great through all these rounds, and that's the same, it's amazing.

Lishan:  those earlier aspects settle and integrate in an interesting way.  It won't really work to describe how, exactly what I mean by that.  The nutty range is less distinct as that kind of form, and a base of what seems like less clearly defined vegetal range picks up, like a green wood tone.  Floral range is still pronounced.  It all integrates as one pleasant and unified experience more than it must sound.  Decent sweetness and bright intensity makes it work, along with a significant mineral base.  Again it seems less rich in feel with less aftertaste expression, but that's mostly in comparison with the other version.

It's interesting that the wet leaf appearance is so much greener for this version than the other, and darker.  Based on reviewing the listings (later) it's from the oxidation level being higher for the Bi Yu version, but that Lishan version seems extra green somehow, so deep and dark.

Bi Yu #4:  the progressive warming transition continues; this may be drifting just a little towards a spice tone range.  It's not there yet; maybe next round that kind of shift will be more pronounced.  Again the heavier floral range is nice.

Lishan:  maybe just a touch "greener," or it could be that I'm looking for that, after the observation about the color.  I think it's actually there too.  It makes this come across as really rich in flavor in an unusual sense, not really similar to green tea character, but I suppose it wouldn't just be a stretch if someone wanted to draw some limited comparison.  The grassiness and astringency edge isn't there, but then green teas do vary quite a bit.  Maybe more like a more savory version of one, that lacks an astringency edge.

That green part reminds me of a fresh forest scent, as much as green wood, which is how I've described it earlier.  It's like that heavy vegetal scent after a spring rain.  I suppose drawing a parallel with moss might actually make sense; it's clear enough how the different themes I'm mentioning connect.  Moss does represent the greenest and dampest fresh floral tone range, integrated with heavy mineral range.

Going back and re-trying the other version after this one the warming tones in the Bi Yu might be shifting a little towards a green wood tone, more of an actual version of that, not something comparable but different.

Bi Yu #5:  I think drinking this on the hot side emphasizes a connection to spice tone, and then in a few minutes once it cools that green wood link will stand out as much.  That's a subject I don't ever do much with, variations in drinking tea at different temperatures.  

Often I'll use two cups for making tea Gongfu style with breakfast, pouring it from one to the other one time per round, to absorb more of the heat.  I'm using a larger set of cups to prepare these, so they're drinkable right away related to temperature, but not so cool.

Lishan:  more of the same, really.  It's interesting how those heavy flavors combine, not so clearly linked to nuts range now (macadamia mostly, I guess), but combining a few dominant layers.  It's pleasant for how well it all integrates and works together.  And it helps that there are no aspects that seem like flaws, which it's easy to not explicitly notice.  

The other version is just a touch sweeter, richer in feel, and includes more aftertaste experience, but that's not really a flaw, just more positive supporting range associated with the first tea.  I suppose that someone could interpret those as "quality markers," and see it as indicated as higher in quality, but it's hard for me to conclusively conclude that.  They're just different in style.

Later rounds:  these kept going and going, of course.  In later rounds the Bi Yu faded to become thinner in profile, with more emphasis on the heavy mineral layer.  The Lishan stayed quite positive, lightening up across aspect scope except for sweetness, bright floral range, and rich feel (so forest scent / vegetal range and the mineral layer dropped out, put the other way).  It was interesting for a tea to fade in the end while retaining the most positive aspect range; usually they'll pick up a woodiness, or settle on more mineral range.

Conclusions:

It's interesting not noticing fruit from the Bi Yu vendor description, it just seeming floral.  And interesting that the version really held its own with the Lishan up until later rounds, after which the Lishan continued on as more positive.  How to place that?

One might conclude that the Lishan is a higher quality level tea, or instead that the effects of higher oxidation level and roast input lent themselves to being more positive in earlier rounds, and then to the Bi Yu version fading quicker.  Maybe it's both.

For sheng pu'er, or even for other tea types, it's easier for me to place how the different types of aspects get sorted out according to somewhat conventional preferences, from discussion of teas online, or related to vendor input.  Are the heavy green forest scent / moss aspect or macadamia nut richness in the Lishan version highly desirable characteristics, or is that negative, or neutral?  I suppose preference should really dictate that, since specific flavors don't typically serve as "quality markers."  Something like richness of feel or extended aftertaste are more often regarded as universally positive. 

It would be nice if I'd kept up more contact with rolled oolong scope, and I could do better with placing these on a general quality scale, or commenting further on value.  At a guess they're quite good, matching up well with teas sold as of exceptional quality, and 30-some and 60-some cents a gram are very fair price ranges, for what they are.  For as pleasant as this Bi Yu version is that's probably a good value, as good rolled oolong goes, but then in a different sense that could easily also be true of the other Lishan version.  

Origin area is one main input to demand level, across many tea types, and you end up paying more for what other people tend to seek out and value.  Then styles and quality level can be more variable across less demanded range, so you have to be careful about what you explore, or some experiences won't match preferences and expectations.

Looking at their Taiwanese oolong page they carry a lot of versions.  It would be tough to pick and choose among them on a tightly limited budget.  Some might seem better than others, varying with preference, but at least of what I've tried of Tea Mania versions they've all been pretty solid, with no "misses."  That would happen, if a vendor is sharing their favorite versions as samples, but I was in the habit of buying tea from them every year awhile back, before I moved on to focusing on Thai and Vietnamese teas more recently, and all that I tried was quite nice.  

You do experience more misses when exploring off-main-production-area teas, and styles vary more, so you pay a price for buying teas at lower rates.  To me that variation is nice too though, experiencing what you don't expect.

ITea World Da Hong Pao and Zhangping Shui Xian

I'm reviewing the next two types of oolongs that were part of a set sent by ITea World for review.  This follows an earlier review of Dan Cong and Tie Guan Yin versions, here.  I had liked that Dan Cong more, but both seemed pleasant, and a reasonable value as moderate cost, above average quality, high volume tea outlet versions.

The same holds true for these, again with one outshining the other, per my personal preference.  The teas come as part of a sample set, here; they don't seem to be sold separately.  100 grams of four types of oolong are sold as 5 ounce separate samples, for 1475 baht, about $45.  That would be a good price if quality was exceptional, and not all that great a value if it was lower-medium level, and to me it seems fair for what the teas are, pretty good but not necessarily great.  They do seem a bit better than the versions they sent for review a year or so before.

To me the Dan Cong and Da Hong Pao really outshined the other two versions, but personal preference factors into such a judgement, even though I see it as also based on a fairly objective assessment of quality level and trueness to a standard type.  This post spells all that out in great detail, related to these two teas.  

In that earlier post I reviewed how some alternative sources work out, and I'll sample one from the top of a Google search list here to do the same, to clarify the one type, and support what I'm claiming about a market value:

Palais Des Thes Zhang Ping Shui Xian Grand Cru (selling for $48 per 100 grams)

This Zhang Ping Shui Xian Grand Cru, which translates to “water fairy from Zhang Ping”, is harvested in the namesake village in Fujian province, China. The tradition of oolong compression continues here: growers carefully compress oolong made from the Shui Xian cultivar into small cubes.

A superb oolong with delicate white flower, yellow fruit and vanilla notes which develop against a subtly powdered texture.

In order to bring out all the aromatic complexity of this tea, we recommend multiple infusions using the traditional Chinese Gong Fu Cha method.

Maybe that's roughly equivalent in quality level and style, or maybe it's better, or possibly even lower in quality level; there's no way to know without trying it.  That Google search turned up countless other examples, some costing significantly less, and again only trying them would indicate style, aspect range, and quality.  

Review:

Da Hong Pao:  this is nice.  It's so heavy on cinnamon flavor that it seems more type-typical for Rou Gui than Da Hong Pao, but it probably includes more Rou Gui than Shui Xian, and probably little or none of Qi Dan or Bei Dou, the more original DHP cultivars.  Da Hong Pao means two different things:  a derivative version of one of the original plant versions (7 originally, was it?), or else a style, most typically a blend of other plant types made to taste a certain way, typically with an upper-medium roast input level.  This could be the second thing.  Or it's conceivable that it could just be Rou Gui, but I doubt that.

This producer outlet listing of blended Da Hong Pao clarifies what I mean, about DHP also referring to a blend.

It's good, the main thing.  And the style is fine for the DHP range; it's appropriate.  It includes a good bit of inky mineral depth that works as a quality level marker across a lot of Wuyi Yancha range (just not always present; the styles of those vary, and plant types).  Sweetness is good, as is flavor range and overall balance.  Aftertaste is pronounced, already, including mostly that heavy cinnamon note.

Other flavor range matches ordinary DHP scope.  Warm mineral and cinnamon stand out the most, and the warm tones of a roast input (probably coupled with significant oxidation, not the low level version).  The rest is what people tend to describe in lots of different ways, as a familiar range, but one that doesn't map over to food and other flavor experience all that well.  It tastes like leather, or aromatic dark woods, towards incense spice, and so on.  It's not dis-similar to some dried fruit, like tamarind, but that's not it.  Probably an obscure spice reference is better than that whole list of guesses.

Zhangping Shui Xian:  this isn't really opened up yet; it will probably take two long infusions just to get it going.  I'll pass on an early impression anyway.  It's too light to come across as positively as it will when brewed stronger.  Often a bright freshness is a main part of this style of oolong, if the couple of examples I've tried are an indication, and this doesn't include all that much of that just yet.  The flavor that is present isn't too far off good Tie Guan Yin range.  

If floral tones pick up, and sweetness, and a fresh edge, this will be right where it should be.  If not it will be a decent but somewhat muted version of this style.  I'll take it apart to give it a chance to express itself better.

DHP #2:  mineral tones really pick up, from pronounced to quite strong.  That's positive, as I see it, a normal form of this type.  Roast input is moderate enough that that's lending to this effect quite a bit but it doesn't taste charred, in a good balance.  For people loving a lighter style of these range of teas that's not ideal, but DHP typically is like this, so those people should be drinking something else, a single cultivar type identified as made in that style.  Oddly when a version is sold as Qi Dan or Bei Dou it wouldn't usually be made in exactly this style; DHP really does refer to a processing form, even when the most original plant types are made into something that could fairly be called that, or really represent the original range even more than this evolved modern form does.  

Aftertaste is good in this, and feel thickness is upper medium, so in a pretty good balance.  The mineral really stays with you.  It really tastes like ink smells, as it should.  That effect leans a little towards a liqueur or perfume like character.

This is what you hope random gambling-oriented purchases of DHP in Chinatown shops would be like, and it almost never is.  I like lower quality DHP too though; to me some styles carry over and work better as lower quality versions, even giving up a positive attribute here or there.  Lower medium quality Tie Guan Yin can be drinkable but not as pleasant.  Moderate quality Dian Hong can be great.  I suppose that's all more about my subjective preference than anything that is grounded beyond my experience.

Zhangping Shui Xian:  it has good depth, and is pleasant in character.  The main limitation seems to come from my own expectations, of this including bright floral range and freshness.  It's not like that, at least not in a pronounced form.  The main flavor is quite similar to Tie Guan Yin range, but a warmer and more vegetal variation of that.  I suppose that's like Taiwanese oolong, just without the one pronounced unusual note those tend to include, a strong floral tone.  I could imagine people loving this style, but I don't.  It needs a bit more sweetness and floral range to tie the rest together.

It says on the packaging this is from an old plant source, and in some cases forward or higher end intensity can be diminished in older plants, swapped out for a greater depth.  That doesn't hold as true for Dan Cong; the range of sweet and aromatic tones in those tends to have a strong forward, higher end, more fragrant component, even in styles and versions where depth is more pronounced.  I'm not familiar enough with this style range to place it as just a normal variation or else atypical instead.

Other quality markers, beyond sweetness and flavor intensity, aren't as positive as they could be.  Thickness of feel is very limited, as is aftertaste.  It just doesn't seem exceptional.  It's good though, it's ok, but not as pleasant or seemingly a match in quality level to the DHP version.  That also isn't really in the "best of the best" range, but it's very positive, and works well, even venturing into complex and refined character, so close enough.

DHP #3:  more of the same; as described before.  I'd be surprised if this isn't half Rou Gui.  If so that's fine; they seem to have blended inputs that balance each other well, which is a good example of that second definition of Da Hong Pao.  A touch more woodiness enters in this round; this may be as positive as it will be, and could transition to be less exceptional over 2 or 3 more rounds.  We'll see.

Zhangping Shui Xian:  also more of the same.  A bit of additional warm spice may be picking up; it's better than in the first two rounds.  There is a fullness and depth to this, across flavor and to a lesser extent also feel range, with a touch more aftertaste expression picking up.  For people who love the greenest / lightest styles of Wuyi Yancha this may work well enough.  I can appreciate that style range, depending on what aspects are there, and I like this, but to me it's not really exceptional.  

Beyond lacking intensity, and some flavor aspect range that could be present, it includes no flaws.  It's hard to explain how that defines it, or where to place it in relation to what's not there.  This could easily taste woody, or include a trace of sourness, and so on, and it doesn't.  I might have not mentioned much for flavor yet, beyond that it's vaguely vegetal, in a neutral sense.  It's probably floral too, in a relatively neutral sense, as something like chrysanthemum is.  That's why it comes across as including depth and some complexity, even though flavor intensity is limited.

I'll give these one more 30 second or so infusion and then leave off taking notes.  That won't cover how they transition through the last half of the infusion range, but I can mention something about that later in a conclusion section, after drinking more later.  

I'm brewing 5 grams each of these, the sample versions, which is more like conventional Gongfu approach than I usually use.  I tend to max out proportion, brewing 7 or 8 grams in a 100 ml gaiwan, requiring using 10 to 15 second infusion times across the first half of the cycle, and resulting in brewing over a dozen rounds.  Either way works.

DHP 4:  this might be fading a little; that can happen, for using a lower proportion, and extending brewing times.  It's far from done but this won't make it past a dozen infusions, or maybe even 10.  I bet you could keep stretching this though, brewing it for 45 seconds to a minute lots of times, then even longer.  Cinnamon is fading as woody tones pick up; it's on the downhill side of positive character too.  

I was drinking both on the strong side, really pushing them both to drink this strong related to the other being subtle in character.  You could use shorter times and light infusion strength and this DHP would've been fine, or maybe better, per someone else's taste preference.

Zhangping Shui Xian:  it's fine, not different than last round.

I might mention that as a sheng pu'er drinker I'm acclimated to a really high intensity level in tea character.  For someone dialed into a lighter range this would probably come across better.  The intensity of the DHP brewed a bit strong worked for me, but this stays a bit subtle, picking up depth but not overall intensity.  Sweetness and bright floral tone missing seemed a limitation, although I suppose that it's possible that this is one conventional style version of this tea type.

Conclusions:

Those did start fading after that, so durability wasn't exceptional for either, but again I was pushing the teas related to using a low proportion (for me) and brewing them a bit strong.

So how good were they?  To me it's important to specify that within a range.  Were they presented as exceptional quality, boutique producer teas, or as better than average standard outlet versions?  Were they supposed to compete with the better curator vendor offerings, or instead high volume online outlets, or Chinatown shops?  In the middle, I think.  I'll add pricing and some background during the final editing but from the last review these are sold as medium priced teas, implying a medium level of quality.

In relation to that they're good.  I liked the Da Hong Pao version more, and it seemed like a better quality tea to me, but both were nice enough.  Both fell within a general range for type, although perhaps the Shui Xian could've been a little different, brighter in tone, with more floral range, and sweeter.  As I've mentioned this could've been within a standard range though; it's not a type or style I'm all that familiar with, having only tried a couple of related versions before.

In the last combined review from this set I liked the Dan Cong version more than the Tie Guan Yin, and to some extent that could've related to my preference for type matching that pattern.  That could've happened again.  I'm interpreting my impression as an objective assessment of style (match to standard type) and quality instead, but the themes and impression range can mix, to some extent.

It can be hard to be more specific; just how good were these, on a scale of 1 to 10, in relation to what is selling in mainstream outlets of other types at different pricing, etc.  I think the Da Hong Pao would be as good as what higher volume outlets (or smaller vendors too) sell for 40 cents per gram or so, if their value was good.  Market-style online outlets might carry more versions that aren't quite that good, with this equating to their higher end range.  

It's harder to say for the Shui Xian; the style is less common and less familiar.  Pricing might run slightly higher due to novelty.  I don't think this is an uncommon type or form, at this point, but it does seem like it's a type and presentation that has evolved relatively recently, at least related to Western exposure, to the extent types like Da Hong Pao and the Dan Cong and Tie Guan Yin ranges have been available.  The quality and aspects weren't as appealing for this version as the other, but it is a more novel style.

Comparing ITeaWorld Shui Xian and Wuyishan park origin Rou Gui

 

Shui Xian left, in all photos

Trying one of the last of the ITeaWorld oolongs, a Da Hong Pao, led me to giving review of those one more go.  This isn't that; it's their Shui Xian, or branded here as Minnan Narcissus, which that translates to, a reference to a flower type.

That Da Hong Pao was pretty good:  intense, earthy, deep with mineral tones, and clean.  A heavy roast input and good base of minerals gave it a really inky mineral effect, a bit heavy-handed but nice.  It was what I see as one part of the range of being type-typical.  Some versions sold as that can be more refined and balanced, less intense, but it's probably the more common type theme for those to be heading towards that heavy roast input and high degree of mineral tone, almost rough natured for being so intense.

These will be different.  This Rou Gui is from Jip Eu, that Chinatown shop I never stop mentioning.  They gave me this sample in a recent visit there.  It's presented as from grown inside the Wuyishan park / nature presever area, and it probably is that, since it's passed on from the brother of Kittichai (the owner).  His brother and other family lives in that area, and still produces tea there (I think; I suppose it could be that he's only a vendor instead).  We talk about his family history from time to time and I've seen a picture of him at a family tea processing small factory within the Wuyishan park area, that had to be removed when they changed the area use restrictions a long time ago.  So I guess that would be 50 years back, and he would be getting along in age now?

I think Jip Eu may not even sell this tea version, it may just be something they shared that they picked up.  It's interesting a recent review also related to that context, the one about frozen oolong, tea that was never dried.

This isn't mainly a claim about what this Rou Gui is, or developed support for any of that story.  It should be good, and the style could vary quite a bit.  I've lost track of the unique name they use for "within the park area" in Wuyishan, which there's a word for (Chinese terms don't stick with me), but in unsuccessfully looking that up I found an interesting reference about that area:

After harvest, fresh tea leaves require four months of processing -- they're baked for more than a month -- before they're ready to serve.

In addition to Da Hong Pao, Shui Xian (Narcissus) and Rougui (Cassia) are two Wuyi cliff teas recommended for beginners.

Shui Xian is elegant and smooth. Rougui has a spicy and fierce kick.

Tea at Chun Hui ranges from $45 per 500 grams to $450 -- each brew takes about 8 grams of tea leaves.

So not the term I was looking for but that summary is interesting, given what I'm about to compare.  I think Rou Gui could be elegant and smooth and Shui Xian could be a bit rough or the opposite (which I would typically call refined) based on growing conditions input and maybe even more so processing choices.  Anyway, it's interesting.  

The price range is too; $9 per 100 grams up to nearly $1 a gram.  That sounds right; that's how we tend to buy it in Western outlets too.  Stopping at a $1 a gram might be a little low, but beyond that.  It's nice that they say you should brew using a heavy proportion; I think so too.  That's assuming they mean 8 grams in a 100 ml range of infusion; of course it would also be possible to use a much lower proportion and adjust timing, or even brew Western style, but I don't think that works out as well for this tea type range.

I looked up selling price and description in the ITeaWorld site and this is $20 or so per 100 grams (which is fine, maybe a really good value depending on quality), and there isn't much text description.  It says "tea leaves from 60 year old tea trees with distinct orchid aroma," from Dongguantown, Yongchun, Fujian (which means nothing to me).  Since they're using a graphic to describe the tea further I can include that:

Oxidation level and perceived sweetness mean something to me but the rest doesn't.  Let's actually try it then.

To be clear this is probably an unfair tasting, because these were presented as completely different quality level versions.  ITeaWorld teas have been above average in quality level, some maybe slightly better than that, but they're selling them for normal market rates for ordinary range tea, implying they're not some unusual quality level version.  If you can find $9 per 100 gram versions of Wuyi Yancha, based anywhere, in online outlets, Chinatown shops, wherever, those tend to be rough edged and limited quality teas.  $20 is more normal range.  I've bought versions that fit more of the $20 profile (expectations) for under $5 in Bangkok, but usually you get bad tea trying that buying approach.

If the two teas seem similar in quality level this is really either an impressive outcome for the ITeaWorld Shui Xian or a disappointment for the Rou Gui.  If I happen to like one better than the other related to personal preference for aspects that's wouldn't necessarily relate to a clear judgement one way or the other, related to quality scope.

Review:

ITea World Shui Xian:  the dry leaf smells really nice.  I'm not getting all that much intensity from the brewed liquid, the opposite effect from the Da Hong Pao, which started really fast.  This is a more refined version, it seems, and probably lower in oxidation and roast level.  Not that this is a direct opposition; more oxidation and roast level might make a tea brew faster, and come across as more intense, but different styles could have flaws or rough edges, or balance really well.  

I suppose mineral base and floral range does come through.  I should do a flavor list next round though, since this is quite light.

I'm brewing two of their samples, so 7 grams in total, and it looks like the other sample is more than that, maybe 8, maybe with larger, more whole leaves making it look even bigger.

Jip Eu Rou Gui:  this is more intense but also still opening up.  I brewed these for around 20 seconds but people tend to use a rinse step in part because the first round is slow to get going otherwise, even if you soak the leaves for awhile.  There is heavier flavor range to this, and maybe it does include cinnamon.

It goes without saying, since I've said it so often, but brewing 15 grams of tea at one time is a lot; I won't get far for infusion count, and will try these again later in the afternoon.  It's fine to brew 3 1/2 or 4 grams at a time, that sample packet worth, it just requires adjustment, and I'm accustomed to this range of process.

ITea World Shui Xian, 2:  that's more like it.  This is actually pretty good.  I wouldn't say that an intense floral character comes across but depth of mineral tone standing out more isn't a bad thing.  Feel is fairly full, and aftertaste experience carries over, mostly settled on the mineral tone.  Sweetness is fine, and flavor range, but it's the way the mineral tone serves as a base and feel and aftertaste supports the rest that make it work well.  

Oxidation and roast level do seem to be moderate; it's that lighter style of Wuyi Yancha.  I like that, but when the other range is perfectly balanced--medium level for both--there's a sort of magic to that, but it's far more common for the roast to go a bit far, to take on a char effect.  There's a perfume-like aromatic tone that good Wuyi Yancha can express that this taps into some, almost like cognac, but it's not so pronounced in this version.  For 20 cents a gram tea this is fine, maybe slightly better than I would expect.

Jip Eu Rou Gui:  cinnamon is really standing out in this now; that's quite pleasant.  It's not as if this gives up anything for refinement to the other, but the style is quite different.  They seem to have oxidized this a bit more, not in that modern light range, more in a very well-balanced traditional form (as I take it, but what do I know?).  

Feel and aftertaste are ok, and mineral depth, maybe even directly equivalent to the other, but for flavor range being a bit stronger those come across as weaker.  Does it make sense what I mean by that?  The other is refined and light in terms of flavor intensity, with decent floral range and mineral present, but a shift in higher intensity after you drink it makes aftertaste stand out all the more.  The initial punch of sweet, warm, and rich cinnamon tone in this other version is a good bit more intense, so the same level of flavor carry-over, comparable to the first, seems lighter in comparison.  Interesting!

This might be gaining flavor intensity through the inclusion of a wood tone, in between green wood and truly aged dryer range.  Of course the cinnamon is spice instead, with mineral base.

color difference is apparent in the leaves, lighter Shui Xian left

ITeaWorld Shui Xian, 3:  brewed slightly longer to zero in on feel differences an aromatic wood-tone picks up in this version too.  Floral range is still there, but the mineral is so much more pronounced that it would be easy to miss it.  Rich feel and aftertaste stand out all the more.

Jip Eu Rou Gui:  that cinnamon note is really dominant.  It's pleasant, so that completely works.  As far as quality level there isn't much gap between these, so I guess in one sense the Rou Gui falls a little short of expectations.  Maybe it's more that the other exceeded them; these are pretty good teas.  There seems to be at least one more level beyond these both, I think, but they're good.

The character of that cinnamon input and how the rest balances is so positive that I actually like the Rou Gui more, but I think that's down to preference for an aspect set, more than it being better.  It seems slightly sweeter, which balances well with the mineral base and cinnamon tone.  It might give up a little in terms of rich feel.

ITeaWorld Shui Xian 4:  evolving further to wood tone, not necessarily positive transition, at least in terms of flavor.  It's still good though; the supporting feel, mineral base, and aftertaste range are all nice.  

Jip Eu Rou Gui:  intensity is stronger than ever; this is evolving in the other direction, improving.  Even stronger mineral base picks up along with the sweeter cinnamon tone, and aftertaste / finish duration improves.

This reminds me of a comment by a tea maker friend once (Cindy), that it's possible to make Wuyi Yancha versions even from other tea plant types, grown in different areas.  The main trade-off or limitation isn't initial flavor profile, necessarily, since those can still be pleasant, but she said that they tend to brew out really fast, that they lack the same durability.  

I remember seeing an online comment once about how Wuyi Yancha always tend to brew out really fast, and wondering what went into that, since sometimes that is absolutely true, and in other cases it's the opposite, and they can brew a dozen very pleasant rounds.  I think alteration by using higher oxidation level and more roast input comes at a cost, related to this factor, that intensity and differing aspect range also relates to teas brewing out a bit faster.

ITeaWorld Shui Xian 5:  it's still ok.  It's funny how the heavy mineral tone picked up so much that this is much closer to the Da Hong Pao version character (the sample version I didn't review).  That's not a bad thing; I like that inky, slightly rough, heavy mineral input.  Wood tone picking up to a higher level than floral tone input is less positive, but that's still ok.  Aftertaste is really pronounced still, and feel is fine.

Jip Eu Rou Gui:  higher sweetness level stands out at this point, and that cinnamon tone, as it has the whole time.  This is definitely staying more refined and balanced over these middle level rounds.  I think even the aftertaste range is more extended than it had been; that's odd.  Feel might still be a little thinner than for the other version.

There is a good chance that this Rou Gui will evolve more positively, or decline less, over the next 4 or 5 rounds, but this is enough of this story told already.

Conclusions:

Some of what I expected, some I didn't.  I think the quality level is a bit higher for the Rou Gui version, as it should be, given initial expectations and context, but it was interesting how some of the positive aspects that generally tie closely to quality level were equivalent or even superior in the Shui Xian version.  Feel is richer, smoother, and thicker in the Shui Xian, for example.  Rou Gui might be slightly more intense related to using a bit more tea material, and equivalent brewing process, but the Shui Xian held its own ok even related to that.

I liked the Rou Gui more, as I only barely mentioned in one place in this, but I think that was as much about liking typical Rou Gui style more than the general lighter Wuyi Yancha preparation range.  That related both to flavor range, that cinnamon, and the overall balance of all the rest.  That part probably varies by person, which character or aspects are best.

Again this ITeaWorld product is slightly better than I expected.  There's a trend where  a new broad type vendor outlets, supporting sales through limited background content, usually sell fairly mediocre teas, and these have seemed decent.  Maybe what I'm saying seems contradictory, since in another place I've said that they're only of above average quality, which isn't high praise.  Quality and value tend to couple together; I would expect something different from a 20 cent a gram Wuyi Yancha version than one selling for 40 cents per gram, or 80.  

I think this context is already clear enough, but let's go a step further, and consider how a well-regarded US vendor sells two Shui Xian versions at different levels / types (from Seven Cups):

Shuixian (Narcissus), Organic Rock Wulong Tea 2022 (50 grams for $28.50, so $57 for 100):  

A richly floral rock wulong with an aroma reminiscent of narcissus flowers and a deep full flavor. Traditionally charcoal roasted to develop sweetness while still preserving a high aroma. A great tea for new rock wulong tea drinkers due to its inviting fragrance, rich taste, and relatively low price.

Laocong Shuixian (Old Bush Narcissus) Rock Wulong Tea 2022 ($19.74 for 25 grams, more like $80 per 100 grams):  

A truly distinctive high-end rock wulong that showcases the unique character of teas made from mature tea plants. Made from old growth Shuixian tea bushes on average 60 years old. Mature plants provide a smoother, more layered full flavor and more complex nutrition than tea made from younger plants. Fragrant wood and toasted grain aromatics accompany a soft body with persistent minerality and sweetness that intensifies with each sip.

This Shui Xian sells for less than half of their lower priced range version, but then buying directly from China tends to cost less.  How shipping factors in varies, and sometimes adding $30 at the end for that evens things up, but they've followed the standard practice of building in shipping in these listings since it's free for $40 orders or over.

Probably both of these Seven Cups Shui Xian versions are even better; I'd be surprised if that wasn't the case.  But value tends to be all over the map for different vendors, price in relation to quality level.  I'd expect that you can buy versions just as good as these listed ones for half as much through Wuyi Origin, a well respected direct from producer sales outlet.  For this more ordinary range of quality level ITeaWorld seems to be a decent source, across most of what I've tried from them, and for this tea.

Wawee Tea Thai Hong Wulong and Thai black tea

I'm reviewing two more teas shared by that friend who is a co-owner of the Iris Cafe Nimman in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  The hong wulong is from Wawee Tea, as was the last sheng version I reviewed recently.  For the black tea it's from Wang Put Tan, a Thai producer that I'm not familiar with.  I don't know more about it, but if someone is really set on finding it that producer link is your starting point.  Turning it up may or may not be possible, since small batch production does occur in some cases, with not everything being made to sell at higher volume as a standard type.

Related to their business theme, the Iris Cafe Nimman, it's kind of the opposite of an old Chinese shop that sells dozens of types of loose teas, and not really an updated mall-type version with a more curated, medium quality list either, but they do tasting events related to good specialty teas, so they're probably worth checking out for locals there or people visiting.  So far I've only described what the shop is not, not what it is, so I'll include some of what that owner said about that:

We do sell teas by the gram, in 50 grams bags, of medium and higher quality.  Teas can be enjoyed onsite as a gongfu session or using western preparation.  The menu is eclectic, from flavored French teas to high end, like good shi feng longjing.

In terms of theme it's a coffee shop.  It lacks the decoration, decorum, and cultural aspect of Chinese tea houses for sure - just like most matcha shops are not all that Japanese, instead based on modern design themes.

So that's it; really a hybrid of a standard coffee shop theme with a lot of traditional Chinese tea house offerings included.  Sounds nice.

On tea type word use, "wulong" really is a better transliteration of the Chinese term for oolong, but since oolong has become a standard and accepted English word only a limited subset of people take it up.  They're not wrong, or even more right in one sense, but that gets to be more about how one views living languages and borrowing of words, at times changing transliteration forms, than about tea history or background.  "Literally" really does mean "figuratively" in one sense, and in another it still doesn't, no matter what some dictionaries opt to include.  

"Red oolong" more often refers to a very oxidized variation of Taiwanese style ball rolled oolong, so oxidized that it's essentially a black tea.  That meaning and style could vary, and of course this isn't a ball-rolled tea.

hong (red) oolong left, black tea right, in all photos

Review:

interesting the oolong started slower, maybe related to a varying bruising / kneading step

Hong Wulong:  a bit subtle at this point.  That can relate to not using a rinse, for the first round to always come across a bit light.  It's promising, but it's as well to describe it more next round instead.  What the heck; it's interesting for being subtle, and rich and warm, with one layer a honey sweetness range, and another a sort of caramelized grain tone.  This will be unique, but intensity could be an issue.

Thai Black:  this got a much faster start, so describing it works.  It tastes like a novel and good version of black tea.  Sweetness stands out, and rich warm tones, with a single fruit note very pleasant amidst a lot of other things going on, sort of in a dried dark cherry range.  No, that's exactly it.  

We visited my brother living in New Mexico (Alamagordo, kind of out there, not so far from where the nuclear tests were, I think), and picked dark cherries, and dried them there at home, and the results were fantastic, with this flavor note a call-back to that experience.  I'll do a longer list next round for this too though.

Hong Wulong, second infusion:  seemingly this is going to stay subtle, even as different flavors and layers unfold.  It has great depth and positive feel, and there's plenty going on, so what I mean is that it's quiet on the higher and more forward side, or some might call that fragrant or aromatic flavor range, but it's not missing that, the balance is just unique.  Warm and rich tones stand out most, the base layer, and beyond that a rich feel.  There is pleasant aromatic range, towards spice tones, which someone could see as including floral range, I guess, but it's harder to break apart for being subtle.  It still seems complex because there's so much going on at that one deeper layer, the base.  It's a little like coffee flavor, one part, and another is that rich sweetness from Wuyi Yancha that's also hard to pin down, between molasses, leather, and warm wood range, or maybe a little of all that mixed together.  

It's clean in nature, refined, and the balance is better than it sounds, for one part of the range seeming a bit muted in comparison with the rest.  In noticing the cacao (noted on the sample label) one part is like that, it includes it, but it's one part of a complex range, all of which seems a bit quieter to me than a heavier tone base.  Maybe this "spatial" arrangement of flavors isn't familiar, or doesn't seem even potentially descriptive, so people who can't relate to that at all can just ignore that part.  It might just be part of how I personally map out a broad range of different aspects, not a universal way people would naturally interpret all that.

Thai Black:  this is more forward / higher end range oriented, which is quite normal for black teas, with a good, rich base.  That one dried dark cherry note is already giving way to warmer and deeper tones.  

I like the tea (and the other version too; I tend to forget to include that).  The feel is a little thin, and it has some complexity but not in the sense of an overall balanced intensity, so it's more on the page of including some positive flavors that work well together, rather than stacking up as a refined, balanced, most exceptional version.  Which to me is fine; a tea that tastes good, in a novel range, with a positive feel, and no notable flaws is fine.  Every tea doesn't have to cover everything.

Hong Wulong, third infusion:  I brewed these longer, at 30 seconds or just over (of course I'm not timing anything), because both will be fine at higher infusion strength.  I backed off proportion just a little in relation to my norm, so they needed 15 seconds just to be equivalent, versus a more typical 10, but longer could work better.

Intensity increased along with infusion strength, of course.  Usually that will increase tea feel, the astringency, and increase intensity of what I've been calling base tones, with aromatic range stronger too, but you can only relate to so much of that at one time.  Brewing a tea very light is much better for identifying lighter aromatic range, it seems to me, maybe even better in general for analyzing a tea, but for this tea it kind of wasn't optimum.  Cacao is still there, so that label note is right, but I'm accustomed to how that can really be a main dominant aspect instead in some Dian Hong.  Here it's a bit lost in the warmer range, in spice-like tones, or warm mineral range, molasses sweetness, and what seems similar to roasted oolong notes, toward dark wood or rich leather.  Everything in this is positive, and it works well together, but it's only hitting a limited range of aspects.  

Trying single-input versus blended teas can work out like this.  The trade-off in blending (as normal Shui Xian Fujian oolong versions would be) is that you gain balance and complexity across a broad range and lose the distinct notes, the few positive individual flavor inputs I've been describing.  I guess that works for all types blending, really.  I must admit that I'm more of a fan of this theme, of accepting whatever trade-offs in terms of balance and broad range complexity occur in order to experience that more limited range.  Then in some of the most exceptional, best made tea versions, based on using exceptional material, you seem to be able to have it all, and get distinct positive flavors, complexity, depth, great feel and aftertaste, intensity, balance, refinement, etc.  This covers half that set; not bad.

Thai Black:  this actually has as much rich feel and slightly more aftertaste than the other tea, even though it's a black tea version versus what seems to be an oolong (hong oolong would mean red oolong, so generally used to mean more oxidized oolongs, which tend to be about as oxidized as lighter oxidation black teas).  And even it's a little thin in body across one part of the range.  Higher end astringency, mouthfeel as texture, isn't bad, but there isn't much to it, but then it has a depth of feel that comes across as a general fullness, just stopping short of richness.  Am I even still making sense?

For flavor an inky sort of mineral depth evolves, which might sound bad, but I like that.  Early fruitiness has given way to richer spice-range tones, for the most part, pretty close to cinnamon, just not exactly that. 

Hong Wulong, fourth infusion:  more of the same, which is a good thing.  This really has been evolving to a more evenly balanced nature, which I might've mentioned last round but didn't.  I mean that the flavor profile doesn't seem to express a gap in one "section or part."  Complexity picked up a bit too; warmer tones still have a nice base covered, but lighter sweet range now a little towards dried fruit fill in a "higher end" too.  Sweetness is good in this.  

That warm fruit range might be similar to dried tamarind or dried longan flavor, not exactly either, but towards that.  Molasses-like rich sweetness gives it all good balance.  Even feel thickened a little, and aftertaste isn't pronounced, but also not missing.  It's nice.  It doesn't remind me of one typical type style, which I don't see as a bad thing, maybe slightly more positive than negative.

Thai Black:  one part of this I've not described well is really catchy, something that hits you right away.  Maybe it's much harder to identify because it's a set of aspects, not one thing, but it integrates in your experience.  It could be the way a set of aspects resonate together, so it comes across as ringing does in sound, as a repeating resonance.  One base mineral tone, like slate, seems to match a narrow middle layer, like that earlier-dominant cherry fruit, and then there's a higher end sort of rich floral note that's much harder to pin down, but it's integrated with that set.  Back to walking off the map, I guess.  Cinnamon range is transitioning to really taste like cinnamon.  

It's not complex in the sense there's tons going on, distributed across layers of levels, but that set jumping out and then balancing in that way is very pleasant.  Rich feel helps too, and limited aftertaste experience lends complexity, with good sweetness level making it all work better.  As for smoke again unless that's tied to a deeper mineral / base earthy tone it's just not there, and if it is that it's a great contribution.

Of course both teas are far from finished, but this is a good place to leave off taking notes, since another interesting transition or two won't change the overall story much.

Conclusions:

I guess I like the second better, the black tea.  Both include interesting aspects across a good range, both express a decent degree of depth and complexity, in ways that could be interpreted as including limitations.  It's a little harder to place how a lack of flaws enters in related to both; they're not there, so you can't directly evaluate that, beyond the first covering a limited aspect range, not being completely balanced.  Both have a clean, refined nature in part related to that.  

The flavor set is more interesting in the black tea, I think, and it was more balanced across a broad aspect range.  If cacao really was more dominant in the oolong version that might've been better, but it's fine as it is.  For both you either have to appreciate the way it all comes together or else these could be hard to relate to, for not matching a conventional Chinese style.

There's a trend in some tea enthusiast circles, and tea appreciation, of a sort of one-upmanship, which I try to reject expressing or being a part of here.  In some discussion tea versions need to be the best of a standard type, or really unique related to a set of aspects, or very complex, refined, and balanced, or else they can be all but dismissed with a mediocre quality range judgement, interpreted as "so-so."  I don't mean that as blaming anyone; my point is that there's a natural progression to drink better and better tea, until eventually that progression can throw off enjoyment of most of what exists (potentially; again this isn't a critique of Western tea culture, or anything like that).  Loving these simple tea versions, which are not necessarily the most complex and balanced, or representative of one type, could potentially drop out, even though they are very interesting, unique, and positive.

A tea friend just expressed that he sees Chinese teas as setting the standard for everything else, in terms of style and quality, so that if other teas tend to be equivalent in terms of experienced aspects and character then you might as well focus more on standard Chinese versions.  I get that, but you're going to see the same diversity of experiences within Chinese teas too.  That's unless you seek out "most representative" examples of standard types, which producers may provide you based on use of careful blending formulas, mixing inputs until they can give you what you expect.  Or the best of the best tea versions are something else, covering it all, but that's something else.  

In that blending theme discussion I'm not talking about combining Assam and Ceylon to make English Breakfast Tea, I mean that individual production batches always have a limited character range, which can be taken as flaws, for not being more complex or balanced better, or else a natural character best appreciated by focusing on what is positive instead.  I place this by paralleling it with wine blending; usually that works to sell mediocre wine as better mediocre wine, but in the case of exceptional Bordeaux blends it's something else, about harmonizing and maximizing already positive but limited range inputs.  Someone might love good blends most or else good individual varietal types, and neither would be wrong.  Enjoying it all is possible.

But then these are just my thoughts.  What do you think?

Wuyi Origin Wuyishan benefit black tea

Cindy sent me some samples to try, really related to acting out of friendship more than for review, but of course I'll mention my impression of some of them here.  

She was kind enough to meet with my friends and I twice this year in that meetup series, in one of those explaining a lot about issues related to Chinese tea production, tied to changes in perspective or demand there for teas:

Tea processing and demand shifts in China

Cindy is just great.  I wish that everyone who is interested in tea could make a Chinese friend like her at some point, in order to gain more perspective and feel more connected to that culture.  Maybe the tea producer or expert part is a bit much to ask, so here I just mean to know someone from that country to add context and perspective.  Three families of my kids' best friends were Chinese, two temporarily working here from there and one just visiting long term, which also involved that kind of exposure, just not focused on tea.

five years ago, but it seems like longer

I miss this girl every time I see her picture

Permit me one more short aside, and I'll get back to the tea theme.  This year I wrote about foreigners' living in China perspective on China, here:

How evil China is or isn't, according to foreigners living there

Those Youtubers told two different stories, about a culture that's not so different than anywhere else, very positive in general, and also about a government that keeps a close eye on citizens and foreigners, a bit restrictive in terms of who can say or do different things.  One Youtuber told both stories, related to his own experience shifting from very positive to relatively negative.  I've visited China three times, and it just seemed normal to me, so I'll leave that out as discussion input. 

The issue for the one guy seemed to be that once you gain Youtube following and draw views from criticizing aspects of Chinese society, and government controls, while living in China, the clock is ticking on your welcome there.  It's not necessarily the same in the US, but then maybe if someone was on some sort of temporary visitor visa and they were critical of the US on a public forum like that visa renewal may not go as well.  Probably not though; you could probably be in the US as a student or chef or whatever and actively protest the government and still stick around, and they would never even try to make the connection.  China isn't like that; if foreigners protest government actions there they aren't welcome, and for citizens it would just depend on what they were saying, and who and where they were.

Americans do make it a point to discuss political views online, maybe too often, but in other places criticism is generally ok but only across a limited scope.  Here in Thailand no one can criticize the monarchy (which is illegal), and foreigners probably shouldn't express controversial political views in public social media statements.  Oddly Russians can criticize Putin, per my understanding, but people tend to know the limits.  Free speech isn't one of China's things.

Again this means nothing in relation to the vast majority of everyday life.  People aren't living in fear, oppressed, they just can't set up public inquiry and protest over potential minority rights issues, and they certainly can't research such things for publication on Youtube, to draw views to earn income on what is essentially a banned platform.  They wouldn't necessarily be "disappeared" if they did, but people observe societal norms, as much as they are concerned about risks.  Someone just commented roughly the same thing about Vietnam online (someone from there), that it's a norm to seek out societal problems and publicly criticize the government in some places, but not there, it's just not part of their culture.  That part of it seems to get lost in US based discussion.  Ok, back to the tea.

Cindy described it this way on their website:

Benefit tea ($10 / 50 grams)

This is a black tea that I use my rock tea raw material to process. The variety is Chunlan （春兰）which is a high-flavor variety in Wuyishan rock tea. I use this raw material to process oolong tea every year, and then I processed a little  into black tea version in 2020 and sent it to WuYi Origin Tea Club numbers . This year I also processed a little as benefit tea  which is affordable and you can drink it every day. But the quality is definitely higher than the  regular Tea .

I'm a bit surprised to see that listed at $10 for 50 grams, based on trying it.  This is roughly Yunnan Sourcing upper medium quality Dian Hong pricing, and it's clearly a full level beyond that in terms of tea quality, or maybe two levels, depending on how one arranges them.  "Quality is definitely higher than the regular tea" is an understatement.  I'll just edit the notes to make them readable and that will be the rest of this post.

Not so different than a really good unsmoked Lapsang Souchong. The fruitiness is backed off a little, further into other range, but the rest is similar, the balance and style. There's a nice inky mineral tone, pleasant warmth and underlying mineral, and leather or spice tones. It's the refinement that stands out the most. This is the best black tea I've tried since I last had one of theirs.

[editing note]:  I drink more sheng than oolong or black tea at this point, and I'm definitely not spending much on tea these days, just mostly drinking what I already had or samples, so I've bought no moderately expensive black tea in the past year, or even much at any price.  All the same other notes place just how good this tea seemed to me, and it's not just "above average" tea, it's better than that.

An aspect like a refined wood tone picks up, vegetal, but hard to describe in range. There's spice along with that, and it's not far off fruit range, a hint of citrus with other dried fruit depth, like tamarind. In a different style and quality of tea that one edge might seem like a roast effect but in this it's complex and refined, layered.

Aftertaste effect is much cleaner, more pronounced, and longer than I'm accustomed to. Feel is smooth, not edgy, and just a bit full, not as much to talk about.

Warmer yet; this could really pass for a great version of Lapsang Souchong, if it's not that. There's one distinct set of flavors that matches, what I've already tried to describe. 

Rich sweetness fills in more than I could do justice to. It's like a lot of the flavor range of tasting real maple syrup, that sweetness, richness, and wood tone, especially the effect right after you swallow it, the aftertaste range. Although it is towards wood tone it's very refined, pleasant, and catchy, the opposite of the woodiness in trying to get a second infusion out of a Lipton tea bag.

The fruit is on towards closer to dark cherry too. It's quite good.

Conclusion:

That was it, some short notes for being rushed that day, as usual, and fairly burned out on writing 1500 word tea reviews.  I drank other very pleasant rounds but had stopped taking notes.

It was refined, balanced, pleasant, and distinctive.  For that to be selling as an intended moderate cost tea was shocking to me.  That's 20 cents a gram, a bit higher than the standard list of 15 cents a gram mid-range versions, but it's an altogether different thing.  Another vendor could easily turn around and sell this for double or triple that, and even for that higher end pricing people without sourcing as dialed in might be so happy to get it for that.

I consider Cindy a friend, so you should take what I say with a grain of salt.  Maybe I'm hyping it to get people to place an order, or maybe I really think it's fantastic because I want to experience and think that, tied to expectations.  Or maybe they did make and offer crazy good black tea at the completely wrong pricing level to thank her customers.

This is probably better than any tea that I've ever tried from Thailand, of any kind, to put that in perspective (maybe setting aside an aged sheng; it's just too different to compare that range).  It doesn't usually work to extract out an objective quality level judgement like that but in some cases it seems clear enough.

I'd be interested to hear what you think, if you end up trying it, or already have.  It's also possible that I've been drinking so many slightly rustic style teas for so long that moving a bit beyond that, while still retaining part of a related flavor theme, is exactly what I would want to experience.  Again it's the balance, refinement, and depth that makes this so exceptional to me though, not just about a set of flavors, or lacking some other flaws.  

8 year old Kalani

13 year old Keoni