Snow Orchid Dan Cong Oolong 2007

Tea: Xue Lan Xiang (Snow Orchid) Dan Cong Oolong 2007
Vendor: Seven Cups
Price: $11.80 / 50g ( for the 2008 currently)
Source: Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province
Vendor Description: Snow Orchid is the most popular Dan Cong tea due to its strong peach aroma and taste. The strong oxidation and roasting allow the special character of this tea to remain stable for at least two years. Appreciate the dry leaves that smell like the local orchids blooming in winter from which this tea is named. After brewing, the clean honey tea color will yield a robust flavor that fill the mouth and leaves a complex lingering aftertaste. The Chaozhou people, from whom this tea comes, are famous for their rich diet and frequently pair this tea with meals to improve digestion.

Additional Vendor Information:
Tea Bush: Mi Lan Xiang descendent from original Feng Huang Shui Xian
Tea Master: Ye Han Zhong
Harvest Time: middle of March
Picking Standard: zhong kai mian (2-3 slightly open leaves)
Brewing vessel: glass cup, gaiwan, glass or porcelain pot, yixing pot
Brewing Guidelines: 1st infusion 1 Tbs per 12 oz 212F for 1 min
Infusions: at least 6 times

Leaf: The leaf for this tea had smallish leaf for a Dan Cong. It is still large in size. The leaves are black with brown highlights and grey on the edges.

1st Infusion Parameters: 4.28g, 5oz, 208F, 45s, 5s rinse

1st Infusion: This infusion has a light brown color. It is almost red in hue. The aroma is interesting, it has a certain woodiness to it. The flavor is light with a pronounced sharpness on the back end. I found that the aroma was quite captivating with a very nice smoothness up front. There was a very light astringency on the back end. The flavor is lighter than most Dan Cong.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 1:30, 208F

2nd Infusion: This infusion has a stronger core Dan Cong aroma to it, the aroma was much sweeter this time. The color was a red-brown hue. The flavor is much richer and quite full bodied. It was lightly sweet, but much more flavorful. There is a medium sense of astringency. It gives me a peaceful feeling.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 2:15, 208F

3rd Infusion: This infusion had a lighter red-brown hue to it. The flavor was even richer than the second infusion. It was smooth and a bit more subdued. There was a medium sense of astringency. It leaves a bit of a rough feeling on my tongue.

4th Infusion Parameters: 3:00, 208F

4th Infusion: This infusion had a light brown hue with a very light aroma. The tea is still smooth and flavorful with a medium sense of astringency.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: This was a very flavorful DC. This was very enjoyable and is rather inexpensively priced. The flavor got richer for the second and third infusions for three very pleasant infusions. I can't think of any significant downsides to this tea. Thank you to Jessica over at Authoritea for this sample.

Shui Jin Gui 2008

Tea: Shui Jin Gui (Golden Water Turtle) Light Roast Rock Oolong 2008
Vendor: Seven Cups
Price: $14.30 / 50g
Source: Fujian, China
Vendor Description: There are four famous ancient rock oolong tea including Da Hong Pao, Bai Ji Guan, Tie Luo Han and Shui Jin Gui. Of these, Shui Jin Gui and Bai Ji Guan are have a mild and sweet character compare to the other rock oolongs. This Shui Jin Gui is lightly roasted to easily appreciate the floral aroma. The light pure taste has a sweet flavor without bitterness. This is a perfect tea for new drinkers to appreciate one of the ancient rock oolong teas. see Shui Jin Gui for most information on origins of this bush
Additional Vendor Information: Location: Fujian Province
Tea Bush: Shui Jin Gui
Tea Master: Liu Guo Ying
Harvest Time: April-May
Picking Standard: zhong kai mian (3 slightly open leaves)
Brewing vessel: glass cup, gaiwan, glass or porcelain pot, yixing pot
Brewing Guidelines: 1st infusion 1 ½ Tbs per 12 oz 212F for 1 min
Infusions: at least 6 times

Leaf: This tea is comprised of large black leaf. It looks quite typical for a Wuyi Oolong. The leaves are light and fluffy, twisted as is normal. There is also a very prominent and heavy wuyi aroma to it.

1st Infusion Parameters: 2.5g, 3oz, 208F, 45s, 5s rinse

1st Infusion: This infusion has a light amber hue. There is a pleasant light roasty aroma to it. The flavor is light with a sweet aftertaste. The flavor seems to develop more as the cup progresses. The flavor is mostly in the early portion and finishes a light sense of astringency.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 1:30, 208F

2nd Infusion: This infusion has a darker brownish hue than the first one. The aroma is rich and sweet. The flavor is light and crisp. It has a very clean feeling to it. The middle of the flavor pokes out some hints of a heavy flavor and leaves with a heavy aftertaste. The afteraste was heavy as if the tea were all around heavier.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 2:00, 208F

3rd Infusion: This infusion has the same enjoyable wuyi aroma. The flavor is bold and rich, it is upfront and smooth. The tea really opened up for this infusion. Although it leaves a bit of an empty aftertaste on the back end.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: This tea is very subtle. The first two infusions are light and pleasant. It's almost as if it takes the first two infusioins to open up, but the subtle infusions are light and pleasant. The tea is well handled and very intact, which for a wuyi is impressive. Thank you to Jessica over at Authoritea for this sample.

Huang Zhi Xiang (Yellow Sprig) 2008

Tea: Huang Zhi Xiang (Yellow Sprig) Dan Cong Oolong 2008
Vendor: Seven Cups
Price: $9.40 / 50g
Source: Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, China
Vendor Description: This tea is made from the Huang Zhi Xiang bush that has been cultivated from the oldest Dan Cong bush (700 years old). Its special character is the light gardenia aroma. This lightly oxidized tea has a light honey yellow tea color and sweet, mellow flavor. This is a great tea for new Dan Cong oolong tea drinkers because of its high fragrance, light flavor and affordable price.

Additional Vendor Information:
Tea Bush: Huang Zhi Xiang descendent from original Feng Huang Shui Xian
Tea Master: Ye Han Zhong
Harvest Time: middle of March
Picking Standard: zhong kai mian (2-3 slightly open leaves)
Brewing vessel: glass cup, gaiwan, glass or porcelain pot, yixing pot
Brewing Guidelines: 1st infusion 1 Tbs per 12 oz 212F for 1 min
Infusions: at least 6 times

Leaf: The leaf for this tea is a dark almost black color. As with most Dan Cong oolong it is very light and fluffy. The leaves are large and fragile. There is not much of an aroma to the dry leaf, but it hints at the Dan Cong aroma.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5 oz, 208F, 45s, 5s rinse

1st Infusion: This infusion has a very strong floral aroma. The color is a golden brown color. The aroma continues to exhibit a sweetness along with it's floral strength. There is a light and smooth flavor to the tea. It is lightly floral and lightly bodied.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 1 min, 208F

2nd Infusion: This infusion has a more golden hue than the first. The aroma again is both sweet and floral. The flavor is very smooth to the tongue, it has a very light bitterness that leaves a very clean feeling. It is relaxing and has a very light sense of astringency.

3rd Infusion Parameters: 1:30, 208F

3rd Infusion: This infusion had the same color as the second infusion. The aroma is not quite as floral anymore. It is still very light, airy and sweet. There is less flavor, but it feels thicker this time. The infusion finishes with a light sense of astringency.

4th Infusion Parameters: 2:00, 208F

4th Infusion: This infusion is a more amber brown color. The aroma is thick and rich. The tea itself is lighter in flavor and less bodied. The flavor is more centered to the core of the flavor and centered on the middle of the tongue. There is a medium sense of astringency to this infusion. It has slight pings of bitterness at the edges of the flavor.

5th Infusion Parameters: 3:30, 208F

5th Infusion: This infusion is a lighter amber color. The aroma is sweet and creamy with a certain thickness to it. The flavor feels emptier than before, but retains the late portion of the flavor. There is a medium sense of bitterness accompanying the flavor.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: Hands down this is quite a good Dan Cong Oolong. It is not the best one that I have had, but at a price under $10 for 50g it feels like quite a bargain. It produced 5 very solid infusions, and possibly could have gone for more. Thank you very much to Jessica over at Authoritea for the sample of this tea.

Imperial MeiZhan

Tea: Imperial MeiZhan 2006
Vendor: Seven Cups
Price: $ 19.31 / 50g
Source: Fujian Province, China
Vendor Description: This tea from the MeiZhan bush is famous for its unique fragrance similar to dried plums. It grows mostly on the foothills of the WuYI Mountains and is popular for its rich aroma but milder taste compared to other Rock oolong tea. Its dark amber tea color yields a roasted nut flavor with a smooth lingering aftertaste. This traditional rock oolong is perfect for tea drinker looking for an economical everyday tea.

Additional Vendor Information:
Location: Fujian Province
Tea Bush: MeiZhan
Tea Master: Liu Guo Ying
Harvest Time: April-May
Picking Standard: zhong kai mian (3 slightly open leaves)
Brewing vessel: glass cup, gaiwan, glass or porcelain pot, yixing pot
Brewing Guidelines: 1st infusion 1 ½ Tbs per 20 oz 212F for 1 min
Infusions: at least 6 times

Leaf: The leaf for this tea consists of very long and large leaves. Not that unusual for an oolong, but what was surprising was the lack of broken pieces or dust. The leaves were a very dark shade of brown, closer to a black.

1st Infusion: The tea was very light brown in color. It smelled a lot like a roasted hojicha. The tea had a very sweet flavor to it with a very light astringency. There was no bitterness to it.

2nd Infusion: This had a much lighter flavor and lighter color to it this time.

Rating: 7/10

Conclusion: This oolong was more like the oolong that I am used to. It was a light and sweet flavor. I didn't have much to experiment with but I imagine I could get a lot more out of this tea with more practice.

Monkey Picked

Tea: Monkey Picked - An Xi Oolong (2007 Harvest)
Vendor: Seven Cups
Price: $10.00 / 50g
Source: Fujian Province, China
Vendor Description: This very popular certified organic tea is both lightly oxidized and roasted to create a fresh floral aroma. The blending of local Anxi tea bushes creates a slightly sweet flavor that can be infused many times. It is a great choice for those looking for a mild taste with a pleasant fragrance. The name of this tea comes from a famous tale passed on in the oral tradition. It tells of tea bushes growing in the high mountains favored by the people but very dangerous to pick. The local farmers decided to trained monkeys to harvest the tea leaves. Of course, the monkeys were not careful pickers and would grab both new and old leaves. The result was a blend of leaves that created a tea with a special character and light flavor known today as Monkey Picked. We love the stories and myths that surrounded Chinese tea culture, and ensure you no monkeys are involved in processing this tea.

Additional Vendor Information:
Location: Fujian Province
Tea Bush: Tie Guan Yin, Huang Jin Gui and Ben Shan bush
Tea Master: Yan Li Zhong
Harvest Time: early April
Picking Standard: 1 bud 2 leaves
Brewing vessel: glass cup, gaiwan, glass or porcelain pot, yixing pot
Brewing Guidelines: 1st infusion ½ Tbs per 20 oz 212F for 1 min
Infusions: at least 7 times

About this tea: Contrary to it's name, Monkey Picked Oolong isn't actually picked by monkies. (as noted above in the vendor description). After trying out quite a few different Tie Guan Yin teas, I figured I was curious what this one tasted like.

Leaf: The leaf for this looked much like a normal TGY. The leaf shape and size reminded me a lot of the TGY from Lupicia, only this time with slightly smaller leaves. The comma shape was consistent and the color as well.

1st Infusion: This tea had a very light TGY aroma to it. The flavor was very different though. It had a very strong almost green tea flavor to it. The flavor also had hints of being a vegetal taste. It all left me with a slight sense of astringency and still trying to figure out what it was that I was tasting. I knew that this was another TGY, but it didn't fall in line with the rest of them.

2nd Infusion: This infusion was similar to the first, but had a medium sense of astringency when finished, and it also exhibited a very unusual bitterness spike during the middle of the flavor. I'm not quite sure how to describe it, but it had a peak of bitterness much like a sencha does, but in a very different manner.

Rating: 4/10

Conclusion: I was very confused by this tea and don't really know what to make of it. The flavor was muddled and unclear, but it had a certain allure that I am still thinking about. If you are looking for a more typical TGY, try something else, but if you are a fan of TGY you might want to try this to see what you think.

Silver Needle

Tea: Silver Needle 2007
Vendor: Seven Cups
Price: $17.25 / 50g
Vendor Description: Our certified organic Silver Needle is the highest grade of white tea made entirely of white tea buds picked in spring and rich in nutrition. It has a very fresh floral aroma and slightly sweet taste. While the flavor is mild, it has a depth that will leave you enjoying the many nuances of this fine tea. While green tea is the most popular tea in China many of the world's best-known tea experts consider high grade white tea to be even finer that green tea.

Other Vendor Information:
Location: Fujian Province
Tea Bush: Da Bai Cha (Big White Leaves Tea Bush)
Tea Master: Wu Si Jia
Harvest Time: before April 5th
Picking Standard: 1 bud
Brewing vessel: glass cup, gaiwan, glass or porcelain pot,
Brewing Guidelines: 1st infusion 1 1/2 Tbs per 20 oz 160F for 2 min
Infusions: at least 4 times

This was my first silver needle that I have tried. I was unsure of whether or not there are different grades of silver needle, and I still am unsure. Silver needle is a very interesting form for tea, it only consists of the top bud so it is very labor intensive to pick, and does not change much in size or shape when steeped. Most leaves unfurl, uncurl, or otherwise unfold in some way, silver needles retain their original shape. The few exceptions to this that I know of are certain forms of Bancha, Kukicha, and some yellow teas like the Meng Ding Huang Ya. The Meng Ding Huang Ya is also a bud only tea so it retains its form for the same reason. Bancha is roasted and left as a flat leaf, and Kukicha consists primarily of stems which don't get changed by the processes.

Silver needle steeps into a very clear tea, because of the very intact buds. One interesting thing to notice about the tea are the silver hairs which coat silver needle come off into the tea, they are hard to notice, but you can see them floating around in the tea.

The brewed liquor is a pale light brown color, as white teas interestingly turn more of a brown color with heavier steeping. The interesting part of silver needle is the leaves all dance vertically in the pot, they slide up and down which is quite a sight to see.

The flavor of the tea is very pure. It truly would be described as the essence of white tea. If you have ever had a Bai Mu Dan you have a feeling of what makes white tea different than other forms of tea, and silver needle tastes like purely that difference. It is pure and clean. No bitterness, no astringency. It also has a very pleasant sweetness to it.

Rating: 10/10

Conclusion: This tea is pure and clean, leaving me with a pure taste of white tea. I have yet to see how it compares to other silver needle, but it leaves me very hopeful for other silver needles.

Meng Ding Huang Ya

Tea: Meng Ding Huang Ya
Vendor: Seven Cups
Price: $ 26.10 / 50g
Vendor Description: This rare yellow tea from Sichuan province has been a tribute tea for centuries. It is mostly made from tea buds picked during the early spring to create a nutritious tea with a lightly sweet mild flavor. Enjoy the unique fragrance which comes from the complex processing of this tea. It is ideal for tea drinkers who like green tea for its nutritious and flavor but want to avoid stomach upset that can occur from drinking green tea. Yellow tea is legendary for its healing properties. While this cooling tea is very rich in antioxidants, there are only a few types of yellow tea processed due to the complicated and tedious process in making it. In fact, there are only two rare yellow teas that are still made today including Meng Ding Huang Ya and Jun Shan Yin Zhen. Unfortunately, another rare yellow tea Huo Shan Huang Ya is now only made into green tea. After the complex processing, this lightly oxidized tea has a mild flavor without the grassy smell associated with green tea.

More Vendor Information:
Location: Sichuan Province
Tea Bush: Ming Shan #9
Tea Master: Li Hui
Harvest Time: March 2nd
Picking Standard: 85% tea buds 15% 1 bud to 1 leaf
Brewing vessel: glass cup, gaiwan, glass or porcelain pot,
Brewing Guidelines: 1st infusion 1/2 Tbs per 20 oz 160F for 2 min
Infusions: at least 4 times

This was my first time having yellow tea, and my was it a treat. The buds are so small and uniform, when scooping the tea out it almost seems like you're not measuring tea, but rather like a seed or a bean of some sort. The buds are very uniform and firm, it lacks that risk of breaking like when scooping a White Peony.

The aroma has a certain nuttiness similar to a dragonwell tea. I'm not a very big fan of this aroma, but once I had tried the tea it matched up well with it. It is a delicate aroma though, not overpowering and not overbearing.

The taste of the tea is smooth. That was the first thing that came to mind, it slowly builds up in flavor and then tails off just as slowly as it came. There is a long aftertaste that leaves you with just that slight sense of astringency that makes you notice that you've just finished a nice sip of tea.

Rating: 8/10

Conclusion: While this tea is very delicate and graceful, it has a problem matching the price tag. It is very nice for a special occasion tea, but definitely not a regular every day tea. It's worth trying out, but I wouldn't commit to much of it unless you like Dragonwell.