Rou Gui (Wuyi Yan Cha Wulong) Marathon

Rou Gui is one of the five famous Wuyi wulongs (previously four). It is renowned for having a rich aroma and taste that is much like cassia bark. Cassia is another variety of cinnamon, and so Rou Gui is often compared with cinnamon. While I do see the similarity, I have had a hard time defining the aroma of Rou Gui as cinnamon, but some are more so than others. Each Rou Gui has it's own unique character. Some have much more of a cassia bark character than others, some are more roasted than others, but all are distinctly Rou Gui. I decided to do a large comparison to show how much variation there can be between different sources, and I also believe that such a large comparison will do more to help convey the essence of what Rou Gui really is, at least more than a single review can do.

I wanted to add a couple more, but have been holding out on this one for long enough. I will, however, try to add them to this post as I get them, and make a note that I have done so. Unfortunately I decided to do this review in the summer, which has a tendency to interfere with Wuyi wulongs in general, but Rou Gui especially. As such it has taken me longer to do this comparison than usual, and I've also had to rely partially on memory from drinking these teas on cooler days.


2005 Rou Gui from TeaCuppa



This was the first Rou Gui that I had ever tried, and so it became the standard by which I judge all others. As such, it's only fitting that I mention this one first.

For a start, my initial perception (which continues to date, albeit from a different perspective) is that it smells more like cherry pipe tobacco than cinnamon. It certainly does have a sort of cinnamon bark type profile, but the deeper and sweeter aspects of it remind me more of a dark cherry pipe tobacco with a heavily roasted character. This is actually one of life's more pleasant fragrances to me, and as I grew up with the aroma as a small child I may be a little biased. To me it's a wonderful and comforting aroma. I do indeed understand why some would consider it a more cinnamon smell, but I simply think that there is more to appreciate than cinnamon.

Even though this has aged a couple years, it still has quite an up-front, wild, fiery character; perhaps slightly tamed. The cassia bark flavor is very noticeable, and enhanced by the characteristic Wuyi acidity that creates a "wood grain" texture on the tongue and settles into a slight astringency in the finish. There is a slight bitterness that tingles the back edges of the tongue without dominating the flavor. The aroma is impressive and really adds to the experience of this tea. The aftertaste is interesting; it's fruity, dry, and reveals the roasting more than any other time, and lasts for quite a while. The body is starting to develop the smoothness of an aged Wuyi, but it's not quite there yet. Perhaps another year or two. Nevertheless, this is a great one for drinking now. As tempting as it is to drink regularly I may decide to let this one age and come back to it next year, as I will be hard pressed to get much more of it. Subsequent infusions give a vague and hazy glance at what it may become.

This one reminds me of a large fireplace in an old dark library with overstuffed leather chairs, a pipe burning itself out in the ashtray on an old dark wood table, with the fire dimly illuminating only the edges of various shapes in the room.


2007 Rou Gui from TeaCuppa



I had a harder time with this one, but I think it may be mainly because it was not what I was expecting. This one is a lighter Rou Gui, with greener leaves and a more pale orange liquor. I don't get nearly as much aroma from this one, although it certainly is there. This one does, however, have more of what I would consider to be a cinnamon profile. It affects the upper palate the same way that cinnamon does, tingling and stimulating the roof of your mouth almost to the back of your throat. Despite the paler liquor, it definitely has a wild and fiery character that is quite notable, revealing it's youth. Unfortunately the taste is a bit dominated by the charcoal taste common to young Wuyi's, however it does not stand in the way of enjoying this tea, and definitely does not reduce it to the level of common cheap/mediocre Wuyi's by any means. The aftertaste is lasting, sweet, and spicy. It has only the very slightest hint of astringency that is barely noticeable and prompts a bit of salivation to compensate. It's definitely not as satisfying as the 2005, however with some age I'm sure it could turn into something great.

This one reminds me of a bonfire next to the sea at the untamed Oregon coast in the very late summer. It's not the smells, but rather the visceral sensations of being affronted by the spectrum of various forces of nature and the ambivalence between our ability to control it and our utter vulnerability to it.


2002 Aged Rou Gui from TeaCuppa



This one comes in a sealed packet inside a nice box, and has 5 years of aging under it's belt -- and it shows. This is actually the best Rou Gui I have found to date. I even like it better than many of the more expensive ones. The cassia bark taste and aroma are well developed, mature, and deep-seated in a very nice, smooth complexity. The fire and charcoal have calmed way down, and play more of a supporting role that remind you more of the glowing embers. Although this one has no real viscosity, it melts into your tongue and leaves it feeling coated with roasted sweetness, which is not entirely uncommon in well aged Wuyi's. The taste is well defined. The cassia bark takes a deep seat among the roasted goodness, but remains well defined and comes to a very slightly bitter point that wakes up your taste buds. In the aftertaste this melts slowly and smoothly into a nice sweetness that lasts for some time.

If I was to choose just one word to sum this one up, it would definitely be 'mature'. While this one has provided the most consistency, it does not remain entirely unaffected by environmental conditions. Unfortunately hot and humid weather tend to steal some of the aroma and depth in taste of Wuyi wulongs in general. I picked an unfortunate time to brew this one today, as it is now starting to warm up a bit and steal some of the depth from my cup during the infusions I tend to like most. Nevertheless, however, this is still a fantastic Rou Gui.


2006 Premium Rou Gui from Golden Teahouse



Golden Teahouse has two varieties of Rou Gui; one just labeled "Rou Gui" and this one, which is "Premium Rou Gui". The Premium is higher priced, but along the lines of what you pay elsewhere. This one actually surprised me for the price I paid. It is nice and rich with a slightly mature flavor that is indeed about half way between what I've experienced with 2005 and 2007 Rou Gui's, however it is perhaps a bit more solid than most; that is to say that the higher grade is noticeable. The aftertaste is definitely longer lasting than many I have had, and more complex. The big thing that betrays it's age is the noticeable charcoal flavor. The charcoal is not overpowering, but definitely up front. I would say that the charcoal flavor, while noticeable, blends quite well with the rest of the flavor and helps to prop up the traditional Rou Gui flavor profile, rather than standing apart and masking the rest. While the cassia bark flavor isn't as pronounced as it is in some other Rou Gui's I would expect this to become an exceptional aged Rou Gui, but only if I can keep it in stock that long!


2006 Premium Rou Gui from SevenCups



This tastes (and looks) exactly like the one from Golden, I suspect it may even be the same batch.


2006 Imperial Rou Gui from SevenCups



SevenCups notes that Rou Gui is picked between 8:00am and 10:00am in the morning, but the "imperial" grade is made from the specially selected leaves from the batch. Looking at the dry leaves it is indeed evident that this is a higher quality. The leaves are longer and more expertly twisted, and there are virtually no broken pieces. Additional care is evident with these leaves.

This one reminds me of the Premiums at first, but as it settles in there is a wonderful depth that is lacking from the other, lesser quality, Rou Guis. The fiery and charcoal character is significantly diminished, tamed, and becomes more of a woody character that reminds me of a very dark and beautiful wood. The cassia bark flavor is there, but it is more blended in, giving the woody character a solid shape that brings it to a subtle point with a wonderful spicy effect that feels like cinnamon as it fades. This is the first I've been able to positively attribute a cinnamon characteristic to. While it's not as noticeable as, say, the 2002 aged Rou Gui, the cassia bark flavor is definitely there, and I would say it is much more refined. The tea gives a wonderful woodgrain texture that is of better quality than most. This settles into the palate and leaves a smooth, soft, and sweet dryness that I can't quite qualify as astringency. This really is a high quality Rou Gui that is worth having for special occasions. It actually reminds me quite a bit of the Gold Medal Rou Gui. Perhaps it's not quite as refined, but the difference is not that great.


2006 Rou Gui from Hou De



This is certainly the most different and interesting of the bunch. It has a MUCH stronger roasted character that is evident in both the aroma and taste. In the aroma it is the most notable aspect, but as I inhale it begins to morph into a more familiar cherry pipe tobacco aroma that is still accompanies by a heavily roasted character. The first infusion is dominated by the roasted flavor, with only a slight hint of anything else. While it is quite pleasant, it isn't typical of Rou Gui. In later infusions, however, the roasted character diminishes to reveal a more refined and mature Rou Gui character with incredible depth and fullness of body. The aftertaste is lasting, sweet, soft, and woody, without a hint of astringency.

It reminds me quite a bit of the 2002 aged Rou Gui in that it has remarkable maturity for such a young tea. The cinnamon flavor is a bit wild and untamed, but subdued by the maturity. It is quite complex and shifting, and I think this one will be remarkably exceptional if allowed to age.


2004 Gold Medal Rou Gui from TeaCuppa



As I mentioned previously, this one does remind me of the Imperial Rou Gui from SevenCups. This is admittedly more rich and refined than any of the others, both in aroma and taste. This is a truly remarkable specimen. It has all the traits of all the others, expertly blended into a single cup -- even under less than optimal conditions. The depth is incredible, it's highly refined and mature. The aftertaste is as good as the aroma and taste with a lasting quality that shifts and allows you to really get acquainted with the flavor. It leaves only the slightest hint of dryness down the middle of the tongue, which gently cleanses the palate. The charcoal is present in the base, but is very much diminished; it's more noticeable in the aftertaste than elsewhere.

This is truly the highest quality of the bunch, but it's price is prohibitive. With that said, however, a tea connoisseur with a refined palate would do well to have some of this in the cupboard. I can only imagine how this will turn out with some additional aging.


Conclusion

I would be hard pressed to deem one a favorite over all others. Each has it's qualities for the price. Some may be better than others, but they each fit their price range quite well. If I had to choose, however, I would say that the aged Rou Gui is probably the best for the money, but I wouldn't want it to be the only Rou Gui in my cupboard either. With some age, the youngest Rou Guis will undoubtedly take on the traits of some of the others as well.

TChing Tasting

I was originally going to include some pictures, however the fact is that you've probably already seen them from everyone else's notes. My notes are brief, but here they are. A big 'thank you' to TChing for the samples!

Meghma Nepalese Oolong
I don't want to spend a lot of time on this one because I don't believe I can give it a fair analysis. To me this tastes very much like a Bai Hao, which is, quite simply, not really my cup -- not bad, just not my personal preference. It is a relatively high-oxidation oolong that is quite smooth with a sweet and sour fruity body that is a bit like grapes. Someone that is accustomed to black teas wishing to try something different would do well to try something like this. My personal preference, however, is something less oxidized with a more floral aroma. To be fair, however, it is a bit smoother and well balanced than most bai hao's I've had.

Snowbud
This one, on the other hand, is absolutely delightful. At first this reminded me of a white peony, light and floral, but it also has a slightly fruity note to it. Grapes perhaps? It's almost just a shillouette of a fruit that is hard to define, but nevertheless adds quite a bit. I was surprised to find that this tea has some viscosity, which is something that I love in my teas and have not found in a white tea before. The aroma, and less so taste, does have a slight vegetal quality to it as well, as the silver needle-like appearance of the dry leaf suggests. It is light and sweet, without any smokiness that is often found in other white teas, with a round body and a very slight astringency in the aftertaste. I find this to have a greater complexity than most white teas, with different nuances noted with each sip. A great one overall.

Shan Shui Teas

http://www.shanshuiteas.com

This is a vendor I found looking for some new baozhongs one day, and was especially impressed with their inventory. They had a number of things that I had not heard of before, nevertheless seen anything like. They specialize in wulongs from Taiwan, and have some particularly interesting stuff. They have two basic grades: superior and premium. Superior grade means that the tea is made year-round. It's a good quality, but not particular to any single season. It's pretty consistent, year round. Premium, on the other hand, means that particular one is seasonal, so each batch may be quite different, and is of exceptional quality. Obviously the Premium teas cost more, but after getting used to the prices for top grade teas overall, they're actually pretty reasonable.

Rather than write about each tea individually, I thought it would be worthwhile to provide notes on everything that I got from this store, giving a "review" of both the vendor and the teas.

The first thing to note was that when I ordered the teas, I ordered most of them in tins. Within a few hours, I got an email letting me know that everything was ready, but they didn't have the big tins and wanted to know if it was okay to send without and reimburse me for the price difference of the tins. I asked if he had smaller ones, and he threw in enough to store all of them without charging me anymore. Everything was then shipped promptly and received quickly. We also had a brief exchange, in which he was very friendly and open. Having worked in customer service positions for longer than I care to admit, I was quite impressed! So, now on to the teas...

Premium Winter 2006 Yinya

This is my favorite, so it's the one I will describe in greatest detail. The Yinya is basically a bao zhong, but they include silver tips. The wet leaves are nice and thick, which would be due to the winter environment. In some ways it's kind of an ambivalent bao zhong, being both deeper, smoother, and sweeter, but also with some greener characteristics in the taste. This is one of the best Formosa (Taiwan, for the novice that may not know) wulongs I've ever had. It's very floral, sweet, smooth, and well defined. The aroma is very floral (albeit light, as with most Formosa wulongs), and has the characteristics of the high grade high-mountain wulongs and bao zhongs. It is distinctive from most that come from Taiwan, mostly as it has a slightly different orchid aroma than most. The aftertaste is quick to bloom into a floral sweetness, with a very mild drying effect that makes your mouth water more - a rare quality usually found in only the highest grade teas. It's also relatively forgiving, although over-steeping may eliminate the nuances and aftertaste.

It's definitely a treat, and a must-try for bao zhong lovers. Absolutely divine. Half of me wants to drink this every day, the other wants to savor it.

Premium Winter 2005 Lanyun
This is simply a very fine and light bao zhong. Shan Shui explains that the name is used to distinguish bao zhongs that exhibit a particular orchid aroma, and it shows. It is lighter than most, with a very pale liquor. I usually like my wulongs a bit thicker and more flavorful, but this one has an outstanding balance that I've not found elsewhere. This is one that I save for quiet moments, as I only got a small amount.

Superior Cuiyu (Spring 2006)
This is a more typical rolled Formosa wulong, but it definitely has it's own unique character. It comes in rolled pellets that are a bit smaller than most from the region. As Hobbes notes in the comments, it's actually grown at a lower elevation, which actually explains a lot. In some ways it's like a Huang Jin Gui (which is actually from Anxi, China), but with Formosa dimensions. Shan Shui describes it as having more of a green tea flavor profile, and I can nod along to that. It doesn't have the sharpness of a green, but it does have that light flavor that is well defined. While this one does have an orchid aroma, it's a different kind of orchid that I've not found before. It's an orchid with very well defined character with very different dimensions. While others are very much just "round", giving you the impression of the top of a circle, this one gives you more the impression of a vase with a bulb at the bottom. It has a sweet, floral, medium thick, and round body with thin high-notes that have a lot to do with the aroma. The high notes are not bitterness in anyway (as it would be with a green tea), but do give a fresh green taste. It does have a very very slight and nuanced toasty/grainy/nutty flavor, that is more like that of a green tea such as yun wu -- I think that is what gives it the similarity to a green tea. This one is also an excellent value for the money. Highly recommended for everyday drinking for Formosa wulong lovers, or green tea lovers that want a good introduction to Formosa wulongs.

Superior & Premium Summer 2007 Baihao
I didn't realize what baihao ("white filament" or "white tip") was until I got it (also known as "Oriental Beauty" or "Eastern Beauty", also written in Chinese as "Dongfang meiren", per Brian from Shan Shui, and sometimes called "Champagne Oolong"). It's a Formosa wulong that is large pieces of mostly flat leaves with some rolled about half way to what you see with a bao zhong. It is quite a bit more oxidized, but has some less oxidized leaves as well, and the ones from Shan Shui include a fair amount of white tips.

To give some background, I had been drinking the one from SpecialTeas (which was simply called "Formosa Fancy Oolong"), and considered that a "staple" tea to drink in the morning, before I was awake enough to really appreciate the taste of finer teas. It's grainy, fruity, and slightly floral, all in an understated way. Kind of like a fine black tea, in some ways, but lighter and much smoother, and without the bitterness or acidity. The higher-grade baihao from SpecialTeas was much the same, but each of the flavors would bloom and jump out at you individually, but in rapid succession. Quite nice. The lesser quality has the same qualities, but are much more muted and blended into a more even flavor with less complexity.

These ones, from Shan Shui, were distinctive in that they contain a fair amount of white tips and much more carefully processed leaves. The flavor is somewhere in between the two from SpecialTeas, but with their own distinctive sharpness. The Premium is definitely nicer, with greater complexity, but I do miss the blooming sweet flavors that I had before. The Premium is definitely a higher quality, but otherwise relatively similar to the superior.

Unfortunately I don't have a whole lot to say about this one, as it's not one of my favorites. I probably won't get it again, but that is purely my own individual tastes. I can very definitely see why some people like the baihao, but I simply like the wulongs with lighter oxidation, thicker mouth-feel, and more fragrant floral aroma and taste. The way I've come to see it is that if you approach it with the same expectations as a relatively plain black tea, then you will quite likely enjoy it. If you like baihao, then you would very likely appreciate this one. Unfortunately my lack of appreciation holds me back from really appreciating the nuances and complexities of it, and giving a description that is up to my own standards. It's palatable, even pleasant, I just can't get into it. Maybe someday.


Conclusion

With my experiences so far, I am highly impressed with this vendor and their teas. I am very happy to have what I got in my collection, and look very forward to trying some of the other things they have. Shan Shui teas may not have the biggest selection, but what they do have appears to have been carefully chosen to include some of the best, and distinguish the vendor from others in what they carry. I do highly recommend this vendor, and I definitely plan to return!

Two Rooster Roundup (Bai Ji Guan, Wuyi Wulong/Oolong)

Wuyi style wulongs are becoming one of my favorites. Since Bai Ji Guan is considered one of the best, I figured it would be a good place to start.

Bai Ji Guan means "White Cock Comb" or "White Rooster's Crest". Aside from the legends, it gets it's name from the buds used to make it. They are picked quite early, while still very pale in appearance. See Hou De's product page for this tea to see pictures of the buds just before they are picked (by hand) to make Bai Ji Guan.

Here is the legend, according to TeaSpring:

...the name of this marvellous tea was given by a monk in memorial of a courageous rooster that sacrificed his life while protecting his baby from an eagle. Touched by the display of courage and love, the monk buried the rooster and from that spot, the Bai Ji Guan tea bush grew.

TeaSpring's Bai Ji Guan (Spring 2007)
Product page

These look more yellow/orange/brown in person.
Click for hi-res

What strikes me the most about this tea is the leaves. This tea is a much lighter tea than any wuyi I have ever seen before. The dry leaves also have a wonderful sweet aroma of honeysuckle and... orchid?.. on a warm afternoon in late spring. (Unfortunately I don't know my flowers well.)

This one has a cleaner and sweeter taste than the other, with less emphasis on the roasted wuyi character that defines this type of wulong. The flavors all blend together into a round body with elusive spicy notes that are quite subdued. It definitely has a woody foundation, but it would be a lighter wood than most wuyi's. The taste is sweet, soft, like flower petals and lightly toasted honey. Unfortunately the floral characteristics are not very present in the aroma of the tea as it is in the dry leaves. The aroma does hint at it, but smells more like sugar and spring water. The aftertaste has a quick sweet bloom that fades quickly and leaves a slight astringency and a lasting sweetness. The complexity of this one is present but fleeting, and can be hard to miss at times. It re-emerges in the aftertaste in the very back of my tongue, but is even more elusive than before. It is a quite interesting tea, although the complexity is rather hard to pin down long enough to define. Despite how it may sound, this is not a tea that strikes you as complex, although it does become more noticeable the more you drink it. This is a good one to sit down with on a quiet evening with some calm music.

Hou De's Bai Ji Guan (Spring 2005)
Product page

Click for hi-res

Tastes much more like a wuyi. Nice, medium heavy roasted taste with undercurrent of fruit and honey and a mild fleeting bitter-sweetness that dissipates quickly but returns for just a moment as the aftertaste starts to emerge. Aroma is toasty and mildly floral, with the floral notes primarily detectable with the tip of the tongue. Bigger sips reveal different flavors and textures. Finish is bitter sweet that quickly settles as a floral sweetness, particularly at the front of the tongue. A toasted honey character with a touch of fruit defines this one from aroma to finish. Like many good wuyi's, this one gives a nice texture of woodgrain on the tongue from a slight acidity, but this one seems to be a bit more ethereal, round, sitting more above the tongue, and gives a nice fuzzy feeling that does a little dancing before settling if you pay close attention. There is slight astringency that is much more subdued than many wuyi's. As I swish the tea around, it almost seems to leave traces as it melts into your tongue very quickly. The aftertaste is lasting, and settles mostly on the rear-most edges of my tongue, radiating a soft sweetness, defying my 2nd grade teacher's insistence that I was not, in fact, tasting sweetness anywhere but the tip of my tongue. Although, to her credit, there is a certain bitter quality brought about by the roasted undercurrent, which is quite pleasant.

The sensation of this tea, especially in the aftertaste, is almost that of muscatel, but with slightly different dimensions. This comes out more as the tea cools, leaving behind some of the typical wuyi characteristics and giving way to a more smooth sweetness. Nevertheless, a lover of both wulongs and Darjeelings would probably like this tea. I was surprised, however, to find that this one is not quite as smooth as the newer one from TeaSpring.

Overall this is a very good tea. It's a very good representation of a wuyi wulong, with a soft sweetness that should accommodate most palates. It reminds me of a moderate rain on a warm sunny day, with large drops leaving thick trails that quickly consolidate to chase the drop before evaporating.

Overall this is a great tea, regardless of which you pick. The first is a little sweeter, and has more interesting characteristics, but the second will better suit the wuyi lover expecting that characteristic roasted flavor. I would be hard pressed to declare one as clearly superior, as they each have unique characteristics that make each special. The complexities are more apparent in Hou De's, but the first almost has more interesting and elusive complexities. They also each have things in common that make them obviously of the same type. Hou De's is a bit aged, and I expect both to become even better with further aging, which should bring the flavors together and mellow them down.

As nice as this tea is, however, there is something lacking that keeps it just slightly back from being satisfying to me. Many of the wuyi teas are satisfying, despite my eclectic tastes, but there is something about this that just isn't quite there. Perhaps it's just me, or perhaps it will come with aging.

Wulong two-fer

I started to feel like I was reviewing too many of the higher grade teas, so today I'm going to do a high grade and a surprise I found at an Asian grocer.



Joy Luck - High-Mountain Oolong

I was suspicious of this one at first, but decided to give it a try. I found this at the Fubonn shopping center, at the Fubonn supermarket that is just across from Serenity Art. They have a whole aisle of pre-packaged teas, some look better than others. They even have a few things I've seen sold on some of my favorite sites.

This one is by a brand called "Joy Luck" (which I cannot, unfortunately, find anywhere on the internet), and is just labeled "High Mountain Oolong". It comes in a large dark brownish-red box with a line drawing of a dragon in the mountains, gold lettering and gold edges, and a yellow/gold string handle on the top. Inside is a large (approx 12"x 4") cardboard canister with tin ends. It's coated with plastic on the inside, and the top is difficult to get off. It's definitely airtight as it sucks in the tin ends, causing them to pop, every time you open the canister. Inside is a 10.5 oz vacuum sealed pack of high-mountain goodness. All this for a measly $15!

I was still a little apprehensive after getting it, but it turned out to be surprisingly good. It isn't exactly an exceptional high-mountain oolong, but it is what I consider the base of a good high-mountain oolong. It has an aroma and taste that is slightly honey-like and somewhere in between the floral jade oolongs and a toasty amber oolong. Something like a lightly toasted honeysuckle. It's light, sweet, with a good mouth feel. It lacks a lot of the nuances and complexities of the better teas, but for a basic everyday tea, this is definitely a winner.

So if you've got a good local Asian supermarket, you might check it out. This may not be the best, but it does a great job for everyday drinking, like, say, when you're working. This would also be a relatively low-risk way to try a Taiwan(?) high-mountain wulong if you want to get an idea of what they're like without shelling out more for less. It may also be a good one to give those friends that you want to impress, but know that a more expensive tea would be wasted on them ;)

Next up..

Organic BaoZhong from Mr Wang Yiu-Li (Spring harvest, 2007)
From Hou De.



Click each pic for hi-res


This came as a sample from Hou De with another order I made. I was considering it, but wasn't sure I was ready to pay the asking price for it. It turned out to be one that I like very very much, and have already placed an order for more.
This is actually somewhat typical of pouchongs. To me it's like a jade wulong that is better defined than any of the actual jade wulongs. This one has a better balance of all aspects than what I've had before. The aroma is nice and sweet, mildly floral with nutty nuances and an almost woody character that is more of a texture than a defining character. The taste does not disappoint. It's sweet, but with a nicely rounded point and a woody texture. You can definitely taste the "green", but it's very smooth and melts quickly into a very nice mouth feel. The "green" is almost a bit sour, but it is more sweet and floral than anything, and has a nice warmth to it. It finishes off with a cleansing effect that I can't quite qualify as an astringency, it just dries the mouth a little. This lasts for some time, and actually started to make my tongue tingle after several minutes! This is not a quality that I've encountered before, but it is very pleasant.

Overall this is a great tea with a lot of character. Hou De does not have very much of it, so I would grab some soon!

Wu Ling (Wulong/Oolong)

This is one that I wanted to review more to make a point than anything else.

Wu Ling is a high-mountain Taiwan oolong, which speaks volumes in and of itself. The land it's grown on was previously an apple and pear orchard that was converted to a tea plantation. The farm is at an altitude of over 2000 meters high, giving it that renowned Taiwan high-mountain flavor. It's a lightly oxidized Tung-Ting style jade oolong that is rolled into pellets that are slightly smaller than others. Once infused you see that each is a small stem with three small leaves, an indication that it was most likely hand-picked.

The tea is really quite good. It is said that the previous fruit orchards gives this tea a fruity quality that is indeed evident in the aroma. It has a very good smooth mouth feel, with a taste that starts sweet and slightly fruity and quickly changes to a slight green bitter quality that accentuates the taste without being a major identifying factor as it can be with green teas. It finishes off with a light and clean astringency that is felt more than tasted, but leaves you with a clean "green" taste - a good malt (hopefully I'm using that right) that comes to a bit of a point , although not as much as a green tea. This tea definitely has it's own unique character that is light and slightly elusive.

So what's the point I want to make? This is a great tea that I would be quite happy to drink at any time, but the caveat is that it's not worth the price. Unfortunately it costs $23 for just 75 grams (2.6 oz), and it's quite dense so that much only fills a small can that is about 1.5" x 2". This tea is quite good, but I've had quite a few other Taiwan high-mountain jade oolongs that I actually like better, and cost quite a bit less. This does make a superior cup, just not that far superior. I can't say that I regret getting it, but I doubt I will get any more of it.

So the moral of this story is that just because a tea is expensive, doesn't mean it's going to be that ever elusive "perfect" cup of tea that blows you away, and also to pay attention to the quantity you're getting! Although the more expensive teas do tend to be exceptional and much better than the cheaper ones, I've been finding that once you get into that price range (around $20 or so for around a quarter pound) you're not necessarily going to be that much more impressed by something that costs twice as much. I've encountered this with quite a number of Taiwan high mountain and formosa oolongs, but this was the most I had spent for so little. Perhaps it's worth it if you've really got the money and/or your tastes are really that discerning, but otherwise there are still plenty to knock your socks off without being too highly priced.


Click here for high-res

Formosa Pouchong Imperial (Wulong/Oolong)

This is my first order from Upton Tea imports, and definitely left a good impression. Upton describes this as a classic style Pouchong (Bao Zhong) that is lightly oxidized. The leaves are lightly twisted, but you wouldn't know it from the taste. The leaves are a dark green, and when seen in the tin almost look black, but after being steeped take on a more obvious forest green color. The liquor is a light amber, much like a light colored honey.

Click to see hi-res Click to see hi-res

The first cup I made of this tea didn't strike me much. It was somewhat bland and slightly astringent, just overall unremarkable.

But...

For the second cup I used just a little more leaf (about 1.5 tea scoops, which are approximately equivalant to a heaping teaspoon), and wow! I've since found a full 2 scoops (approx 2 heaping tsp) to be the best.

The first thing that struck me was that it tasted a lot like the jade high-mountain Tung Ting style Taiwan oolongs that are rolled (like a Tie Guan Yin), but mixed with a Lu An Gua Pian green tea. Those are what I'm more used to, and what I tend to compare others against. The first thing you notice is the aroma, which is lightly but noticiably floral with a slight nutty/woody and vegetal quality. The vegetal aspect is very subtle, and does more to prop up the floral notes and combine them with the nutty/woody aspects than anything else. The floral aspects are the most notable.

The taste is very well rounded. It has a very smooth texture with a lot of mouth feel that is well balanced and sweet, and finishes off with a slight astringency that is felt more than really tasted. While it does have that very smooth and sweet body and mouth feel, it doesn't have so much that it leaves your mouth feeling coated - a well balanced smooth characteristic that leaves your tongue feeling slightly soft. It drinks almost like a very smooth green tea, but with more of an oolong feel and character. There is a vegetal quality to the taste, that starts with a slight bitterness and quickly evaporates into a dry grassiness that cleans the palate and fades into the slight astringency of the aftertaste. As in the aroma, it does more to prop up the floral aspects than anything else. The taste is definitely floral, and reminiscent of honey as well.

The aftertaste is aromatic in a way that is almost effervescent. The smooth mouth feel combined with the light astringency remains on the palate, and the steam can be felt in the nose leaving you to continue to smell the lightly floral aftertaste almost more than tasting it. Note that it does so more than other teas normally do, as this tea does have a slight viscosity that can actually be seen in the liquor. This leaves you breathing easier, and smelling the world with sweet and clean undertones.

What grabs my attention the most about this tea is how animated the taste is. Some teas do similar, but not quite to this extent. It is the difference between looking at pictures, even animated pictures, and watching a short video. It's definitely an experience, and each sip is slightly different. This is definitely one to taste with your whole mouth, and not just part of the tongue. It's great for when you are able to contemplate life, but also encourages you to relax while you go about your day. In my opinion, it's a great tea for any time of day. This tea reminds me of sitting next to a lightly rushing creek in spring.

This has very quickly made one of my favorite teas. It takes everything I like in a wulong and brings them together into a lively and animated portrait that makes me forget about everything else. Overall it is just very well balanced, lively, and clean.