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!

Places to buy tea

Here's a few of my favorite places so far.

Local Stores:

Serenity Art Inc.
Rating: 5 of 5
http://www.serenityartinc.com/
If you're in the Portland (OR) area, Serenity Art is a fantastic place to buy teas, tea ware, and fine Asian arts and crafts. They don't have the biggest selection of tea, but they have enough to keep any one person happy for some time. They have some things I've just not found elsewhere, and some that I've not found a match in quality elsewhere, particularly for the price. They have, for example, a top grade Biluochun for a great price, the likes of which I have not found anywhere else. They actually sell 4 different grades (from A to D). They also have a number of yellow teas, which are absolutely fantastic. If you're curious about something, they will brew up a sample for you, Gong-Fu style! It was something to watch, for sure, he did it with the speed and efficiency of someone that's been doing it for a lifetime. It seems to be a family run business, with the elder knowing the most about teas (duh).
You can find them at the Fubonn shopping center on SE 82nd Ave.

Specialized Vendors:
(Vendors that focus on a particular type of tea(s), carrying higher quality and harder to find teas of that type.)

Hou De Fine Teas
Rating: 5 of 5
http://www.houdeasianart.com/
Outstanding quality and service, they specialize in mostly top quality wu long and pu'erh. One of the really nice things is that they tell you what year the tea was picked, so you can be a lot more confident about what you get. While the prices may seem high superficially, I have found that equivalent quality elsewhere is often much more costly. What others might call "imperial" or other impressive title, Hou De often carries as their basic stock. They carry many Taiwan high-mountain wu longs you can not find elsewhere, and also have a fantastic GABA wu long that is actually cheaper (and much better) than others. The proprieter of Hou De is one of the most knowledgeable in the field, and has been quite generous with his time in answering my questions and accommodating my wishes. I cannot recommend this vendor enough. Additionally carries many Asian antiques and fine art items, as well as a tea roaster that can also be used to refresh stale teas! Teas come in vacuum sealed packets placed inside coated paper bags with fold-down tops (similar to the bags used to buy bulk coffee), with delicate teas in (attractive) tins.

Shan Shui Teas
Rating: 5 of 5
http://www.shanshuiteas.com
Specializes in Taiwan wu longs and bao zhongs, with a very interesting (albeit limited) stock. Some prices are a bit high, but mostly for the top quality teas with a (more than) respectable lower quality of most. They don't bother with meaningless gradings like "imperial" -- they are more down to earth. The owner and I had a brief but pleasant exchange, very friendly and accommodating. The products I received were outstanding, and some of my favorites to date. Service and shipping were both expedient. If you prefer wu longs, definitely check this site out; they have some amazing stuff. Teas come in vacuum sealed semi-opaque plastic packets with option for foil-lined cardboard tins.

Angelina's Teas
Rating 5 of 5
http://www.angelinasteas.com/
A small operation with a select inventory of very good puerh, as well as a limited selection of other teas. The puerh is all I have purchased from them, but every tea I have purchased from them has been a very good buy. This vendor has been instrumental in my exploration of puerh, and I have gained considerable trust in their selection. Service is prompt, reliable, and professional.

Tea from Taiwan
Rating: 4.5 of 5
http://www.teafromtaiwan.com/
This is a company that's actually in Taiwan. They definitely have some interesting stuff that you won't find elsewhere, almost entirely Wulongs (oolong). Check out their GABA tea, for example. Some of their prices can be quite high, however they are very high quality. This is a great site for lovers of quality Taiwan high-mountain oolongs. Teas come in vacuum sealed foil bags/packets with oxygen absorbing packet. I believe this to be the packaging from the tea farm. I dock half a star for having limited inventory.

Jing Tea Shop
Rating: 4.5 of 5
http://www.jingteashop.com/
Jing's has a reputation for having some of the finest Wuyi wulongs that is very well deserved, and additionally specialize in puerh. They also have some of the best prices for these teas. They do have other teas as well, but selection is limited. Jing's has fast, prompt, and reliable service that has made a regular customer of me. If you want good Wuyi wulongs, I can wholeheartedly recommend this store. The only things I dislike about Jing's is the number of clicks it takes to complete a purchase, the amount of time it takes to receive the package, and no trackable shipping. Orders are shipped from China using regular post, without the option for faster shipping. Tea comes in sealed foil bags with plenty of room for folding down the top.

Grand Tea Shop
Rating: 4.5 of 5
http://www.grandtea.com
I found this after Jing, but I have found that their Wuyi yancha is actually even better than Jing's! The prices and quantities are similar to Jing's as well. They also specialize in puerh, and have some other teas as well. From both my communications with him as well as reports from others on the internet, Yat (the owner) is very honest, and will let you know if his puerh was wet or dry stored, etc. When I asked for a recommendation within a particular price range, I found that he kept it at the lower end, rather than pushing for the most expensive items as I expected. Great service, fantastic products, you couldn't ask for more - except, perhaps, faster shipping. Tea comes in sealed foil packets.

Ma-Tea.com
Rating: 4 of 5
http://www.ma-tea.com/
My favorite place to buy Yerba Mate. Great prices, prompt service. Plain and simple. If you like Yerba Mate, don't miss this site. Tea comes in original retail packaging. The only negative is that many of the best things have a tendency to go out of stock fairly quickly, and don't always get restocked promptly; this is why I give them a rating of 4 instead of 5.


General Vendors:
(Vendors focus on variety, with a wide selection of different types of teas. Some may still specialize in one type while offering others as well.)

TeaCuppa
Rating: 5 of 5
http://www.teacuppa.com/
Excellent quality, excellent service. I was impressed that I managed to get my package from Malaysia in 2 days flat (FedEx rocks!), and shipping was not that expensive. After several orders, this has been consistent. This site doesn't have the largest inventory, but they do have a good variety of some exceptional teas at good prices. While some see their reputation as tarnished due to poor reviews of their puerh, I have found TeaCuppa's wulong (especially their Wuyi's) and green teas to be consistently high quality to the point that TeaCuppa is my most frequented tea vendor. They have also improved their stock of puerh since those reviews. Teas come in sealed foil packets.

Upton Tea Imports
Rating: 5 of 5
http://www.uptontea.com/
Excellent selection, great quality, decent prices. Upton has failed to disappoint to date. They have teas from some places you just can't find elsewhere (eg Kenya green tea and Thai oolong). They also have some of the best pictures of each tea, which includes measurements. I was pleasantly surprised to find the teas came in a good tin with a pry out lid and a dated and personalized label. The tea I got is definitely quality, and lived up to the expectations of the description they gave for each. This is one that I return to frequently. Teas come in your choice of pry-top tin or packets. Tins can be purchased separately

Tea Spring
Rating: 5 of 5
http://www.teaspring.com/
This site is amazing. They have all the top 10 most famous teas of China (from the actual farm that won the prize, not the same made by another farm, and many/most have verifiable anti-fake labels for assurance). They have a great selection and reasonable prices. They actually ship from China, so it does take a few extra days to get your shipment, but it's not as bad as you might think. This is definitely one for anyone serious about tea to check out, especially those on the journey to becoming connoisseurs. Teas come in sealed foil packets, but some teas come in tins packaged by the farms.

Golden TeaHouse
Rating: 4.5 of 5
http://www.goldenteahouse.com
Some interesting inventory, good quality, and prompt service. They have quite a few good things, including a number of teas I have not found elsewhere. Shipment comes through regular post, but it did arrive within about a week, and was shipped promptly. The teas were better than expected. A good solid vendor. My only gripe is that I paid for "expedited shipping" and never got a tracking number -- I suspect they sent my package with the normal shipping, which was about $10 cheaper than what I paid (but I could be totally wrong). They also have some great looking ceramic tea storage containers. Teas come in resealable foil bags with a clear window.

Seven Cups
Rating: 4.5 of 5
http://www.sevencups.com
Some of their teas are overpriced, others are more than reasonable (although if you create a free account, you get 10% off). While this isn't the first place I would check for a new tea, there are some things that are well worth getting from here. They have a pretty good selection and prompt service. They do also have some things I've not seen elsewhere, and an overall good inventory. Items come in sealed packets. Lots of good info at this site, raising their rating from a 4 to a 4.5 (would be a 5 if some of their prices weren't so extravagant). Tea comes in resealable bags.

SpecialTeas.com
Rating: 4.5 of 5
http://www.specialteas.com/
This site has a lot of great teas. Some of their prices are exceptional, others average, but all worth it. They have a large inventory that they claim to take regular samples of to ensure consistent quality, and I believe it. I've not yet been disappointed in any tea from this site yet, and find this to be a great source for my everyday teas. They have a number of top grade teas, and teas you can't find elsewhere, including an excellent selection of Darjeelings (including top grade). They are also quite prompt at getting your order shipped with friendly service. Teas come in sealed bags made from coated foil that are resealable.

Sensational Teas
Rating: 4.5 of 5
http://www.sensationalteas.com/
I was highly impressed with the personal, professional, and prompt service of this site. Very much so. I ordered last on a Saturday morning, and received a human response (by email) telling me that my order had shipped the same afternoon. Their selection isn't the best, but they do have some things that nobody else has, and some good prices. If you're looking for a bamboo tray for Gong-Fu tea preparation, they have some of the lowest prices I've seen. Teas come in your choice of single-lid tin or bag/packet(?). If they had more inventory and included pictures of the teas, I would give them a full 5 of 5 rating.

Red Blossom
Rating: 4.5 of 5
http://www.redblossom.com
I avoided Red Blossom for some time due to the lack of information in their descriptions. There are some items, like their Wuyi yancha, that I would be interested in if they were of a particular age, but not if new. There is just little indication of what you are getting. The few teas that I have gotten from them, however, were absolutely fantastic, and so I can recommend them for getting to know tea or if there's something in particular you want. The deeply involved tea-head may not find this vendor appealing, however. Tea comes in sealed foil bags with plenty of room for folding down the top.

Enjoying Teas
Rating: 4.5 of 5
http://www.enjoyingtea.com/
This one has some great prices, and others are a bit high. They do have a good selection of good teas. The Lu An Gua Pian I got from them was pretty much the same as what I got from TeaSpring but a little less green, and the price was roughly half of what I paid at TeaSpring. It's definitely one to check out, and is very good for getting your everyday teas. They also have some great prices on some great tins and bamboo trays. Tea comes in resealable plastic coated foil bags.

The Tao of Tea
Rating: 4 of 5
http://www.taooftea.com/
They don't always have the best quality, but they do have good representations of most teas and includes some that you can't find elsewhere. This is a great site for discovering new teas, and/or when there is something you want to try without paying a lot for it (most teas can be purchased in a tin for $10-$15, even normally expensive ones). Don't let that put you off - they may not have all the competition grades, but they do have very good teas. Some indeed are competition grade. They give lots of info (more than any other I've seen), and have a good selection of teas from pretty much all regions. They do have a number of things you can't find elsewhere. For those in the Portland area, they have a tea room on SE Belmont, and they are also the proprietors of the tea room in the Chinese Gardens downtown, which strives to provide an authentic Chinese atmosphere, and serving tea in traditional ceremonial fashion. Tea comes in your choice of double-lid tins or resealable coated foil bags. The tins are my favorite for storing tea, and can be purchased separately. Unfortunately between the fact that it consistently takes them almost a week to ship orders and some service mishaps, I rarely buy from them anymore. With that said, however, I would still recommend them for beginners looking to explore new teas.


eBay Stores:

Chinese Teapot Gallery -
http://stores.ebay.com/Chinese-Teapot-Gallery-Tea-Culture
Impressive items, prices, and service. Prompt, professional, and reliable, items shipped and received quickly and in perfect condition. Mostly teaware, with some unusual items at great prices.

Yunnan Sourcing -
http://stores.ebay.com/Yunnan-Sourcing-LLC
Great selection and prices, great service, knowledgeable seller with solid reputation. If you're looking for young puerh, this is one of the first places to look.

Chinese Style Culture Site -
http://stores.ebay.com/Chinese-Style-Culture-Site
Very accommodating, friendly, professional, prompt service and shipping with impressive inventory and prices. Items come from China through regular mail, so can take a while, but the prices make it worth the wait. Quality and reliability are high, items were as expected or better.

Dragon Tea House -
http://stores.ebay.com/Dragon-Tea-House
Impressive stock and prices, items shipped promptly. Solid quality, prompt service, couldn't ask for more from an eBay store (as good, if not better, than the others, but I'm running out of ways to write gushing praises). This is one of the other go-to places for young puerh, but they also have many other great items.

Awoono Pu-erh Shop
http://stores.ebay.com/Awoono-Pu-erh-Tea-Shop
A great seller for puerh, even has some aged puerh that has received good reviews. Prices seem quite fair, items shipped promptly, seller conducts business quite professionally.

--

I found another seller on eBay that goes by a name that consists of a large number followed by "friends" and sells mostly yixing teapots, but cannot recommend this one. They have some beautiful pieces, but some are expensive and all have expensive shipping. What's worse, however, is that they all look like they have been rubbed with shoe polish to artificially age the teapots, which are then labled "Vintage", and sold for prices indicative of new pieces. Speaking with vendors, it appears that this seller has a reputation for selling fakes, which only confirmed my own existing suspicions. Maybe the person is sincere and doesn't realize what he's selling, but I would caution anyone considering buying from them. Hou De wrote a great blog entry on the subject of artificially aged yixing pots.

---

Some more that I cannot vouch for the quality or service of, but have good inventory or otherwise look impressive to me:

Imperial Tea Court - http://www.imperialtea.com (great reputation for being knowledgeable)
O-Cha - http://www.o-cha.com (specializes in Japanese green teas, has a reputation for selling some of the best)
T-Ching - http://www.tching.com (specializes in green teas)
J-Tea - http://www.jteainternational.com
Lochan Tea Limited - http://www.lochantea.com
Rishi Tea - http://www.rishi-tea.com
The Fragrant Leaf - http://www.thefragrantleaf.com
Todd & Holland - http://www.todd-holland.com
Holy Mountain Trading Company - http://www.holymtn.com
The Tea Farm - http://www.theteafarm.com
Ten Tea - http://www.10tea.com/


I will likely order from these sites in the future, and will add them to the section above (with review) if they're good, or delete them if not. I know there are some other sites out there that are somewhat popular, but they are not listed here because I do not consider them to provide quality teas and/or good service (usually the former). When I give a recommendation for a tea shop, it is because it's one that I would regularly buy from because I feel confident that I will get consistently good quality teas and good/prompt service. There are a lot of tea shops out there, many that are truly top notch, so there are PLENTY of good ones to find just about anything you could want, and at a good price, without including the ones that don't.

With that said, however, if you know of a vendor that has impressive selection and quality (should be equal to the ones I review above), do feel free to bring them up in the comments and I will check them out.