tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57169676659468436422024-03-14T02:20:55.842-04:00Sir William of the LeafTea reviews and Tea related subjectsSir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-80615391224444843122012-08-11T18:13:00.001-04:002012-08-11T18:15:10.669-04:00A first time look at Ginseng oolongI have never really looked into ginseng oolong before because I had just lumped it into the category of flavored teas, which usually I don't purchase to drink. If someone buys a flavored tea for me I will enjoy it as such, but I never quite wanted this blog to feature flavored teas. I have been lacking in posts due to the limited number of samples I have been receiving, although that will change this month! I have gained quite a collection and wish to show them off to you all!<br />
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This tea was interesting from the get go. The pearled leaves, oolong from DongDing mountain in Taiwan, are coated in what almost looks like a ginseng paste. They are a dull, hunter green color and carry the smell of ginseng, strawberry, hibiscus and greenery. The scents aren't all that strong and don't lead me right away to assume the tea was flavored with anything!<br />
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The taste really was a delightful surprise! It is lightly flavorful and reminiscent of a roasted oolong with a layer of sweet fruit! It is balanced great and has a delicate mouthfeel.<br />
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Brown sugar, peaches, toasted nuts and strawberry come to mind as I sip and savor this first encounter. It struck me afterwards that it reminded me of a sweet, flakey pie crust! I didn't know that the ginseng would be so subtle and yet add so much to a tea. <br />
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This tea would be wonderful iced and really appeal to a wide audience! I couldn't drink this every day, but every now and again this tea is really a good treat!<br />
Thank you to Teavivre for the sample! Every time I open one of their teas I am really starting to enjoy the quality and wonderful customer service this company offers! Their prices are nothing to overlook either! Definitely recommend this company for some good teas and good deals!<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XjI08W_-aJU/UCbZG2AbWYI/AAAAAAAAA24/0AHnqELmf1s/s640/blogger-image-139904609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XjI08W_-aJU/UCbZG2AbWYI/AAAAAAAAA24/0AHnqELmf1s/s640/blogger-image-139904609.jpg" /></a></div>Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-15504377065919492082012-07-16T18:11:00.001-04:002012-07-16T18:34:01.218-04:00Darjeeling: Phuguri, Golden Tips, Autumnal 2011It has certainly been a while since I posted! I just got in a new shipment of tea and it inspired me to sit and relax with a good cup!<br />
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This tricky little Darjeeling, at first glance, would have you thinking that it is an Assam! The golden tips are unusual for the champagne of teas to possess, although not unlikely for its brother and partner in crime, Assam teas!<br />
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This tea shouted cocoa, malt, caramel and wheat, very boldly I may add! It got me thinking, why might it look so familiar to an Assam! Well google had the answer, of course. It looks as if the estate is nestled in between Bhutan and Nepal, and right beneath the Sikkim estate. If you have read up on your geography of southeast Asia, you would know that is shockingly close to Assam! So, that brings me some peace about the similarities!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9xUJOTN-KuA/UASWG9IdryI/AAAAAAAAA2o/kNcY-N7L0sI/s1600/Phuguri.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9xUJOTN-KuA/UASWG9IdryI/AAAAAAAAA2o/kNcY-N7L0sI/s400/Phuguri.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div>
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Now with that out of the way, the infused leaf, shown at the bottom right, has the aromas of bakers chocolate, berry, and the dominant aroma is malt, who's bold attitude never fails to rise above the more reserved scents. The liquor's aroma is more sweet in character, pronouncing caramel and a more tame malty presence.<br />
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The flavor is surprisingly subtle... Little woody, little malty, hint of berry, but overall very mature, which could be because of the year's worth of rest that the tea received!<br />
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Overall a wonderful tea! Very unlike prior autumnals I have tasted, but I don't ever mind a surprise!<br />
<br />Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-36713448722832476652012-04-17T20:51:00.000-04:002012-04-19T09:06:45.852-04:002011 Autumn Flush Gopaldhara Darjeeling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A hearty thanks to <a href="http://www.darjeelingteaxpress.com/">DarjeelingTeaXpress</a> for providing me with numerous samples of one of my very favorite (if not my overall favorite) types of tea. For those of you who read this blog, or have read some of my early posts (ahem...<a href="http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2011/01/castleton-autumnal-ftgfop-1.html">this one</a>, <a href="http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2011/01/goomtee-sftgfop-1-autumnal.html">this one</a>, and <a href="http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2010/08/darjeeling-makaibari-estate-1st-flush.html">this one</a>), you know what I am about to say. You know how I will talk up Autumnal Flush Darjeeling teas all day, every day, and to every person.</div>
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You know how I will talk about their sweet, pumpkin/squash notes and their autumn inspired aromas and flavors. I could go on, but I think you understand my enduring love for Autumnal Flush Darjeelings.</div>
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This one, well, threw me a little unexpected difference compared to some of the others in its fine group I have had the pleasure of drinking.</div>
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The aroma of the dry leaf was strikingly different than what I had expected!</div>
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I sensed caramel, raspberry and cocoa. The dominant scents were the berry tones which smelled bright, tart, and sweet all at the same time.</div>
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I am always up for the unexpected.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WNGwzCDUMxM/T44G8Sxo-RI/AAAAAAAAA1g/L1C0sSyv-kk/s1600/GopaldharaAutumnFlush2011Dry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WNGwzCDUMxM/T44G8Sxo-RI/AAAAAAAAA1g/L1C0sSyv-kk/s320/GopaldharaAutumnFlush2011Dry.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I smelled the cup,</div>
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and I wrote "tangy grape and wheat."</div>
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This is a very accurate description of the aroma of the beautiful liquor. The grape notes are associated with the all-too-common muscatel scent that Darjeeling teas tend to produce. The wheat, now, that I am not sure of the origins, but I am not at all upset! This was a new adventure I was willing to take.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BQ6pFaT0ncs/T44GwnV7-_I/AAAAAAAAA1Y/4tnKsYZ3qcA/s1600/GopaldharaAutumn2011Liquor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BQ6pFaT0ncs/T44GwnV7-_I/AAAAAAAAA1Y/4tnKsYZ3qcA/s320/GopaldharaAutumn2011Liquor.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The first flavors distinguished were of bright berry and agave nectar. This tea is not complex, as most Autumnals have in common. A light, tart astringency tugged as the tea was swallowed, and left a wheat-y finish.</div>
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It is a bit flat, but as I have stated, this is an attribute I expect from an Autumnal.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5S4RnfMOR_w/T44HE4aPK5I/AAAAAAAAA1o/Si8LbZcxFxg/s1600/GopaldharaAutumnFlush2011Infusion.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5S4RnfMOR_w/T44HE4aPK5I/AAAAAAAAA1o/Si8LbZcxFxg/s320/GopaldharaAutumnFlush2011Infusion.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The second infusion presents citrus (lemon) and mango notes with a very mild astringency.</div>
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Even when brewed not in western fashion, the tea hesitates to become overly astringent. This is a fantastic characteristic for a sometimes unfocused brewer (myself...). Also, it really hits home that this is definitely, without a doubt, in fact, a true, honest, down-to-earth, Autumnal Flush Darjeeling (not that I assumed it wasn't, as I trust the vendor).</div>
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All in all, pretty splendid tea, although, it will need a few more brews to grow on me I think. It is just very unlike others I have had, not bad! I can tell it is superb quality tea.</div>
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Also, it had said on the package that this tea's grade is "Red Thunder." Anyone (vendor perhaps?) care to explain? I am used to the string of letters (SFTGFOP) as a grading scale, not native american names.</div>
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I have more samples of Autumn Flush teas I am dying to open up.</div>
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~Billy</div>Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-1461724167616089452012-04-16T20:00:00.000-04:002012-04-16T20:00:36.681-04:00JinXuan "Milk" Oolong Tea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have encountered several JinXuan teas, more notably code-named "Milk" or "Silk" or "Creamy" oolongs.</div>
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There is little promise of authenticity among this style of tea, as they have been overwhelmingly popular on the global market, and so to keep up with demand, ways of physically altering, flavoring, or scenting the teas has become common practice. I have already had one <a href="http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2011/01/silky-green-milk-oolong.html">"Milk" oolong</a> on this blog so far, so let us see how this subject fairs in the tumultuous tasting test.</div>
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Gratitude to <a href="http://www.teavivre.com/">Teavivre</a> for this sample.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XO85iq_nTT0/T4ypwBnAGZI/AAAAAAAAA1M/7XKEfqhe-1k/s1600/JinXuanPackaging.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XO85iq_nTT0/T4ypwBnAGZI/AAAAAAAAA1M/7XKEfqhe-1k/s320/JinXuanPackaging.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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There were several of these red packages inside the large package, basically single serve portions of tea.</div>
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I would have liked to see them vacuum sealed, but the other option that this could have went through was a nitro-flush, which would have been acceptable as well. I just know that tea does not stay fresh in small quantities, even when sealed.</div>
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The leaves look good, and smell good. They smell just creamy enough, but I can still tell that this is an oolong because of the light, floral notes coming off of it.</div>
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The liquor is very clear and the only particles I can see are down from the leaves. No foreign morsels floating around and interfering with my enjoyment of this tea.</div>
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The smell and taste of the liquor is sufficient, but a bit plain. There are subtle creamy/buttery notes that are expected with JinXuan teas, but also a very simple "oolong" flavor that green oolongs tend to have. This tea is a bit sweeter than most though, but that is most likely just due to the cultivar.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HsiLoYVzC24/T4yo53S7dnI/AAAAAAAAA08/0LqISPtKkCs/s1600/JinXuanLiquor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HsiLoYVzC24/T4yo53S7dnI/AAAAAAAAA08/0LqISPtKkCs/s320/JinXuanLiquor.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The leaves, as seen below, are healthy enough and look just as honest. I am in no way disappointed by this tea session, other than the simple fact that this was not a prime, top quality JinXuan. It should have had a much more dynamic in flavor. This tea was flat, but at least it was not lifeless.</div>
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In my opinion, this would only be a good buy because of the price, not the taste. This is relatively inexpensive and would probably get you better tea for less money than you could potentially spend elsewhere.</div>
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What I find remarkable is that Teavivre sells both a flavored JinXuan and an unflavored JinXuan. It would be interesting to compare the two to see the difference. Perhaps this is an authentic JinXuan, but just sub-par compared to the province's other productions.<br />
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~BillySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-8087978708679928072012-03-28T14:41:00.000-04:002012-03-28T14:41:48.828-04:002011 BaXian "Eight Immortals"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Greg of <a href="http://www.norbutea.com/">NorbuTea</a> kindly gifted me this sample along with a few teas I purchased.<br />
What I didn't know about this tea was that there was only 4.4kg produced, and Greg had 2kg of it.<br />
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Man do I feel privileged!<br />
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I must say, this tea was a sight for sore eyes! The leaves are beautiful, both in shape and color. I had been wanting DanCong for a while and this tea definitely sufficed!<br />
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The aroma was strong and marvelous!<br />
Very floral with notes of raw honey, melon, and fresh spring water.<br />
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This tea smells like it was just harvested and produced! DanCongs have a way with enchanting aromas.<br />
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When I put the tea into a warmed clay gaiwan, the aroma of the dry leaves was even stronger, and a nutty almond fragrance appeared.<br />
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If I had to stop here with this tea, I would still say it was a successful tea session.<br />
I felt like I had already tasted it.<br />
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Fortunately for me and you, I had no restrictions and so I poured the water and watched the leaves swirl.<br />
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The resulting liquor was perfectly balanced.<br />
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It had the aroma of spring flowers, and a sweet, smooth taste that reminded me of tropical fruits.<br />
Astringency lightly bit the back of my tongue and made me want more...more...more...<br />
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I was impressed to say the <i>least</i>!<br />
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This tea is stellar.<br />
Its well produced and was obviously cared for at each point in its existence and production.<br />
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The leaves make a dancing display like I have never seen.<br />
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The flavor is crisp, fresh, and ripe.<br />
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I only have a few more precious leaves left and I will brew them with care.<br />
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~billySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-73044288647926532752012-03-23T20:28:00.000-04:002012-03-23T20:28:31.543-04:002005 FengQing Golden Buds Pu'erhThere are quite a few pu'erh drinkers who choose not to post about shu pu'erh.<br />
Some people find the taste revolting. Other people may think they all taste the same.<br />
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I find that when one is trying to learn about tea, or any subject for that matter, one must always learn all the angles to fully understand it.<br />
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With that being said, a shu from <a href="http://www.teavivre.com/">Teavivre</a>.<br />
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The dry leaf is not too impressive.<br />
It smells like damp soil and leaves, which is not bad, just very plain.<br />
The cake is spotted with gold buds, but they are subdued.<br />
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It was a rainy day and shu sounded fantastic.<br />
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The liquor has the aroma of garden mulch with a hint of sweetness. There is a bit of a fishy smell to it, literally fishy, not skeptical.<br />
It tastes a tad bit dirty with a hint of date fruit and moist earth.<br />
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For the most part, this tea is lackluster as can be. It is plain tasting and does not stand out among shu pu'erh I have sampled in the past.<br />
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This is not a good shu,<br />
but it was a good day for shu.<br />
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The <a href="http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2012/02/mini-puerh-toucha-ripe.html">previous shu</a> I had from Teavivre really impressed me, but this one really has nothing to offer, except of course an educational experience on shu pu'erh!<br />
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~billySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-38068081843666742062012-03-19T15:29:00.000-04:002012-03-19T15:29:13.603-04:00Premium Keemun Hao Ya<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have quite a few more samples from <a href="http://www.teavivre.com/">Teavivre</a> to post on here, so keep on the lookout!</div>
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This is a Keemun from Qimen, a province in Anhui. It was processed in June, 2011.</div>
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Ignore the word "premium." It really doesn't have a meaning besides that the leaves may have been a better looking batch. Its all about taste!</div>
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The dry leaf had a typical Keemun smell.</div>
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Plum, raisin, and sweet bread, almost like <i>pan dulce</i>!</div>
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An evergreen smell wafted from the leaves as well. This component of the aroma balanced the sweet, fruity smells.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MlrD6a8V0Fs/T2eEHBaJXHI/AAAAAAAAAy4/3oNpenR3wXo/s1600/KeemunHaoYaTeavivre.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MlrD6a8V0Fs/T2eEHBaJXHI/AAAAAAAAAy4/3oNpenR3wXo/s320/KeemunHaoYaTeavivre.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
The tea was quite tasty!<br />
A savory/sweet fruit taste dominated the entrance and filled my mouth and nose.<br />
The aftertaste was comprised of light smoke and wood. The two different tastes made for a unique experience.<br />
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The tea is definitely not as smooth as it should be (in my opinion). There is a slight bite on the back of the throat when the tea is swallowed.<br />
As I come to the end of the bowl, cinnamon and anise tastes come forward. I would have liked to see those tastes a bit more on the entrance.<br />
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All in all, not a bad tea, but not my favorite sample.<br />
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~billySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-53780248258644701722012-03-03T21:04:00.001-05:002012-03-03T21:04:24.993-05:00Premium Grade DragonwellCompliments to <a href="http://www.teavivre.com/">Teavivre</a> for this next sample.<br /><br />
Usually I pay no mind to the grade of the tea, especially a Long Jing. I have really no idea what the word premium is supposed to contribute to the tea, but apparently its important. Personally, I think it is a marketing scheme. The taste is all about the leaves, not the fancy words and lovely descriptions. Its about pure, raw taste.<br />
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Again, as with all the teas they have sent, there is detailed information about the tea and where it comes from etc..<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AiACjq3Wtj0/T1LKGhmWhXI/AAAAAAAAAyo/uT6nE5fQpjg/s1600/LongJingTeavivre.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AiACjq3Wtj0/T1LKGhmWhXI/AAAAAAAAAyo/uT6nE5fQpjg/s320/LongJingTeavivre.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
The dry leaf beautiful.<br />
It smells fantastic! It has a sweet, nutty smell as its base with some grassy/hay notes to round it out. To top it off, it smells sort of how I would imagine the wok would smell when the leaves were put into it.<br />
It is a tea from last year, but the storage has been great. It smells quite fresh and looks just the same!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JKnjo36EqQ4/T1LJ_feVrYI/AAAAAAAAAyY/GbpbbXDarcg/s1600/LongJingDryLeafTeavivre.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JKnjo36EqQ4/T1LJ_feVrYI/AAAAAAAAAyY/GbpbbXDarcg/s320/LongJingDryLeafTeavivre.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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As you can see above, the leaves look great! They look as though they have been handled by hands. They are uneven in both shape and color, and honestly they are even more vibrant green than the picture shows. This is truly (in my humble opinion) one of the best dragonwell teas I have seen, even if it is not the prettiest. It has a rawness and rugged look that really sets it apart!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rg35-BgNtS4/T1LKCt1kLfI/AAAAAAAAAyg/yhuu9RHWfqY/s1600/LongJingInfusionTeavivre.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rg35-BgNtS4/T1LKCt1kLfI/AAAAAAAAAyg/yhuu9RHWfqY/s320/LongJingInfusionTeavivre.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The liquor smells like fresh grass and roasted chestnuts. The smell of a good dragonwell is hard to beat in the world of Chinese green tea.<br />
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The taste is perfectly balanced.<br />
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Sweet corn, chestnuts, fresh grass clippings (actually much more appetizing than they sound).<br />
Everything about this tea has clicked with me.<br />
I literally have no complaints.<br />
When I have money (college really can make someone quite poor) I will most likely be ordering more of this tea, or hopefully a 2012 crop.<br />
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Thank you for the experience, Teavivre.<br />
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~billySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-9129367946763772902012-02-23T17:44:00.001-05:002012-02-23T17:44:34.922-05:00Mini Pu'erh Toucha - Ripe I was contacted by the wonderful folks at <a href="http://www.teavivre.com/">Teavivre</a> about sampling some of their tea offerings. The representative was very nice and their teas looked like pretty quality stuff.<br />
But, the key is in the leaf right?<br />
So onto tasting.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R3nbcrQESBI/T0a-R8ebBoI/AAAAAAAAAyM/W7QEPzbcv_g/s1600/PuerhToucha.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R3nbcrQESBI/T0a-R8ebBoI/AAAAAAAAAyM/W7QEPzbcv_g/s320/PuerhToucha.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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What I really want you to notice about the bag is all the information. It is almost crowded with it. For a tea enthusiast, having this much information about what is in the package is great. I have almost no questions for the company.<br />
All their teas are labelled like this, so I will have great insight into each one!<br />
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These little touchas look good! They are tippy, uniform for the most part, and they don't smell awkward like some cheap pu'erh touchas.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SVshcZtW3a8/T0a-OvClxiI/AAAAAAAAAyE/qoyQsGXmxWk/s1600/PuerhMiniToucha.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SVshcZtW3a8/T0a-OvClxiI/AAAAAAAAAyE/qoyQsGXmxWk/s320/PuerhMiniToucha.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The dry leaf actually doesn't have too much of a smell to it, but I can sense a light earthiness with some mushroom scents coming off it as well.<br />
Not surprising.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tviFa9LPW50/T0a-IQRt-ZI/AAAAAAAAAx8/eyRfyEnpEeo/s1600/PuerhLiquor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tviFa9LPW50/T0a-IQRt-ZI/AAAAAAAAAx8/eyRfyEnpEeo/s320/PuerhLiquor.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The brewed tea is dark, as you can obviously see above.<br />
It looks like the coffee I was tasting last weekend.<br />
The liquor is not dense, though. It is light, flavorful, and well balanced.<br />
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It has quite a clean taste, and there is more of a leather quality to it than a mushroom/rotting leaf taste.<br />
The artificial aging process has not negatively impacted the flavor and left some strange taste as with other pu'erh touchas I have sampled in the past.<br />
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What really surprised me was the lack of endurance. Granted, I drink my shu'pu strong, but even still most shu'pu will last me a good 10 infusions. I gave up on this one at about 6.<br />
The one quality I really enjoyed was a wonderful pine taste on the last 2 infusions. I guess I could have stretched out the brews and got some more of the pine, but hey, I still have 3 more touchas of this tea that will definitely not go to waste!<br />
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~BillySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-69211769069505405022012-02-11T19:53:00.000-05:002012-02-11T19:53:49.065-05:00BuLangShan Sheng Pu'erh 2008Thanks to the folks at <a href="http://www.chanteas.com/products/2008-bulang-mountain-br-sheng-puer">Chan Teas</a> for this sample!<br />
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I broke up the sample, which was in a few small chunks. The leaves look great! Right when I opened the bag I was ready for a long session.<br />
The dry leaf has some bitter herb notes, as well as cooked vegetables. It has that typical sheng earthiness to it.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zF_LNt8TTtU/TzcJZ8ya1pI/AAAAAAAAAxc/cGUm0yj3Zcw/s1600/BuLangShanPu.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zF_LNt8TTtU/TzcJZ8ya1pI/AAAAAAAAAxc/cGUm0yj3Zcw/s320/BuLangShanPu.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
I started with lots of leaf, and hot hot water.<br />
First, the rinse. 3 seconds.<br />
Second, the smell. The wet leaf had notes of hay, tobacco, and a soybean-esque trait. I have not had pu'erh in a while so I was ready for this tea to really knock me out.<br />
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The liquor was fantastic. It was not as assertive as I had suspected (could be its age). The lingering finish really set this tea apart. The astringency was well received and expected. It brought out some of the great flavors of the cooked veggies and tobacco.<br />
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This tea definitely deserves focus. I sipped with a good friend of mine who commented on the tea occasionally. He noted a farm taste, which is a fairly decent description of the tea.<br />
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I felt the tea pretty hard, as I was on an empty stomach. It really went to my head quick (as I was told!). Drinking pu'erh either makes me very happy, or very quiet and serene. This tea was a good mix of both feelings.<br />
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As the brews went on, there was a punchy citrus quality that really turned this tea on its head. I enjoyed the variety and complexity. I would recommend this tea, even for the feeling. It is an experience to say the least! Thank you again to the guys at Chan Teas!<br />
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~billy<br />
<br />Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-43631692736903219972012-01-26T17:36:00.000-05:002012-01-26T17:36:39.761-05:00DongDing Charcoal RoastedThe wonderful folks at <a href="http://www.chanteas.com/products/dong-ding-charcoal-roasted">ChanTeas</a> graciously sent me a couple samples of tea! This is one I was quite excited to try.<br />
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As all TungTing (DongDing) teas I have had, the leaves are pretty small and tightly compressed. They look great, and smell fantastic.<br />
There is a surprisingly green smell, like fresh grass, coming off the leaves. A woody background is present, as well as the lingering smell of stone fruit!<br />
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The charcoal scent really presents itself in the wet leaf as it cools off after the initial rinse. Authentic? I think yes. I am just not sure on the year...(anyone care to fill me in?)<br />
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It is very relaxing and warming in its presentation and characteristics. This is exactly what I need at the moment. I need to bring myself back from stress and the hustle and bustle of everyday life for a college student and business owner.<br />
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The aroma of the liquor is enticing. It seems sweet, yet balanced.<br />
Stone fruit, vanilla, roast, and a light scent of hazelnut complete the aromatic spectrum of this tea.<br />
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As for the flavor,<br />
peaches.<br />
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Lots of peaches.<br />
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A fresh, juicy peach.<br />
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Absolutely astounding that a tea can be this fruity. I find it wonderfully appealing!<br />
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The tea is smooth in texture, and does not have a heavy roasted flavor. A roast, to me, is meant to compliment and enhance the existing flavors. The roast on this tea is a great example of how to execute this properly.<br />
The finish is clean.<br />
Just a ghostly hint of the tea's character.<br />
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The sweet, peachy notes of the tea slowly recede as the session goes on.<br />
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Fantastic tea.<br />
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And now, off to sample some coffee for business!<br />
Perhaps a new alias is on the horizon...<i>Sir William of the Bean...</i>?<br />
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We shall see!<br />
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~Billy<br />
<br />Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-42813216449499913172012-01-18T01:21:00.005-05:002012-01-18T15:24:21.079-05:00Ceylon Vithanakanda<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.vithanakandeteas.com/">Vithanakanda Estate</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It is a bit of a mouth full to say, but from this tea, I can tell they have great productions!</div><div style="text-align: left;">The estate is at about 2400 feet above sea level, and is categorized as a <a href="http://englishtea.us/2010/09/29/the-science-of-ceylon/">Ceylon low grown tea</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This tea is from the <a href="http://www.theculturedcup.com/">Cultured Cup</a>, and as some of you know, I am well acquainted with both Kyle and Phil, the owners of the shop, located in Dallas, Texas. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The leaves are beautiful. They are wonderfully wiry, with slender, silver tips scattered in great numbers throughout the dry leaf.</div><div style="text-align: left;">The smell has hints of wheat and honey, and a distinct, light malty smell I can only associated with Ceylon teas.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RP9pITy8bCM/TxckGg5e1MI/AAAAAAAAAw0/s2qrZhI8maI/s400/CeylonVithanakandaDryLeaf.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699063547789497538" /></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">The mouth feel is thick, and flavorful, only exhibiting the best qualities of a Ceylon.</div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">There are notes of honey, sun dried tomato (interesting, but only truly understood once tasted), grains, and a bit of a woody hint.</div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">I am surprised that this is the product of a low-grown region. Not to say that in a negative way, just referring to the fact that usually low-grown teas are a bit more assertive and bold in the way in which they present themselves.</div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><br /></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Astringency is not too powerful, but is evident and lets me know I am consuming a black tea. I almost couldn't picture a Ceylon black without astringency, nor would I necessarily want to.</div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">Astringency contributes character and dimension to tea.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jK1s98kX4kQ/Txcj6WBCGeI/AAAAAAAAAwo/DYc-dRTRR8s/s320/CeylonVithanakandaLiquor.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699063338709948898" /></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">During the glass brewed session, I was only accompanied by my accounting project, and the stillness of my dorm in the evening hours.</div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">My recommendation, get your hands on some and get to steeping. This is a tea that you will not want to miss out on.</div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><br /></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; "><br /></div><div class="separator" style="text-align: left;clear: both; ">~billy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-12949570405469209452012-01-13T15:34:00.007-05:002012-01-13T16:16:20.780-05:00Yerba Mate Latte<div style="text-align: left;">I have been keeping up with industry trends surrounding tea and coffee, especially when it comes to retail locations and cafes. There are some very good resources out there for people wanting to learn more.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Today's blog has come about out of an inspiring article in <i><a href="http://www.freshcup.com/">Fresh Cup</a></i> magazine, titled "Building your non-coffee menu."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have thought about doing this for quite sometime, but never had the means or the know-how. I recently bought a (cheap) espresso machine, and have been studying up on coffee for a while now.</div><div style="text-align: left;">It was time to try the Yerba Mate Latte to the best of my abilities.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-igzXIfO9qhI/TxCYqUi4hLI/AAAAAAAAAvs/R95gzKTLZFw/s320/YerbaMatteLatteBrew.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697221381460624562" /><div style="text-align: left;">The mate is put into the built in strainer, which water is then forced through at a high temperature and pressure. This is what gives espresso its bold, although, creamy flavor and texture.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-flgwihskXdM/TxCYmp1f7wI/AAAAAAAAAvg/Yz5px6CBzdM/s320/YerbaMateLatte.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697221318456372994" /></div><div>The yerba mate comes out quite dark and quite hot. I didn't know how the leaves would stand up to the temperature. When I brew mate (especially when done in a gourd) I like to brew it at around 150 because there is such a high volume of leaves. If I brew it too hot, there is too much bitterness and bite.</div><div>I figured milk would help tone that down though.</div><div><br /></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VGKMcOxz89o/TxCYYvmcE0I/AAAAAAAAAvI/58iwJj4rVVQ/s320/YerbaMateLatteDrink.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697221079485649730" /></div><div>Final outcome?</div><div><br /></div><div>Not bad. It could use some honey, or perhaps 2% instead of whole milk. Or possibly soy, which is my favorite choice in a latte or cappuccino.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is a mild, grassy flavor that is easy on the stomach. I quite enjoyed the two cups I was able to make!</div><div><br /></div><div>It may be smart to experiment with other herbs or teas. One that came to mind immediately was rooibos. Perhaps another day!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>~Billy</div>Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-52943196752862428202011-12-30T15:51:00.001-05:002011-12-30T15:51:38.111-05:00For the Tea CommunityI would like to inform all those who have supported my blog throughout its existence that I will be back at it mid January upon my return to Indiana for school. I have already scheduled times and days that I shall be posting. Keep in touch for further posts in 2012. My new years resolution; get back to doing what I love.<br />
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~billy<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-FQc9o_XOSIw/Tv4kVwscucI/AAAAAAAAAuc/pkVGA9YE7iY/s640/blogger-image-1502094397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-FQc9o_XOSIw/Tv4kVwscucI/AAAAAAAAAuc/pkVGA9YE7iY/s640/blogger-image-1502094397.jpg" /></a></div>Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-59967844526307401472011-10-15T19:23:00.006-04:002011-10-15T20:06:25.748-04:0015 Year Old (?) Dong Ding<div style="text-align: left;">As you can see by the pictures below, my tea ware and tea tray have seen much more use lately. I am glad that some stains are accumulating, even with after session rinses. It shows some love and memorable use.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In my pot lately, pu'erh has seen much action (<a href="http://www.norbutea.com/09_Norbu_LaoMansa_Cake">this one specifically</a>). Also, roasted and aged oolongs, as the weather is starting to shift from warm Autumn, to brisk Autumn.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I find that aged and <a href="http://www.norbutea.com/TraditionalTGY">roasted oolongs</a> (yesterday's tea) are perfect for afternoon Autumn weather here in Indiana.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eeb4xNSkdQc/TpoY-n79hgI/AAAAAAAAAts/ORWVm20g3OU/s400/TeaStain.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663866945523254786" /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The stains give these tea utensils character beyond what their maker put into them.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Stains make tea ware personal.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oe33lydacm0/TpoY15fJdzI/AAAAAAAAAtg/24StblfXAoM/s400/TeaPatina.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663866795615418162" /></div><div>I had the privilege to be hosted in Dallas last weekend for a wonderful tea event put on by the owners of the <a href="http://www.theculturedcup.com/">Cultured Cup</a>. If you are ever in Dallas, call them up and schedule a tasting or just a visit. They are some of the most wonderful people I have met in the industry.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, I was so fortunate enough to have a tasting session with Greg, the owner of <a href="http://www.norbutea.com/">Norbu Tea</a> (a company who has been on my radar for quite some time). We tasted some wonderful aged pu'erhs, a Liu Bao basket tea and an aged <a href="http://www.norbutea.com/2001FoShouOolong">Fo Shou</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was also fortunate enough to be gifted a sample of a 15 year old Dong Ding (or so labeled) from <a href="http://www.floatingleavestea.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=17&products_id=129">Floating Leaves</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It is wonderful to come back to more periodic gongfu sessions with such outstanding teas.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The dry leaves have the smell of roasted barley, brown sugar, and vanilla. I find that aged oolongs often smell much sweeter than they actually are, as it would be a dessert tea if it really did taste as sweet as it smelled!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cF6qE9vKKpc/TpoXYEZReVI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/KHmN4mz8YVg/s400/15Yr.DongDingDryLeaf.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663865183635863890" /></div><div>Once the water is poured off the leaves for the rinse, I can immediately smell notes of strong coffee off of the damp leaves.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the first infusion is poured into the faircup, I plunge my nose into it to take in the scents. There is strong hints of coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla and coconut.</div><div>This tea is warming for the soul and a great taste for a whetted appetite.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8PeOzkVKcnE/TpoXQVXROxI/AAAAAAAAAtE/IgwTdmkGU6k/s400/15Yr.DongDingLiquor.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5663865050751908626" /></div><div>This tea is savory rather than sweet in flavor, as the scents would falsely suggest.</div><div>There is much resemblance to wood and roasted nuts. A light charcoal note lingers as the tea is consumed.</div><div>As the infusions continue, a light astringency is revealed, which brings up snapshots of its youth. Quite the session.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>~billy</div>Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-64682689957536728752011-09-27T13:42:00.005-04:002011-09-27T14:18:43.387-04:00To Re-learn That Which is All too Familiar...<div style="text-align: left;">Classes were cancelled today due to a small tragedy at our university which occurred last night. A fire started in a part of the school of business (where most of my day is spent), and smoke filled the entire building. Workers will spend all of today and possibly this next week venting the building and cleaning soot.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JYGq27q64Vk/ToINnoPDtiI/AAAAAAAAAsk/vG7Nar6T5lA/s1600/LongFengGongFuCha.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I decided to take the day and spend it with a dearly missed friend of mine; GongFuCha.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c2gIvhkJWEA/ToINivdzyMI/AAAAAAAAAsc/T2sqkS03Dhk/s400/LongFengPurpleLabel.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657098972438972610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Can you guess what cake this is? I have seen it on a few blogs so far...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >I realized something about GongFu today though.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >I realized that I have lost the knack to properly prepare one (probably more) of my favorite sheng'pu teas.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >GongFu is, for me, a method of preparation and a way to focus completely on the tea set before me. With all my past reviews, I have prepared the tea (for the most part) in a way most would describe as GongFu.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >As noted in my previous post, I have been rather busy and the only teas I have been drinking are simple pleasures that I can throw into my two tea tumblers and take to go. This has put a dent in the way which I normally prepare my teas.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Getting to know a tea by GongFu teaches you much about what the tea is and how best to release its full potential. In brewing the aforementioned sheng'pu, I just couldn't get it to taste the way I remember it. I will surely be making a stronger effort to integrate GongFu into my daily happenings. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JYGq27q64Vk/ToINnoPDtiI/AAAAAAAAAsk/vG7Nar6T5lA/s400/LongFengGongFuCha.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657099056397399586" /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">~billy</div>Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-88242589177696341112011-09-26T15:03:00.003-04:002011-09-26T15:23:33.778-04:00Life, The Universe, and Everything (Tea related)......42<div><br /></div><div>For those of you that read my blog on a regular basis, you may have noticed that I slid under the radar for a while on every type of tea networking site; Blogger, Teatrade, Twitter etc...</div><div>I apologize greatly for my absence. I have missed the community.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are a few reasons why I stopped posting frequently.</div><div><br /></div><div>1) School is back in session. I have a very full set of classes and a high GPA requirement to meet. This has bogged me down quite a bit.</div><div><br /></div><div>2) For those of you who do not know, I now own and operate <a href="http://www.bourgeatea.com/">BourgeaTEA</a>. This has been a major focus in my life right now. I bag teas, package and ship teas, sell wholesale, and have meetings and events to attend at the business incubator where the office is located. Among the many plans I have for the company, I plan on starting to bottle one of the most successful products of ours. This is a bit of a conflict of interest for me, as I love the traditional teas and traditional methods of brewing, but I see a large opportunity for the market which I plan to sell to. I have been working diligently on finding investors, writing proposals and business plans, gaining connections to different retailers, and creating relationships with co-packers for the actual phase of bottling the beverage. I plan on going far with the company and making it a prominent part of the specialty tea community throughout North America and perhaps even abroad.</div><div><br /></div><div>3) I am joined in another venture relating to a different beverage: coffee. I have a wonderful opportunity to help get another business off the ground and potentially run far with it. There are less details available, since this week will be the start-up for this project, but I can keep everyone updated as time goes on.</div><div><br /></div><div>4) There is one more project which I will be working on with a group of students here on campus (business related). I have put some time and effort into this one, but it is less aligned with my interests, although it does have the potential to grow into what I would like to do, which is investment into student businesses (either equity ownership or interest investment). I want to help foster the spirit of entrepreneurship among students and help people realize their passions, and then give them the ability to run with their ideas.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's what is happening in the life of Sir William. Once time allows, I will return to regular posting, but for now, my life is moving forward in big ways.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>~billy</div>Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-6122210343407996222011-08-11T11:33:00.003-04:002011-08-11T12:18:51.701-04:00White OolongWhite Oolong...
<br />
<br />This tea does not quite resemble a white tea, or an oolong tea.
<br />Read more about this contradiction at the <a href="http://www.norbutea.com/WhiteOolong?category_id=60">Norbu Tea website</a>.
<br />
<br />The dry leaf is quite extraordinary; the leaves look frosted and outlined in faint white. The leaves are well pearled and have a wonderful waxy sheen to them.
<br />
<br />In trying to describe this tea in a way one could understand, I ran into a few instances of writers block, and tasting memory block (if there is such a thing!).
<br />
<br />The aroma of the dry leaf can be summed up in a few different scents:
<br />Sweet bread, cream and raw stevia.
<br />There is also a very mildly vegetal hint in the mixture of aromas.
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-whuEmhoGUxc/TkP3sVzqA3I/AAAAAAAAAr4/fJWvifLymZ0/s1600/WhiteOolongDryLeaf.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-whuEmhoGUxc/TkP3sVzqA3I/AAAAAAAAAr4/fJWvifLymZ0/s400/WhiteOolongDryLeaf.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639623499538105202" border="0" /></a>The leaves after the initial rinse had a plain smell that was simply milky sweet.
<br />In several ways, this tea reminded me of a quality baozhong.
<br />
<br />As the tea brewed, I took to thinking.
<br />This tea was unlike any other I have experienced thus far. To even say this tea reminds me of a baozhong is a stretch.
<br />
<br />The sweet steam rising off the top of the cup carried the smells of raw plant matter and sweet cream. There was a light floral aspect as well, but barely traceable.
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ts64rrSx5BM/TkP3r3IICBI/AAAAAAAAArw/azZu9oEvGaw/s1600/WhiteOolongLiquor.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ts64rrSx5BM/TkP3r3IICBI/AAAAAAAAArw/azZu9oEvGaw/s400/WhiteOolongLiquor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639623491302459410" border="0" /></a>Throughout the whole session with this puzzling specimen, I wrung my brain to find the right descriptors.
<br />This is the best I could come up with...
<br />
<br />Raw sugar cane
<br />Creamy edamame
<br />
<br />
<br />That is the extent to which I can describe this tea in my own words.
<br />
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3HOOEeZ0qpo/TkP3rYjnboI/AAAAAAAAAro/J9DY-NTFciY/s1600/WhiteOolongInfusion.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3HOOEeZ0qpo/TkP3rYjnboI/AAAAAAAAAro/J9DY-NTFciY/s400/WhiteOolongInfusion.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639623483096264322" border="0" /></a>The tea did not have the greatest endurance, but the flavor profile stayed consistent for each steep.
<br />
<br />This was a humbling encounter with a stunning tea.
<br />I could not have had a better session.
<br />
<br />
<br />~billy
<br />Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-16603884545323283872011-07-27T21:49:00.004-04:002011-07-27T21:59:44.115-04:00Lao Tai Di Qing XinThis tea came along as a sample with my initial order from <a href="http://www.norbutea.com">Greg</a>.<br /><br />Nantou, Fall, 2010...<br />I have no complaints. I hold a special place on my palate for Taiwanese teas. I am a sucker, to say the least.<br /><br />The dry leaf smells of autumn; dry leaves and dry wood. The roast smells like it is at a good level. The tea smells rich.<br />It is mildly peachy, but reminds me of the way an old book smells when the pages are flipped.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2N6kytf4xuo/TjDAXE_UKCI/AAAAAAAAAq4/wl6yVfCN2lM/s1600/LaoTaiDiQingXinDryLeaf.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2N6kytf4xuo/TjDAXE_UKCI/AAAAAAAAAq4/wl6yVfCN2lM/s400/LaoTaiDiQingXinDryLeaf.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634214636549318690" border="0" /></a>The aroma of the liquor fills the room with hints of woody caramel and cocoa.<br />It is strongly aromatic, which is surprising for a tea such as this.<br />So far, it brings to mind similar qualities that would be in a good yancha.<br />It also smells older than it is. Aged oolong is another favorite of mine.<br /><br />The taste is not too sweet, but still very fruity: stone fruit and raisin.<br />A light roast compliments this flavor and balances out the tea nicely.<br /><br />Almond flavors dominate the latter infusions of this tea, with light hints of vanilla tagging along.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGwpExBeMD8/TjDAPiNYFkI/AAAAAAAAAqw/bimxwT9KCso/s1600/LaoTaiDiQingXinLiquor.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nGwpExBeMD8/TjDAPiNYFkI/AAAAAAAAAqw/bimxwT9KCso/s400/LaoTaiDiQingXinLiquor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634214506953971266" border="0" /></a><br />My tea intuition (if there is such a thing) is screaming at me to buy this tea in bulk and age it. I do not even know if it will age well, but this was one of the first thoughts that entered my head.<br />It may be of value to buy a yixing storage vessel and a bit more of this fine tea.<br /><br />Wonderful...absolutely wonderful.<br /><br /><br />~billy<br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><img src="img/blank.gif" alt="Link" class="gl_link" border="0" /></span></span>Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-27061470861342508012011-07-26T17:57:00.004-04:002011-07-26T18:14:21.863-04:00Xi Hu Long Jing<div style="text-align: left;">Fresh (well, relatively) Long Jing.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I have not had a good Dragonwell in quite some time.</div><div style="text-align: left;">Browsing through the selection at <a href="http://www.norbutea.com/">Norbu Tea</a> while shopping for the <a href="http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2011/07/shade-grown-tie-guan-yin.html">Shade-Grown TGY</a>, this tea caught my eye.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It is a good summer tea.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The dry leaves look stunning, boldly displaying their green color, while yet maintaining a humble demeanor.</div><div style="text-align: left;">The aromas coming off the leaves are of pine nuts, roasted greens, and fresh cut wood.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I prefer my dragonwells to be a bit on the more roasted side, but this tea has a good balance of both a roast, and a vegetal smell.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m7yMXMyCXm8/Ti84lpRMPvI/AAAAAAAAAqk/byWiNcDzyW4/s400/XiHuLongJing.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633783878248054514" /></div><div>I brewed this tea in a manner similar to how <a href="http://gingkobay.blogspot.com/">Gingko</a> prepares all her green teas; glass cup.</div><div>This method is a bit unfamiliar to me, but it turned out to be simple, and effective at producing good results time and time again.</div><div><br /></div><div>This tea is clean.</div><div>Roasted corn and a mild sweetness fill my mouth upon entrance of the liquor.</div><div>There is a perfect balance of astringency and sweetness. It is a satisfying drink.</div><div><br /></div><div>The aftertaste is cooling, fresh and vegetal, and is very crisp in texture. </div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L4hzDbbiU1U/Ti84ehz-eUI/AAAAAAAAAqc/Y8bdlsvC_S8/s400/XiHuLongJingInfusion.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633783755987384642" /></div><div>The leaves are gorgeous brewed as well. The quality is apparent, and I am not in the least bit disappointed.</div><div><br /></div><div>This tea gave me the opportunity to slow down, relax, and unwind my nerves, which happened to be quite frustrated at the time...</div><div>Simple, difficult to mess up, good quality, decent price...</div><div>All good signs.</div><div>Thank you Greg!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>~billy</div>Sir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-11220794331622963322011-07-14T18:31:00.004-04:002011-07-14T19:08:26.098-04:00Shade-Grown Tie Guan YinA mention of this tea on Twitter from Greg at <a href="http://www.norbutea.com/">Norbu Teas</a> perked my interest right away.<br />It is unconventional, not highly accessible, and it was the first time I had heard of such a tea.<br /><br />Growing tea in shade is very common in Japan, and gives the vibrant green color all so familiar to those who drink matcha, gyokuro, or sencha.<br /><br />So basically take your average, nuclear green (so affectionately named by some bloggers) , Anxi TGY, and make it even <span style="font-style: italic;">more</span> green. At this point, it might be referred to as radioactive green.<br /><br />But all sarcasm aside, this tea is truly unique.<br /><br />Some might consider this a grassy tea, but the aroma displays more characteristics than just that.<br />The dry leaf smells highly floral, fresh, and has a distinct minty evergreen trait to it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AZ699U-oL5c/Th9uvOKfzNI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/ya_oYL2b1Ts/s1600/ShadeTGYDryLeaf.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AZ699U-oL5c/Th9uvOKfzNI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/ya_oYL2b1Ts/s400/ShadeTGYDryLeaf.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629339816771439826" border="0" /></a>The aroma coming off of the liquor smells much sweeter, and less like vegetation.<br />Honey scents mix with lemongrass, and collide with the same evergreen characteristic that was evident in the dry leaf.<br />The higher concentration of amino acids and chlorophyll really do bring out quite different attributes than a standard TGY.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dWMcCtZK-m4/Th9uoco_4uI/AAAAAAAAAqI/wtoRHBU7nGs/s1600/ShadeTGYLiquor.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dWMcCtZK-m4/Th9uoco_4uI/AAAAAAAAAqI/wtoRHBU7nGs/s400/ShadeTGYLiquor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629339700398383842" border="0" /></a>A sweet, rich, evergreen tasting liquid is the final product of the leaves.<br />It is well rounded, just floral enough, and has very low astringency. This comes as a bit of a surprise to me, seeing as Japanese teas can have quite high levels of astringency, and this tea does, in some ways, bear resemblance to a sencha or bancha. I suppose the difference would be that this TGY was not steamed.<br /><br />Another interesting quality of this tea is that it is very "wet." It does not dry out the mouth, but rather it induces the production of saliva.<br /><br />After the fourth and final infusion was finished, a very vegetal aftertaste presented itself, conjuring up tastes most closely resembling spinach. It was a clean finish, however.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sDyo9Z1ZaAk/Th9uhrJxhcI/AAAAAAAAAqA/LkSSTXLMTxs/s1600/ShadeTGYInfusion.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sDyo9Z1ZaAk/Th9uhrJxhcI/AAAAAAAAAqA/LkSSTXLMTxs/s400/ShadeTGYInfusion.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629339584034866626" border="0" /></a>This tea is very crisp. It is not smooth and creamy in texture, but has sharp, distinct flavors.<br /><br />The tea is lacking in endurance, although I did not use quite so much dry leaf as I should have (just a personal preference). It lasts long enough for a pleasing session, though!<br /><br />I would buy this tea again, and I would recommend it for anyone looking for something a little off the beaten path.<br /><br /><br /><br />~billySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-29255828661729541722011-07-12T21:17:00.005-04:002011-07-12T21:47:08.470-04:00Second Chance for Zealong PureAs should be noted, the <a href="http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2011/06/zealong-pure.html">first batch of Zealong Pure</a> that I tasted and wrote about was a 2010 tea. Obviously, this would have adverse effects on a tea which relies on freshness to bring out the true taste.<br /><br />I took an offer from a representative of the company to try a batch of the 2011 tea.<br /><br />My expectations of the tea were not better, or worse. I wanted to see this tea through a different lens.<br /><br />What should be noted first is the appearance of the dry leaf: much brighter green, and a much better texture. The tea was not dried out and crunchy, but waxy and smooth.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3kMkOz-H6GA/Thzyh53F2DI/AAAAAAAAAp0/6hfBKz58V9E/s1600/ZealongPureRevisit.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3kMkOz-H6GA/Thzyh53F2DI/AAAAAAAAAp0/6hfBKz58V9E/s400/ZealongPureRevisit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628640298587772978" border="0" /></a>The aroma of the dry leaf was actually quite similar to the first batch, except exponentially more pronounced. The tea still carried carried with it the smell of a high mountain spring: clean and crisp. There was also a slight hint of honeydew and lime, which reminded me of an alishan oolong I was sipping on in my office earlier this day.<br /><br />This is where the notes stop...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mmAbw4Wr6WE/ThzyapyzKrI/AAAAAAAAAps/bhU5kdXcPbc/s1600/ZealongPureRevisit1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mmAbw4Wr6WE/ThzyapyzKrI/AAAAAAAAAps/bhU5kdXcPbc/s400/ZealongPureRevisit1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628640174015720114" border="0" /></a>When I am confronted with a tea which truly captivates me, I am reluctant to write my observations. It dilutes the experience of the session.<br /><br />This was not the same tea as I previously tasted a few weeks ago.<br />This was a brand new and delightful display of a quality tea, and I am happy to have had the opportunity to revisit this tea which I so casually dismissed the first time around.<br /><br />Do I still think the tea is worth the price though...?<br />When I finish the rest of this tea, I will let you know. If I miss it, it is worth the price. If I don't miss it, it isn't.<br /><br /><br />To the Zealong company, you have my utmost respect.<br /><br /><br />~billySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-57480824051009335142011-07-11T17:44:00.004-04:002011-07-11T17:55:23.737-04:00Long time no see...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IE7I23pTfmE/ThtvA3dO6yI/AAAAAAAAApg/0DMn3DHoJ8E/s1600/WorldTeaExpoTradeFloor.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IE7I23pTfmE/ThtvA3dO6yI/AAAAAAAAApg/0DMn3DHoJ8E/s400/WorldTeaExpoTradeFloor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628214220006812450" border="0" /></a>Yes, I did attend the World Tea Expo again this year. I must say, it was fantastic and more successful than last year's (at least for me).<br /><br />I have also been traveling the domestic world, as I have new-found flight benefits with Southwest.<br />So, if any of you would want to meet up for a weekend of tea, do please email me, because it wouldn't be a problem for me to fly out to meet people.<br /><br />I obtained an almost obscene amount of teas to taste and reflect upon, so do be looking for those notes in the upcoming weeks.<br />Also, there will be posts about highlights of the Expo, whether that be a company or an event or simply just someone I met.<br /><br />Sir William of the Leaf will be back in full force starting tomorrow.<br />Thank you for your outstanding patience, dear readers. It is highly appreciated.<br /><br /><br />~billySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-65350564808866705592011-06-19T18:24:00.006-04:002011-06-19T18:44:53.452-04:00Zealong DarkThe finale of the Zealong trio...<br /><br />Not much to say prior to tasting, so lets dive in.<br /><br />The aroma of the dry leaf is comprised of an interesting combination.<br />Cocoa and nutmeg are the first two scents that leave an impression.<br />The smell of freshly baked bread is the second aroma.<br />And to complete the mix (interestingly enough) is teriyaki...Now I am not saying that this tea smells like Chinese food, but what I am attempting to convey is the strikingly savory aspect of this tea. The proper diction for that aroma, in this case, just happened to be teriyaki!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bNy2jvOFul4/Tf53puOvBzI/AAAAAAAAApI/Jipmno25Y00/s1600/ZealongDarkDryLeaf.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bNy2jvOFul4/Tf53puOvBzI/AAAAAAAAApI/Jipmno25Y00/s400/ZealongDarkDryLeaf.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620060943673132850" border="0" /></a>The aroma of the liquor was different, to say the least.<br />Buttermilk was the standout smell that the liquid released. This was clean, crisp and made the tea very approachable.<br />The flip-side of the scents of the liquor was the hearty vegetal smell that still accompanied the tea.<br />I have noticed this vegetal trait in all three of the Zealong teas.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-urXUonX5UKg/Tf53hwTvKWI/AAAAAAAAApA/GX5XNKTcKBw/s1600/ZealongDarkLiquor.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-urXUonX5UKg/Tf53hwTvKWI/AAAAAAAAApA/GX5XNKTcKBw/s400/ZealongDarkLiquor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620060806792030562" border="0" /></a>The taste of the liquor was quite heavy for the color.<br />It is much more vegetal, with hits of toasted pine nuts.<br />This is one of the first darker oolongs I have encountered that does not have a "sugary" sweetness to it. The tea is savory in all aspects.<br />One equivalent I can conjure up for the overall experience of this tea, is dark chocolate. I am not talking about the 60% cocoa kind. I am referring to the 72% or higher cocoa content. It is rich and tastes more like I am eating a meal than drinking a tea.<br /><br />The texture is not smooth, but it is not unpleasant. It pairs nicely with the flavors presented.<br />This would be a fine tea to drink with a sweet desert, like dark chocolate dipped strawberries.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I1xRHp7-7gU/Tf53a3kz9PI/AAAAAAAAAo4/jCEfKf-eJf8/s1600/ZealongDarkInfusion.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I1xRHp7-7gU/Tf53a3kz9PI/AAAAAAAAAo4/jCEfKf-eJf8/s400/ZealongDarkInfusion.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620060688483611890" border="0" /></a>This tea is quite unique as far as oolongs go. I give the Zealong company props for making this tea standout among other oolongs in its class.<br />This tea will remain on my palate and in my memory for quite a long time!<br /><br /><br />~billySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5716967665946843642.post-90297804014354372782011-06-14T20:34:00.004-04:002011-06-14T21:03:55.334-04:00Zealong AromaticMoving down the Zealong lineup, I am confronted with our next contender:<br />Zealong Aromatic<br /><br />This tea is a lightly roasted, Taiwanese style oolong.<br /><br />Let us begin...<br /><br />The dry leaf fills my nose with hints of bananas, sweet butternut squash and a mild roast.<br />I am assuming this is a 2010 tea, and having such a long resting period, I think, benefited the leaves, at least for my palate.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ObMEN9RMxak/Tff-r5mNtxI/AAAAAAAAAos/QDXD9v72BMI/s1600/ZealongAromaticDryLeaf.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ObMEN9RMxak/Tff-r5mNtxI/AAAAAAAAAos/QDXD9v72BMI/s400/ZealongAromaticDryLeaf.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618239090316916498" border="0" /></a>The aroma of the infusion and the resulting liquor were quite similar, almost indistinguishable.<br />Roasted plantain with a hint of sage and agave nectar.<br />The same butternut squash layer I found in the dry leaf was again evident in the infused leaf and the brew itself.<br /><br />The aspect that most interests me is the banana/plantain resemblance. I have only found that in one other tea that I can remember: <a href="http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2010/10/2006-taiwan-wuyi.html">Taiwan WuYi</a>.<br /><br />Having a memory bank of tastes and attributing them to certain teas is a concept that interests me. I have heard that memory itself is most heavily linked to the olfactory system. Or put differently; smells trigger the memory (and recurrence of past events) faster than any other sense of the human body.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S023GZ5DP9c/Tff-k863sCI/AAAAAAAAAok/zKqDDYTFwkU/s1600/ZealongAromaticLiquor.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S023GZ5DP9c/Tff-k863sCI/AAAAAAAAAok/zKqDDYTFwkU/s400/ZealongAromaticLiquor.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618238970949775394" border="0" /></a>The taste is clean and light.<br />It possesses a cucumber taste that I normally find in <a href="http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2010/07/dong-ding.html">Dong Ding</a> oolongs (again my memory bank is flooding with past Dong Ding and Tung Ting tastings).<br />There is a subtle roasted flavor that cleanses the palate and makes way for a wonderfully delicate vegetal finish.<br /><br />The roast in this tea does not detract from the overall flavor profile, but does well in adding another dimension to the tea; another layer of interest to take hold of.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRqiafL_9iY/Tff-cTWqTUI/AAAAAAAAAoc/3HVqNTm1NlU/s1600/ZealongAromaticInfusion.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRqiafL_9iY/Tff-cTWqTUI/AAAAAAAAAoc/3HVqNTm1NlU/s400/ZealongAromaticInfusion.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618238822353096002" border="0" /></a>This tea is well balanced and well produced, as can be seen by the infused leaf.<br />I did enjoy this tea better than the <a href="http://sirwilliamoftheleaf.blogspot.com/2011/06/zealong-pure.html">Pure</a>, but that is most likely due to the fact that a roasted tea can take age with ease.<br /><br />Despite my previous post, I would like to say that Zealong teas are by no means bad. I may have just been expecting more than they delivered. I feel as though the 2011 teas will be quite fantastic!<br /><br /><br />~billySir William of the Leafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15366359211931253914noreply@blogger.com0