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My Favorite Teas to Give
Written by: Winnie Yu, buyer and co-founder of Teance.
People often ask, what is my favorite tea? That is a
difficult question, like asking, which one of your kids is your favorite, as I
am the head tea buyer and almost all of the teas were procured personally by
me. A more apt question may be, what is my favorite tea to give? This is the
season of giving, and many of you are perplexed by the prospect of buying tea
for a connoisseur or tea aficionado. More commonly however, choosing a tea for
a hostess gift can be equally daunting.
In Asia and other countries, bringing tea as a house or dinner gift is
the most common gesture of all and; values and quality are usually understood. In the U.S. however, there are no established
levels of quality, not much knowledge of fine teas, and no accounting for
taste. How would one give a proper
gift to the hostess or friend without intimidating the recipient, but also,
elevate them to the quality teas you have access to?
My absolute favorite tea to give this year is the Baochong
Oolong, followed closely by Monkey Picked Tikuanyin. The Baochong Oolong from
Wenshan, Taiwan this year, is soft, sweet, and unbelievably aromatic. Being an
oolong, it is relatively easy to prepare- using a hotter temperature water
would not destroy it as it would a delicate green tea. Taiwan oolongs are some
of the most well thought of, sought after by aficionados, yet accessible and
easier to understand. Those who are used to scented teas will be astounded by
its natural gardenia fragrances. Those who are wine connoisseurs will
appreciate its complex body and aroma in the palate. The health conscious will
appreciate that it is a very green oolong- closer to a green tea than any other
oolong, yet retaining the flavors that oolong fans prize. The Baochong Oolong is a winner for all
levels of tea drinkers. Not to mention, the farmer we work with for many years
who crafted this Baochong, is a competition first place winner this year!
Monkey Picked Tikuanyin is the opposite type of oolong from
Baochong: highly roasted, oxidized
to produce rich, plumy and chocolate notes, it is a tea for coffee drinkers,
who would appreciate the slightly fiery aroma and denser, darker body. The name Monkey Picked refers to the
fact that the hills where this tea is grown, are so steep that perhaps only monkeys can get to them. No
monkeys, thank goodness, actually harvested these teas, but the name sticks and
is easy to remember. Like Baochong, this oolong is also not challenging to
steep, and most can produce a great cup with tea with minimal equipment or
knowledge. Grown on a very high elevation on hills that incline almost 70 degrees, I often find
this tea to be a great conversation starter and intro to the world of fine teas. If your recipient is Asian, you
almost can not go wrong with a tea like Monkey Picked, as its value is well
recognized.
Other great choices are Sencha, Keemun, and Darjeeling. Most
people associate green tea with the taste of a Japanese green such as Sencha.
Keemun is a classic, the original ‘English Breakfast’ that Europeans fell in
love with. Likewise, Darjeeling is a tea many European tea drinkers associate
with a fine black tea.
And for a fellow tea aficionado who has had them all? I
would wow them with an esoteric Lu Shan Clouds and Mist green tea or hand made
Bailin Gongfu hong cha, teas most people in the world have never had, and a
connoisseur would definitely appreciate!
I feel extremely fortunate that in the years that Teance has
been in existence, my customers and friends have all become somewhat snobbish.
Next year, they said, I better carry that competition winner Taiwan Beauty, or
the prize winner Sencha from Shizuoka, or what would they drink? Thank you all
for sharing this tea journey with me, and allowing us to share the very best
teas from around the world.
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