*Non-refundable, only credit for tea tasting or tea service!
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Whether you are a novice with tea or a well-seasoned tea lover, we invite you to our tea bar to enjoy the aromas and sounds of tea pouring, and mingle over your tea experiences with other tea lovers. And, of course, to taste tea!
After the preparation and enjoyment of celebrating holidays & Lunar New Year, we have finally gotten the chance to sit back, relax, and taste some teas we have recently gotten. We are inspired to share our experiences with you, and we invite you to further discover these teas with us!
Wuyi oolong comparison: 2016 Old Shui Xian vs. 2023 Big Red Robe
In tasting the 2016 Old Shui Xian, we notice its sweet aroma reminiscent of cocoa powder. Compared to our Wuyi Big Red Robe, or Da Hong Pao 大紅袍, the Shui Xian mouthfeel is thicker, with the roast more integrated and consistent throughout various steepings.
As we taste the aged roasted Shui Xian with the relatively fresh Big Red Robe, we can see how the roast exists differently among the two. In Chinese, we may describe the Shui Xian as yùn wèi 韻味, meaning the tea has a smooth elegance that is more felt and internal than superficial or physically tangible. This Shui Xian has chún hòu yùn wèi 醇厚韻味 with rich depth, a quality generally more characteristic of aged teas than fresh teas.
Shan Lin Xi Roasted oolong comparison: Hot Fire Fir vs. Iron Charm
Hot Fire Fir 火騷杉 (Huo sāo shān)
Traditional/ancient style charcoal roasted. Slow roasted with 3 times in and out of the roaster.
Huo Shao Shan火騷杉 is a delicate Qingxin oolong grown in the Shan Lin Xi tea area. In order to reflect its soft, firm and resilient oolong character, they roast it slowly, using the most traditional Taiwanese tea-making craft and the oldest warm energy "charcoal fire.” With the penetration of charcoal ash far-infrared rays and a quenching of three times in and out of the roaster, the elegant and full aroma of “Hot Fire Fir" is refined in the way of slow fire. The taste of the tea liquid is completely transparent and sweet.
Shan Lin Iron Charm 杉林觀韻 (Shānlín guān yùn)
This tea involves the first trick that father (Datoumu大頭木) taught son (Xiaotoumu小頭木) to hand-knead the tea wrapped in cloth. This technique is between father and son in the family. Some things are only understood by the father and son, and some teas can only be completed between them to have a particular tea gesture, or offering.
Shan Lin Xi Qingxin oolong is combined with the traditional Tieguanyin tea-making process using low heat roasting and hand-kneading the tea wrapped in cloth. With this processing, the delicate and smooth taste of oolong tea is preserved and combined with Tieguanyin's thick and restrained tea liquid, creating a tea that has a smooth iron thickness.
