What our customers say

This is one of the more intriguing teas I’ve had over the past few years. It’s got a special set of flavors that remind me of yellow tea in certain ways, and green tea in other ways. The leaves are delicate; they’re soft and open up quickly, but have surprising longevity and can release their flavors gradually.

I’ve brewed it up a variety of ways, but the closer I get to the end of this bag, the more I lean towards brewing this up like a Japanese gyokuro – high ratios, cool temperatures, and long steep times.

The sweet spot for me is to use 8 grams of leaf in my 85mL “Happiness” gaiwan, with an initial steep temperature of 140*F for 45 seconds. I pour slowly with a gooseneck kettle, making sure the leaves are fully saturated & entirely wetted, if not submerged.

I work up by 10*F each consecutive steep, and increase steep time gradually. The next steeping is 60 seconds, then 90 seconds, then 120 seconds, and finally 180 seconds at 180*F. I keep the lid of the gaiwan covering the leaves between infusions.

Throughout the session, the flavor profile is very clean and full-bodied. Sweet corn, snow peas, zucchini blossoms, gently-roasted and fresh-ground peanut butter spread over fresh-baked scones, with hints of florals and mild undertones of lemon and lime zest; particularly in the aftertaste, which is persistent, sweet, and sits comfortably in the throat for a very long time.

The umami is incredibly thick and chewy, with a gentle-yet-tempered nibble of astringency that never becomes overbearing. The way the aftertaste builds up on the palate is an experience unto itself, but I particularly enjoy the progression of the flavor profile between the initial and final infusions. It changes a lot.

This tea is refined and elegant in its simplicity. It’s a pretty straightforward white tea, humbly priced, with a soothing flavor profile that isn’t remarkably complex, but nevertheless can bring a kind of satisfaction to any tea-drinker’s soul.

I think the flavor notes listed in the description are pretty accurate – it’s got creamy undertones with some hints of pear-like fruitiness and a subdued floral quality, with some soft notes reminiscent of nuts and herbs, all of which are balanced in harmony and enjoyable – not despite their simplicity, but perhaps because of it.

For me, I think it’s the relatively simple (but still nuanced and detail-oriented) processing techniques which make it feel raw in a way that brings me closer to the spirit and essence of this wonderful plant, and across its many manifestations, from different species and cultivars, to processing techniques that effectively create the various categories of tea.

I enjoy brewing this tea up and letting it cool in the cup for several hours before drinking it. It retains a softness but develops a kind of boldness that seems to amplify the flavor profile and draw out many desirable notes and characteristics that are perhaps more fleeting when the soup is warm.

The body becomes very thick and the aftertaste lingers for a long time, but on the way down the soup is still very smooth and delicate. It glides easily across the palate before sinking heavily into the body… this pungency is a very enjoyable sensation, and perhaps a reflection of the high-quality leaf material coupled with the excellent processing techniques used to create Tea Hong’s Mini Peony.

Green tea in its most memorable role

Floral sweet pea meets veggie snow pea in an epic, tasty tale of Good For You!

This is a very elegant tea with wonderful mouthfeel. Just when you think that you couldn’t be further impressed by a similar high quality oolong tea, Oriental Beauty comes along! Its namesake cannot be more appropriate. I brewed gongfu style according to Tea Hong’s recommendations and managed 6 brews, increasing the brewing time for the 5th and 6th brews.

One of the few teas that made my heart skip a beat, or shed a tear in pure admiration. Everything about this tea is graceful, refined and elegant. I was shocked since the entry is quiet and subdued, but the mid to late palate is so smooth and gentle with veritable depth. I’ve never thought that an oolong could emulate a gushu pu’erh. Too many plantation teas smack you in the face with their sappy, candy-like fragrance. This one is the definition of minerality and long aftertaste.

Now I know this is the best

I tried the other two shu cha as well as the toucha square, this is the best! This will be my tea from now on.