A Few Ways to Select a Tea

Select a tea by category, region, taste or TCM character

At TeaHong.com, we try to put ourselves in our customers’ shoes. Different people have different priorities. Each sees the world differently. Naturally when it comes to selecting a tea, your criteria may not be the same as that of any other tea drinkers. That is why we group our tea products in different ways so you can see them in the context that is closest to how you think when selecting a tea.

Selection by
Tea Category

Selection by
Tea Region

Selection by
Taste Preference

Selection by
TCM Character

Our Tea Master’s personal favourites

Before doing your own selections, you may also want to check out what our Tea Master’s very own favourites here.

Or refer to his best loved oolongs here:

by random order

Selection by Tea Category

The most common way to group different varieties of tea is by the category of processing method with which they are produced. Some call it Tea Classification, others Tea Categorisation. We think the later label is semantically more accurate.

Many connoisseurs and tea specialists organise their collections with this concept.

The above chart shows the five main categories: Green, Black, White, Pu’er ( Post-Fermentation ) and Oolong teas. Click the pie chart to browse the category of tea, click on your choice and enjoy the browse!

Need more info about a category before seeing the products? Here are some articles:

Our tea regions

Fenghuang / Phoenix

Tea farmer withering tea leaves in the afternoon sun

Huangshan/ Anhui

Tea picking on the hill side terrace

Minnan-Mindong, Fujian

Wang's peak farm

Nepal, the Himalayas

Tea Regions of TeaHomg.com: Nepal / Himalayas

Taiwan

Master Li talks about ant problem in his wild Red Jade tea field

Wuyi-shan

A tea field in Wuyi

Yunnan

Thick linen are being put on piles of tealeaves for post-fermentation in Yunnan

Zhejiang

Tea Hong: Finest Hand-roasted Green tea: Longjing Spring Equinox

Selection by Taste

Teas are like raw gems. The true taste of each awaits the revelation made possible by the way you make it. Your personal need matters. It may change according to mood, time of the day, and occasions.

tasting

Tasting is the ultimate way to learn about a tea

Experience and explore

Begin by tasting a few selections using various infusion styles to gain more specialist understanding of the finesses and differences. Relate this with your personal preferences and you will gradually carve out a direction in building your own repertoire of tea. This will be your very own line that best suits your taste and your needs. With repeated usage your senses and perceptions will deepen. This will empower you with the connoisseur skill to easily master yet more varieties to continue to gain levels in the vast world of tea.

Selection by TCM Characters

This is for those who understand the needs of answering the voice of the body. A well customised and balanced collection not only helps to maximise tea’s health benefits, but also tea’s gastronomic qualities. At Tea Hong, we categorise our collection by traditional Chinese medicinal character.

Check out trending best sellers

If all these other ways of thinking about how to select a tea are not for you, perhaps you can see what other people are buying. These are some of what’s trending now:

Information on a tea page

Detail information on each tea page includes a description, taste profile, infusion tips and a few properties described with icons. This article gives a general orientation in case you want to prepare yourself before browsing.

Customer Reviews

Yet another way to get an idea is to see how other customers see our products. Read a few random reviews they have posted in this site, and click on the link to go to the product page:

  • GABA Orange Extra, de-oxygenised oxidation Taiwan oolong

    DELIGHTFUL
    I brewed this tea in a 200ml Da Hong Pao teapot for 8 minutes, and a second brew for 10 minutes. Indeed, the taste and aroma are quite surprising and extraordinary! It’s unlike what is expected of an oolong tea … very unique! It changes your perceptions. GABA is supposed to calm the mind. I am not sure if GABA is doing its job but the exquisite taste and aroma of this tea are working wonders.

    Jeffery Leong
  • Wenshan Paochong, light style Taiwan oolong

    This is really good Baozhong, I compared it to a competition-grade version that was grown in Nangang and won second place at a tournament in Pinglin – and I have to say this one is just as good.

    First off, the leaf quality is superb. Wholesome, meticulously crafted leaves that are uniform and very consistent. They open up slowly and gradually unfurl, revealing a deep and rich, emerald-green color to the leaves. These are clearly processed well without excessive bruising. In the cup, this tea resists high temperatures well and is flexible enough to reveal deeper layers of the flavor profile whether you like brewing it with cooler temperatures or near-boiling.

    There are some differences in the cup between this and the competition-grade – this one is more floral and has a more pronounced minerality, with an aftertaste that is reminiscent of honeyed nuts – like walnuts, or almonds. It’s not as buttery or creamy, but I appreciate the depth of the rich floral notes of this one slightly more anyways, and the contrast provided by the minerality which creates a brothy quality that adds another dimension of enjoyability to the whole experience.

    There are undertones of sea plants – kombu, sea lettuce, dulse – that accentuate the minerality and add a thick umami layer to the flavor profile that is just exquisite. There’s so much going on – delicate notes of lilac that are persistent on the palate from initial sip to aftertaste, sweetness in the body across all temperature ranges, and hints of seaweed and minerality from start to finish that never become overbearing.

    I enjoy looking at these leaves after I brew them up, they are very high quality and you can tell by how glossy and plump they remain even after being pushed to the limit.

    If you like this tea, make sure you check out the Shiguping Wulong and Jade Orchid over in the Fenghuang oolong section of Tea Hong’s catalog.

    NN
  • Huangzhi Xiang Classic, Phoenix dancong oolong

    This is an intricate and delicious tea, when brewed gong-fu style it opens up slowly and its floral qualities really blossom half-way through the session, with the very last steep being perhaps the most potent and having the most clarity between all of the individual layers of flavor. It finishes strong and holds its composure very well right down to the last lingering sensations felt in the aftertaste.

    I found this tea to have a powerful mouthfeel and a robust minerality, it grips the palate and has a viscosity like motor oil. It’s thick, with a sappy texture that has many sophisticated layers of flavor which continue to evolve across the session, yet never becoming over-bearing.

    It’s strong, but gentle, and takes a couple of steeps to open up before it really starts to build momentum in the session. Once the leaves are awakened, they release a remarkably complex array of fruits and florals that are perfectly contrasted against a backdrop of gentle spices, woods/moss, and that characteristic sparkling minerality that all high-end dancong should have.

    The complexity of the citrus notes is captivating – this is not a one-dimensional flavor profile at all. I get some kumquat, tangerine, yuzu, maybe a hint of lime in there… this is such a dynamic tea that brings a ton of flavor at a humble price.

    I also get undertones of watermelon, plum paste, and sun-dried figs, all of which harmonize with the tangy and zesty citrus notes to create balance in what is otherwise a citrus-forward flavor profile. The mouthfeel is superb, the finish is strong, and the aftertaste lasts for a very long time.

    If you enjoy the Pomelo Flower (“you hua”) cultivar, you should try this.

    NN
  • Himalayan Finest Flowery, orthodox black tea

    A Pleasant Surprise

    Although this may not be the best of all the Nepalese tea I have sampled, it comes in only second to the hand-rolled first flush Jade Moon from xx (Tea Hong: sorry we have to edit out the shop name), which is almost 3 times more expensive! The aroma, depth and complexity are all there, maybe only a touch less floral. I am happy to save the money for trying out more varieties.

    pucrettub