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:

  • Himalayan Finest Flowery, orthodox black tea

    Spicy, Bold. Direct

    Some teas are very subtle. Others are more bold. This is one of the latter types. The leaves have a spicy aroma that, like in the description conjure up memories of bergamot. The flavor is reminiscent of Breakfast style teas.

    Infused in a pot, it makes a good companion tea when you don’t mind something strong. I don’t recommend leaving the leaves in the vessel (gaiwan, pot or mug) for longer than required, however, as this can overbrew and become very strong.

    M.

    Michael Eversberg II
  • Tongmuguan One, traditional black tea

    獨特的岩韻、幽幽的花香,加上豐厚紅茶的口感,飲後心情愉快。拿去茶友聚會,個個人都讚好。現在桐木關梅占是我最喜歡的紅茶。

    Sofina Chan
  • Shiguping Wulong, rare Phoenix oolong

    It is a great pat on the back for me to read from an experienced tea drinker telling the unique quality of this very special wulong. Without enough exposure to premium teas and an experienced palate, it would be impossible to write such comment. When someone who really knows about tea appreciates my offering, it is the highest reward for my work. I cannot find words to tell how happy I am.

    To me, finding this tea is a revelation. I present it here in the hope that more serious tea drinkers could share the same joy when I discovered what the real thing is behind the humble name of this Phoenix oolong.

    Thank you so very much for sharing your comment. Thank you for appreciating this great tea. Thank you for understanding our efforts.

    Leo Kwan
  • Song Cultivar, Phoenix dancong oolong

    I think I understand why Tea Hong carries three different versions of Huangzhi Xiang… not only is this cultivar incredible, both in terms of its rich history and deep significance in the world of Fenghuang oolong, but also due to its remarkably expressive nature that is capable of achieving such a complex and multifaceted flavor profile. While there is a common thread that ties all three versions together, they also have a lot going on individually that makes them all worth exploring.

    This Song Zhong stands out to me specifically because of the way the flavor profile builds and gradually increases in its complexity with each progressive sip. The way it sits on the palate is sublime, like it lifts off the surface of the tongue and expands across the whole mouth and back of the throat… this is a very powerful tea in terms of how the flavor profile moves, not only across the mouth and palate, but also in the body.

    It’s also quite a dynamic tea; it’s soft where it needs to be, with some creamy and floral undertones that are persistent through the end of the session, and then sharp where it needs to be as well. It’s got a bright minerality and a complex citrus fruitiness that hits the spot for me, I particularly enjoy the many layers of citrus fruits. There’s a lot going on and it’s clear to me that the processing techniques applied really highlight the intricate nature of old Huangzhi Xiang genetics.

    In my opinion, this Song Zhong is amazing when brewed up gong-fu style, while the Huangzhi Xiang Classic is wonderful for Western-style brewing … which makes it easy to keep both of them in the stash without feeling like they’re too similar to each other. And, of course, the Danhu Old Bush is utterly flawless and magnificent beyond belief regardless of how it’s brewed up.

    NN