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FIR Boucha, far-infrared roasted petiole houjicha
Green teas, Japan, Lighter Aromas, Milder Tastes, Neutral Energy, Tea$ 16.80遠赤外線焙煎 深煎り棒茶
An old style petiole tea much elevated using modern technology
Much like roasting green coffee beans to give a warm, brown liquor, a houjicha is a green tea that is deep roasted. Unlike in China or Taiwan, where a large variety of oolongs and black teas are there readily to choose from for deep baking or roasting, producers in Japan mostly have only green tea to work with. While it sounds straight forward, to find one which taste is respectable is not easy. The very brittle nature of Japanese green tea leaves will become ash when deep roasted. Often larger, older and underprocessed leaves are used and the final quality reflects that. There is one kind of houjicha, however, that caught our attention: that from purely tea petioles — Boucha. Much like in our Karigane where the relative higher cellulose and carbohydrate contents in the petioles gives a sweeter and a relatively more complex dimension, this far infrared deep roasted version of purely small leaf stalks does have a pleasantly warm and tidily intact taste profile. My first encounter with something similar was a small cup served after a luxurious crab kaiseki meal in a pristinely beautiful traditional formal style restaurant. It was quite an impressive surprise. To me, this easy going tea doesn’t have to be enjoyed only after an expensive meal. It can be easily infused using a hot or cold infusion method and it is quite forgiving of irregularities. It suits a lot of occasions where tea is a complement. And it is a nice one.
Net weight: 40g (1.4oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Honey Orchid XO 1992, matured Phoenix Dancong oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy, Oolongs, Tea$ 27.80特醇鳳凰單樅 陳年蜜蘭香
A local tea master's special reserve
In the Phoenix Mountain area, where some superrich and those in powerful positions would send their chauffeurs to collect teas from certain tea farms at hundreds of thousands per kilo even when the tea is barely baked after processing, there are certain farmers whose own personal tea is never this “fresh”. They actually store their tea in tight tins for many years before opening it again for their own private enjoyment. This practice is more common amongst older farmers, and in other oolong regions as well. It is believed that Phoenix oolongs having been matured for decades are friendlier to the stomach. Although they would not be as as bright, floral or vibrant as younger ones, they are overall a lot more soothing, calming and indeed, comforting. Tea Hong’s Honey Orchid XO (Extra Old) 1992 delivers a much softer, smoother body with that signature honey sweetness but in the warm humbleness akin to a very fine shu cha Pu’er. If the other fresher Honey Orchid we offer is a Van Gogh, this XO version is a Rothko, metamorphically speaking*.
Net weight: 50 g (1.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Keemun Snails, traditional black tea
Black teas, Huangshan & Anhui, Lighter Aromas, Milder Tastes, Neutral Energy, Tea$ 26.10祁門珍品紅香螺
Fragrant Curls:
If you prefer a simpler taste profile than our Keemun Traditional Supreme, but want to enjoy the character of a Keemun black tea, Keemun Snails maybe the one tea for you. Slightly sweeter and lighter than the former, these tightly rolled tiny little swirls releases a gently warm and yet floral and sweet aroma to help you slowly start off your day, or move it along. Deliciously different from the bitterness of many other blacks, the fine taste from these wriggles maybe a pleasant twist from your previous perceptions of this beverage category.
Net weight: 80 g (2.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Narcissus Classic, Wuyi yancha oolong
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Oolongs, Tea, Warm Energy, Wuyi-shan$ 22.10武夷、正岩水仙
Dark Rock Shuixian:
This tea may have the same name as some low quality tea used in dimsum restaurants but it certainly tastes differently. It is the ORIGINAL Shuixian, the famous oolong that grows on dark rock cliffs in the depth of Wuyi Mountains. Narcissus Classic, like most other deeper baked oolongs, goes well with a wide range of cuisines and desserts and is a great digestive. Also an adaptable tea for preparation with other ingredients, such as ginger and raw sugar, and a safer tea for the weaker stomach.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Yiwu Large Leaf 2018, partially post-fermented Pu’er shengcha
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Pu'er teas, Tea, Yunnan$ 14.80易武山 自然後發酵 大葉普洱
Natural partially post-fermented Pu'er:
Produced using raw material from Yunnan indigenous trunk tea tree and darkened through optimum maturity, Tea Hong’s Yiwu Large Leaf is not only a fine representation of ancient style dark tea, but also a unique gastronomic experience and a great digestive. Because of our proprietary maturing process, its quality compares superlatively against other shengcha well matured for many longer years. A rare quality to impress without depressing the wallet.
Net weight: 70 g (2.5 oz) in wide Kraft-alu pack -
Keemun Traditional Supreme, old style black tea
Black teas, Fuller Bodies, Huangshan & Anhui, Lighter Aromas, Neutral Energy, Tea$ 33.80祁門極品 紅毛峰
Qimen Hong Maofeng:
Keemun had once been the tea of choice for European elites before the politics of economics made colonial productions more popular. To bring the true quality of what used to crown Keemun with the laureate of the most desired black tea, we select only the finest first flush at the origin for our masters to process to the best of Keemun gongfu standard. Considering the advancement of techniques in the past 150 years, Tea Hong’s Keemun Traditional Supreme is very likely to be superior to what the kings and queens had in their cups.
Net weight: 70 g (2.5 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Cassia Classic, Wuyi yancha oolong
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Oolongs, Tea, Warm Energy, Wuyi-shan$ 19.20武夷岩茶、正品肉桂
Classic Rougui Cultivar
Cassia (Rougui) was the first tea variety that received popular praise in the recent few hundred years from the Wuyi region. Named after the tree bark spice, there is otherwise no biological relationship at all, although there is an aromatic component in the oolong that is akin to that of the spice. This classic version is a bit deeper baked than the supreme “Extraordinaire” version, as has traditionally been done for the past century, or longer. This tea is also available in a small portion as a part of Tea Taster’s Box: Nine Oolong Samplers.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
