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Floral Pomelo, bouquet style Fenghuang dancong oolong
Cool Energy, Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Oolongs, Tea$ 30.00鳳凰單欉 鳳西柚花香
Genuine Yòu Huāxiāng — Fragrance of Pomelo Blooms — is not an easy to offer variety of dancong simply because it takes not only skills and experience to produce well, but also another key factor that is impossible to control — the weather. Ample sunshine before and after the harvest for proper sun-withering is critical for forming its unique, and mesmerising, aroma and palatial accents that echo the tea’s legendary pomelo and honey floral characters. (more similar details in Old Bush Zhilan) Tea Hong’s bouquet style Phoenix oolong Floral Pomelo has been given a further round of light baking and resting for a deeper, more engaging taste, like it used to be.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Old Bush Zhilan, bouquet dancong
Cool Energy, Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Oolongs, Tea$ 42.30鳳凰烏崠、丹湖老欉芝蘭香
From the same small farm that produces our beloved Danhu Old Bush Song Cultivar, old Master Lin tends three venerable bushes that his father planted in his youth, now about 80 years old, crafting from them a seductively fragrant Zhilan Xiang. As a dancong bush gains age in its natural environment, the tea from its leaves has the potential for greater complexity taste and aroma. This is a distinctive trait of this oldest form of oolong. That is one reason harvests from older bushes are keenly sought after by connoisseurs. For a bouquet dancong, however, achieving perfection depends not only on the terroir and the mastery of processing but also on the precise weather and leaf condition at harvest. Unlike classic dancong, where there are a few more steps in which the tea master has some room to compensate for less-than-ideal circumstances, the fewer steps and shorter time in bouquet-style processing has less margin for error note. That means some years are distinctively better than others. That is why for a harvest as nearly perfect as this one, it is a blessing.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
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Ise Organic Matcha Unshin, ceremonial grade
Cold Energy, Fuller Bodies, Green teas, Japan, Lighter Aromas, Organic teas, Tea$ 34.80伊勢 有機 御抹茶 雲心 (濃茶)
Top quality at great value
While there are many shops and brands offering organic matcha, finding one which taste quality meets our high requirements is a challenge. In our product line structure, it has to be good enough for chanoyu and at the same time economic enough for making different daily drinks or other recipes. Tea Hong’s ceremonial grade Organic Matcha Unshin is sourced exactly for this purpose. Produced by the same team that gives our wonderful Ise Matcha Mugetsu, and harvested from an isolated tea field for organic management, we are so confident of its quality that this very same production was the first Japanese tea we wholesale exported to EU, and growing in volume ever since. We also have a special quality from this same producer to provide to premium hotels in EU and UK. Now with Organic Matcha Unshin easily available online, when you whisk up a bowl of koicha to savour a mindfulness moment, or blend it with milk and cream to make a matcha latte to win the hearts of your friends, you know you are using a quality that you can rely on.
Net weight: 150g (5.3oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Fengxi Old Ginger, classic Fenghuang dancong oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, Tea$ 32.80鳳西 老欉薑母香
Tea Hong's Fengxi Old Ginger offers a floral, fruity profile with a ginger tone, and even a tiny hint of that spicy bite. Its elegant bouquet is luxuriously rich and complex, yet intricate and delicate. This distinctive olfactory presence and its intriguing gingery zest make the tea a unique choice in the classic style Phoenix oolong line up. Jiangmu Xiang, as the tea is called in the romanisation of the original name, has a slightly different origin too: about 10min on the motorbike to the east of Wudong — the Mecca of Fenghuang dancong — in the area of Fengxi, where the original 200+year-old tree has been propagated to the hundreds of production ones. Newer ones are now found elsewhere but we stay with the older clones which yields can give deeper and fuller characteristics of the tea. Like all our classic style Phoenixes, the tea has been rested a few months after harvest before the finishing rebake, and then matured amply before release, as in the proper old tradition.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
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 -
Phoenix Petioles 1988, matured leaf stalk oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy, Oolongs, Tea$ 20.10私藏 陳年鳳凰莖茶
Phoenix tea farmers’ tea
In Phoenix, before a tea goes through the last round of baking to be ready for consumption, it is sorted manually to get rid of the leaf stalks (i.e. petioles), broken leaves, and other leaves that are not as nicely rolled or processed as the others (aka Yu Ye). The producer retains such “refuse”, rebakes it and keep it for personal use or give it out to their neighbours and relatives. They call it cha tou or thê-tao in the local language, as in “Tea Head”*. Provided the right quality, the taste of thê-tao, despite their irregularity in appearance, is actually sweeter and softer than the leaf tea from the same plant and a lot more flexible and tolerant with brewing mistakes. Presenting Tea Hong’s Phoenix Petioles 1988, a thê-tao collected between 1985 to 1988 by our top Phoenix producer. Because of the decades long maturity given onto the tea, it exhibits a post-fermentation characteristics somewhat alike those of finer shu cha Pu’ers — earthy, woodsy, herbal and pacifyingly herbal sweet, combined with an underlying and unmistakable matured Phoenix undertone. A unique taste experience unlike anything else.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) 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 -
Royal Black, classic black tea from the Himalayas
Black teas, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Nepal, the Himalayas, Neutral-Warm Energy, Organic teas, Tea$ 23.40शाही कालो
An Easy and Versatile Fine Tea
Royal Black is one of those teas that is good as is even when strongly brewed, and fantastic with added milk, or honey and lemon for that matter. It holds its finesse in the casual handling of daily use. The deeper oxidation and baking executed onto these selectively slightly larger size young leaves give the tea a sweeter, fruitier and more straightforward taste profile that makes it a comforting sip. Handpicked in Spring from the slope of the Himalayas in Dhankuta, Nepal, and processed with the mastery of traditional black tea, this certified organic product distinguishes itself from most other organic teas available out there with a classic black tea taste that is rare in those other products.
Net weight: 50 g (1.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
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Moon Drops Himalayas, deep oxidation Nepali white tea
Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Nepal, the Himalayas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Organic teas, Tea, White teas$ 29.30चाँदीको चाँदी हिमालय
When a Taiwanese marries a Japanese in Nepal
The tougher terroir of the Himalayas usually gives a more rugged characteristic to the yield. Yet the ingenious farmer of Tea Hong's Moon Drop Himalayas has employed the creamy Jinxuan ( 金萱 ) cultivar from Taiwan and the umami Yabukita ( やぶきた ) from Japan to produce this tea. Their softer nature most definitely tones down the harsher growing environment to give this tea an extraordinarily round body, accompanied with a sweetness and bouquet that one can hardly find in any other South Asian productions. An extra step of rolling is added to the end of the white tea withering process to develop more depth in the taste profile. This is indeed an unusual gem of white tea. However, maintaining the East Asian tea plants in the Himalayas is not an easy job and getting a good yield from them is even more demanding. We have been following this tea for almost a decade before deciding to carry it. A fine batch as this one on offer is rare.
Net weight: 50 g (1.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Bamboo Leaf, traditional green tea
Cool Energy, Fuller Bodies, Green teas, Lighter Aromas, Tea, Zhejiang$ 32.70明前極品 竹葉青頂
Zhuye Qingding — a rare shoot leaf green tea
Some people like their green tea soft and sweet, others may prefer a good umami. Yet this leaf shoot tea is neither. Its brisk, lively full body is accentuated with a refreshing aroma and a distinct note of bitterness. After Longjing, of all the other green teas from the Zhejiang region, my personal strongest preference goes to this traditional green tea form of Bamboo Leaf produced in Kaihua. To me it is an alternative to a shot of single malt in the evening, or an afternoon kick of espresso. Maybe more pleasant and invigorating. This style form is produced in a few other tea regions in China. The taste profile does vary from region to region, and even from farm to farm, tea master to tea master. In Emei Shan in Szechuan, the traditional form style name, Zhu Ye Qing, which transliterates as Bamboo Leaf Green, is registered as a brand name by a powerful local tea company. Other farmers and tea companies who have been producing in this same style form are then required by law to sell their products in different names. One of them is Mingshan Shihua. Tea Hong's Bamboo Leaf is a rare quality representing not only the broader taste profile of this style form, but also the intriguing intricacy that gives true quality tea its elevating magic.
Net weight: 50 g (1.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pillow
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Mini Tuo 2018, shu cha pu’er
Compressed tea, Denser Aromas, Neutral Energy, Pu'er teas, Stronger Tastes, Tea, Yunnan$ 10.30老同志 棗香迷你小沱茶（熟茶）
A single dose, easy tasting post-fermented tea
Take these little studs to the dimsum restaurant for a real cup of tea to go with those savoury morsels. Or on a trip, or any place where you may make tea only in a mug, or even in a thermo flask. Because of its convenient form of package, there are countless makes of mini tuo in the market. Of all those we have screened, Haiwan’s Old Comrade has always come out as the best in taste. This compact 5 gram single dose yields a sweet, round body with surprisingly fullness. More so considering the very friendly price.
Net weight: approx 120 g (4.2 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Jade Orchid, bouquet Phoenix oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, Tea$ 21.40雪片玉蘭香
Xue Pian Yu Lan Xiang
One of the most common practices in tea naming in the Fenghuang region is giving a tea the name of the flower which the farmer associates the aroma with. Some of such flowers are fictitious, yet some are real. Like this one, Yu-lan, after the flower tree Magnolia denudata, a.k.a. Yulan magnolia. Jade orchid — as the name "Yulan" is translated — is a tree native to the region where Phoenix is. The tea cultivar itself is relatively new, having been developed locally by a farmer Wei Li Man in the 1980’s. That is why the more popular name for the plant itself amongst local farmers is Li Man zhong, or Li Man’s cultivar. To me, the winter harvest resembles the flower’s aroma more closely so we select only this for Tea Hong’s Jade Orchid. 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 -
Aura of the Night, bouquet Phoenix oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, Tea$ 33.20鳳凰單欉 獅頭 夜來香
Yelai Xiang Dancong
The complex, yet bright and lively floral aroma of this tea is associated with a native flower, yelai xiang, aka Chinese violet. It is a vine yielding light yellow small flowers that are especially fragrant at night, hence the name, yelai xiang — the fragrance that comes in the night, from which we have derived our product name. The plant is native in Guangdong province and neighbouring areas. It is the province where the Phoenix region situates. It has taken us some work to get to Lion Head Peak ( see below for more about the origin ) to acquire this best quality representation of the variety. Please enjoy.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Ying Hong Nine, traditional black tea
Black teas, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy, Other tea regions, Tea$ 20.80廣東英德春茶 英紅九號
Prodigy Black Tea of Yingde
Although the ancestry of cultivar Ying Hong #9 was taken from the rugged mountains of Yunnan 60 years ago, the tea tree has acquired a very different characteristics in the much milder climate on the rolling hills of middle Guangdong. However, not all farms are able to produce a warm sweet black tea with a rich and smooth body as Tea Hong’s Ying Hong Nine. This patiently withered and oxidised selection is processed in the Guangdong style and optimally baked for its creamy characteristics and fruity accents. A prize-winning quality at great value.
Net weight: 50 g (1.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Huo Shan Yellow Tips, traditional yellow tea
Fuller Bodies, Green teas, Huangshan & Anhui, Lighter Aromas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Tea, Yellow teas$ 24.80明前正品 霍山黃芽
Renaissance of a millennium old tribunal yellow tea
For the same refreshing, cleansing sensation as the finest Huangshan Maofeng, ample green tea’s health constituents, yet with the absence of astringency, a yellow tea like Huo Shan Huang Ya ( i.e. Yellow Tips ) is a best choice. This superb first flush selection is produced almost like a Maofeng green tea but lightly oxidised by covering the tea when it is still very warm during processing. The heat converted some of the leaf constituents into simpler sugars. This particular step gives a softer, sweeter and much easier taste but as delightfully quenching and more body. The concept of this technique has been millennium old, yet it is only in recent years that really fine tasting products become available and accessible. Distinctive as Tea Hong’s Huo Shan Yellow Tips is still rare.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Wenshan Paochong, light style Taiwan oolong
Floral Aromas, Milder Tastes, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, Taiwan, Tea$ 21.80明前極品 文山包種
"Baozhong" from a true Taiwan master
Originally labelled as “Floral Aroma Tea”, today Paochong is produced in many parts of Taiwan and China, but that in the northern part of Taiwan around Taipei, where it made its name*, remains the most reputable. The highest quality is found in only a few small family farms where the traditional craft continues to pass on and evolve. Like that of Master Weng. Although his production management is certified as ISO22000, this 5th generation tea farmer insists that processing is an art and personally attends to all details of the workflow. That is probably why his farm has won in not only Paochong competitions but also a nationally awarded agricultural entity. Tea Hong is proud to present the best work of this highly devoted tea master. Likely to bring a much more joyous experience than any of what made the tea famous in the past centuries, for what the arts and science, love and sweats have accumulatively invested in its making.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
