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Hong Yu Deep White, deep oxidation Taiwan white tea
Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Taiwan, Tea, White teas$ 23.50White tea with a twist
The very same cultivar which leaves that make the black tea, Fragrance of Taiwan — Red Jade — is employed to make this unique white tea. Where the black tea has an upfront distinctive character which tea novices may need time to grow into, the white tea version is a lot friendlier for understanding this wonderful camellia formosenisis species with. Hong Yu Deep White has the light and easy first impression like other white teas, but that will grow in your palate to the roundness of an aged black tea and the floral character of an oolong. An unmistakable gastronomical signature uniquely its own seamlessly holds all elements together as a continuum of olfactory-palatial sensation experience.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
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Mo Gan Yellow Snails, yellow tea
Fuller Bodies, Green teas, Lighter Aromas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Tea, Yellow teas, Zhejiang$ 28.40Revitalising an old yellow tea
Tea Hong’s Mo Gan Yellow Snails is a break away from the old Mo Gan Yellow Tip. We have greatly modified traditional yellowing to give the tea a distinctive yellow look and a taste that is different from both green tea and old style yellow tea. A neo-yellow. Unlike other tea categories, old style yellow tea has not prospered in all these decades since tea’s revival after the destructive Mao era. Its taste needs a lot more to create followers. Similarly from the mountain of Mo Gan in the region of Zhejiang, Tea Hong’s Mo Gan Yellow Snails has departed from the dull colours of the old to maintain a brisk freshness in the look and taste, while achieving a characteristic “cooked” warmth and sweetness that is the real spirit of yellow tea. Now that is a good individualistic character to have a place in any tea repertoire.
Net weight: 50 g (1.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Shèmen Dancong Double Baked, Phoenix dancong oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy, Oolongs, Tea$ 34.00Rock tea of Phoenix
Deep in Wudong, the most revered area for Fenhuang Dancong production, the village of Shèmen ( sheh-mehn ) is home to one of the most elusive traditional style oolongs. Here the Shè ( 畬 ) tribe settled a thousand years ago and began producing oolong to bake it in a way that was copied in Wuyishan a few hundred years later to produce Wuyi oolongs. Tea Hong’s double baked and matured Shèmen Dancong is our best attempt to reconstruct the same tea of the peace-loving and hard-working Shè people 10 centuries ago. This old style oolong gives a clear and most eloquent definition of the tea term yan-yun — music from the rock. The term has been mostly employed to describe better Wuyi oolongs yet it has never been more beautifully defined by this Phoenix tea. If you ever wonder about the relationship of the oolongs between the two regions, this may well be the link you are looking for.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
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Tongmuguan One, traditional black tea
Black teas, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Warm Energy, Tea, Wuyi-shan$ 26.90Rare Quality Meizhan Hong Cha
Not many black teas can achieve a smooth and full body. To have a floral, yet warm aroma with spicy sweetness and complexity of dried fruit would be a luxury. Tongmuguan One makes it even better by delivering the whole package with a sophisticated balance and yet subtle uniqueness unfound in its peers. A very limited batch produced in the mecca of xiao zhong gungfu black tea, Tongmuguan, this finely processed leaves of Meizhan is precious not because it is rare, but because it is so demanding to produce to this quality. It is not every year that we can achieve a gem like this.
Net weight: 50 g (1.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
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Biluochun Supreme, traditional green tea
Cool Energy, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Green teas, Other tea regions, Tea$ 34.10The Aromatic Green Snail
These fragrant little leaves are so fluffy that one may want to make a down pillow out of them for sweet dreams every night. However, they are certainly not the softest tasting green tea. A fine Biluochun like Tea Hong’s does have a smooth body but enough character for optimal stimulation. Yet gentle enough to be one’s company throughout the day, even when you are searching deep inside for that piece of critical article you have to write, as those royals or literati did in old Qing China.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Tieguanyin Traditional, bouquet oolong
Cool Energy, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Minnan/ Mindong, Fujian, Oolongs, Tea$ 26.90Original Tieguanyin Cultivar
To old time aficionados, tieguanyin is not just about floral aroma. They seek yun-wei, which can be roughly translated as “lingering taste of various tones and accents”. For the right yun-wei, we went to the origin of tieguanyin for a fourth generation farm high in altitude. Tea Hong’s Tieguanyin Traditional is produced from a particular patch where only matured shrubs of the thorough-breed cultivar grow and are harvested only once year. This is to ensure maximum amount of taste and salutary substances are stored in the young leaves for subsequent mastery processing for the wonderful lingering taste of various tones and accents. Like a fine old style tieguanyin should be.
Net weight: 100 g (3.5 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Lily Eccentric, Wuyi yancha oolong
Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy, Oolongs, Tea, Wuyi-shan$ 27.80Wuyi Qi Lan Premium
Originated in the south, Qi Lan cultivars attain new characters growing in the more rugged landscape of Wuyi. Since late last century, traders have taken advantage of its distinctive and pleasing aroma to mislabel it as the much demanded, but hugely misrepresented Red Cloak, Iron Buddha, or other famous Wuyi oolongs. Some blend it in other varieties for the same disguise purpose. Tea Hong’s Qi Lan is a premium single batch production that is optimally fermented and baked to allow the full, glorious taste profile of the tea. Some say if one has not experienced Qi Lan, one will never know what Wuyi teas really are. We’d say this eccentric lily has its unique place in the great family of oolongs. 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 -
Huangzhi Xiang Classic, Phoenix dancong oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, Tea$ 27.10Fragrance of Kumquat Fenghuang Dancong
Produced with the leaves from the cousin of our Song Cultivar, Tea Hong’s Huangzhi Xiang Classic is baked with more depth and thus a classic Phoenix oolong finish. Like all other tea of this family, patience and expertise in proper finish-processing and maturing is critical in delivering quality. It is a traditional art that has been largely forgotten. We are bringing it back at Tea Hong. The taste quality of this very Fenghuang Dancong tells you why this heritage matters. It is also the reason one may pay more elsewhere for a tea of the same name, but not quite getting the same level of enjoyment.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Cold Dew Alishan, bouquet Taiwan oolong
Fuller Bodies, Lighter Aromas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, Taiwan, Tea$ 27.00Winter Chin-shin Oolong
In subtropical Taiwan, the intense humidity that creates the misty atmosphere of Alishan — the tallest mountain in the island nation — dissipates partially when the chill of late Autumn sets in. In October, the sky stays clearer for longer. Little leaves that spout during this time have amply stored up for the few drier months ahead. These are great conditions for oolong harvest and processing. Presenting Cold Dew1 Alishan, masterfully rebaked from the premium Autumn harvest of Chin-shin tea trees. Oolongs made from this quintessential Taiwan wulong cultivar have a few times more teaghrelin2 than any others3, though we hope you buy it more for the great taste of this archetypical Taiwan premium oolong.
Net weight: 70 g (2.5 oz) in Kraft-alu pillow -
Blue Shiiba, Nepali semi-oolong
Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Nepal, the Himalayas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, Organic teas, Tea$ 29.90Kyushu wild tea reincarnates as an oolong in the Himalayas
Our Nepali farmer has taken a native wild tea plant from the island of Kyushu, Japan, to try propagating it in the Himalayas. The distinctly different terroir has not been kind to the small leaves so not every harvest gives you a satisfying result. The processing technique has been continuously evolving in the past decade to arrive at what we think is a wonderful manifestation of this unique tea cultivar. A batch as this on offer is rare. To us, it embraces the tea’s heritage as a wok roasted green tea, yet attaining a bouquet found only in fine Taiwan oolongs like that of Wenshan Paochong, while unmistakably carrying the complex tones and finishes afforded by the unique environment on this altitude on the roof of the Earth.
Net weight: 50 g (1.8 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Phoenix Sweet Osmanthus, traditional flower scented oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Warm Energy, Oolongs, Tea$ 23.40Traditional basket oven scented
For those who prefer finer tea tastes on top of real flower fragrance in their scented teas, Phoenix Sweet Osmanthus is an ultimate choice. Freshly picked osmanthus flower buds are sprinkled onto a thin layer of Honey Orchid Phoenix oolong in a bamboo basket over low charcoal ash fire. The same way as this has been done for centuries. The result is a natural, sweet, sensually aromatic epicurean experience few other scented teas can compare. Extended reading: Scenting of Phoenix Sweet Osmanthus
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Iron Buddha Supreme, Wuyi yancha oolong
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Oolongs, Tea, Warm Energy, Wuyi-shan$ 29.10Bamboo Forest Tiě Luohan:
Overshadowed by the more promoted Red Cloak, Iron Buddha ( Tiě Luohan ) is actually as taste-worthy, if not more, than any of the so-called “famous” Wuyi oolongs. It is not proven that whether it is the oldest oolong cultivar in Wuyi as they say, but it is certainly one that is not the easiest to cultivate and to produce from. Finding a farmer to process it to the taste profile that befits its legend and our quality demand has been a challenge. It took us 15 years. Presenting Tea Hong’s Iron Buddha Supreme, with that complex charcoal finish yet sweet floral aroma, stout yet lingering “rock tea” taste, delivered gently in a well-balanced infusion in a civilised way. This could very well be the only traditional style Wuyi that any connoisseur would fall in love with.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Red Jade, Taiwan TTES#18 black tea
Black teas, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy, Taiwan, Tea$ 25.80Fragrance of Taiwan:
Deep in the mountains away from the tourist infested Sun Moon Lake, small tea bushes tidily populate small patches of land between tall pines, wild trees and steep slopes. A cross between Burma and a native wild tea, this Hong Yu cultivar, born right here in Yu Chi in 1999, shines with a vibrant deep green. It dominates the ambience with a smell that is both fresh and spicy. Farmers here still process black tea in small batches in the old fashioned way, though with the aid of a few new technologies for monitoring. Red Jade — the Fragrance of Taiwan — has to be so processed to that distinctive floral yet spicy aroma, minty and complex taste on a smooth body to be worthy of name.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Oriental Beauty, deep oxidation Taiwan oolong
Fuller Bodies, Lighter Aromas, Neutral Energy, Oolongs, Taiwan, Tea$ 29.90Dongfang Meiren
To experience why this unique Taiwan white tip oolong was nicknamed Oriental Beauty by Queen Elizabeth II, you have to taste the real thing. It is perhaps the most demanding tea to process well. Harvested only once a year in summer and after the young leaves are bitten by a kind of tiny leafhopper, genuine Dongfang Meiren can attain its special taste profile only after following the oolong processing routine modified especially for this tea. Tea Hong’s Phong-hong tè — the original name of Oriental Beauty — is a prime selection from the origin in Hsinchu, Taiwan. This tea is also available in a small portion as a part of Tea Taster’s Box: Nine Oolong Samplers.
Net weight: 50 g ( 1.8 oz ) in Kraft-alu pack -
Alishan Guanyin, deep baked Taiwan oolong
Fuller Bodies, Lighter Aromas, Neutral Energy, Oolongs, Taiwan, Tea$ 28.80Slow Baked Tieguanyin:
Over a century of development since transplanting to Taiwan, tieguanyin produced in the emerald island is quite different from its cousin in Mainland China. Not only has the cultivar evolved differently, but also the more authentic technique with which it is produced. Tea Hong’s Alishan Guanyin has a fuller and smoother taste profile. Its distinction is possible through the finesse in its slow baking. Master Chen, who bakes also our Cold Peak, has elevated the processing into an art of leaves and fire.
Net weight: 70 g (2.5 oz) in Kraft-alu pillow -
Lincang Centenarians, traditional black tea
Black teas, Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Warm Energy, Tea, Yunnan$ 20.20Gold Needles Supreme:
Deep in the mountains in Lincang, native tree type tea plants have prospered for millenniums. There are so many huge tea trees that people say this is where tea itself originated. From these old tea forests we have reserved some finest first flushes for producing our special quality Dianhong. For drinkers who feel Yunnan Golden is too easy tasting, and Dianhong Classic too smooth, Lincang Centenarians has a complexity that is possible only from leaves slowly grown on old trees and which roots reach deep enough for the richest of minerals in the mountain soils. Same luscious taste profile as the finest classic Dianhong, yet tinkling with more notes.
Net weight: 60 g (2.1 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
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Dianhong Classic, traditional black tea
Black teas, Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Warm Energy, Tea, Yunnan$ 17.70Feng Qing Golden Tip:
Some people think that the more the golden tip, the better the quality of a black tea. For a real connoisseur, however, it is the taste profile made possible by properly managing all the variables throughout production that matters. Don’t be convinced by the rich dark chocolate aroma of the dry leaves either. What matters is the round and complex body in the clear deep golden red liquor possible only with the first flush leaves from the deep mountains in Fengqing, the origin of Dianhong.
Net weight: 50 g ( 1.8 oz ) in Kraft-alu pack
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Wudong Cassia, Phoenix dancong oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, Tea$ 30.30Rougui Xiang Dancong
Although the name rougui is the same as that variety from Wuyi, this tea is from a pure breed Fenghuang Dancong Shuixian cultivar. Sexual propagation of tea trees does give happy surprises and this is an example of it. Discovered and isolated in 1970 by a horticulturalist Mr Wei and has maintained a low profile to avoid unneeded trouble during the height of Cultural Revolution, the cultivar Fenghuang Rougui Xiang Dancong is only gradually picking up attention recently. Not all farmers are doing it right. It is a slow growing tea and only one harvest per year. We think every leaf is worth the search.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Bada 2011, Pu’er shu cha
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Home, Neutral Energy, Pu'er teas, Tea, Yunnan$ 26.70Traditional Premium Shu Cha :
At 1800 m elevation, the temperature difference between day and night can easily be over 15°C even on a hot summer day. That is deep in the mountains in He Song of the Bada region in Xishuangbanna. Leaves grow much slower here, accumulated in them a little bit more plant protein, and the rich minerals from the pristine mountain soils. We pick whole sun-withered leaves from these native tea trees to process and mature into our premium grade shu cha pu’er. Presenting Bada, possibly the richest, deepest, and yet roundest post-fermented tea there is.
Net weight: 120 g (4.2 oz) in Kraft-alu pack -
Meizhan Classic, Wuyi yancha oolong
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Home, Neutral Energy, Oolongs, Tea, Wuyi-shan$ 24.70Wuyi's Secret Ingredient
Like Rou Gui and Shuixian, Meizhan has long been a major production cultivar in Wuyi. It has never attained that level of prestige like the other two though. Perhaps because traders want to hide a big secret. It is a major ingredient to blend with other varieties to produce what flood the high end market with labels of Red Cloak, Tieluohan, Shuijin Gui or such fancy traditional rare teas. We think it deserves a place of its own. Introducing Tea Hong’s Wuyi Meizhan. Enjoy its sweet floral aroma uniquely finished with a just right Wuyi style firing. A great tea for all occasions. No fancy names, just pure quality at great value.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
