What our customers say

2013 vs 2011

Hello Sofina, this is a great question. No one can be 100% sure of how the 2013 will mature. However, given proper storage condition, we believe this stock will become a better tea in two year’s time than the 2011 batch now. We agree with you that there will be more tastes and thereby to mature into a fuller body and a mellowed down astringency. If you are interested in maturing this tea, we shall launch a new bigger pack size that will be more advantageous for maturing. Hopefully that’s before this batch is sold out. 😉

A very soft and round oolong with plenty of depth to appreciate. Don’t let its silky texture or its remarkable resistance to high temperatures & long steep times fool you – this is actually quite a complex gastronomical experience, one that is ridiculously easy to brew up.

I find the focal point of this tea to be its silky-smooth, buttery-soft body… it’s just such a thick and luscious sensation that greets you right when you take a sip, and hangs out on the palate even long into the aftertaste.

In terms of the flavor profile, I get overt and thick notes of mango flesh – bright, fresh, tropical and dank, with sweet undertones of plums and berries, plus soft hints of spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. The thick note of mango flesh is intertwined with the buttery-smooth body of this tea, the two seem inseparable in the cup, and even the lingering sweetness in the aftertaste these two notes continue to be present in unison.

The aroma coming off the bottom of an empty cup, as its cooling, has a distinct herbaceous quality to it, reminiscent of sweet pine, rosemary, and sage. There’s some pineapple fruitiness in there somewhere too.

The leaf quality is superb. The leaves are quite large, processed very uniformly, and not over-compressed. They unfurl slowly and reveal thick, full leaves that were clearly handled well in every step of the making of this tea.

This is very complex oolong – especially considering Si Ji Chun is a rather generic cultivar. It’s popular because, as its name suggests, it can be harvested in all four seasons which makes it ideal for mass production in all of Taiwan’s tea-growing regions. The market is saturated with Si Ji Chun that, at best, is acceptable quality. It’s difficult to find truly exceptional representations of a cultivar that is ultimately intended for mass production.

This, however, is about as premium as Si Ji Chun gets. The price is quite humble considering this tea is a flavor bomb that is impossible to over-brew. However you brew it up you’re likely going to have a really good cup.

Good whole day tea

This is very good whole day tea for me. Put some in my very tall mug with tea leaves container to steep for 5 minutes. Drink 5 times or 6 times each day. Very good taste and good smell. I like it very much.

Yes! A Ruyao ware would be very appropriate for this tea. Smart choice. BTW, this is one of the most popular teas in our team and the first one that I have fallen in love with. 😉

This is a good example of baked Tieguanyin, it’s got good firing techniques coupled with good leaf material, and it’s pretty flexible in terms of how it can be brewed up. It always creates a deeply enjoyable cup of tea in the handful of times I’ve brewed it so far. This tea is going to be awesome in the fall and winter time – but even during the cooler days of the hot summer, which I’m in right now, it’s proven to be quite refreshing.

I enjoy the way the soft floral and stronger fruity notes come to the forefront of the palate with each progressive sip, gently being supported by the clear notes of charcoal without ever becoming smothered by them. The baking accents the flavor profile and adds an interesting depth by bringing out a kind of fruity sweetness that is usually obliterated when the firing is taken too far… which is quite often, unfortunately.

Anybody can burn a batch of tea leaves, either at too high a temperature or for too long, or perhaps even a combination of both – and call it a “high roast”, but this takes no skill to achieve. What does take skill to achieve, is a proper firing that elevates the inherent qualities of the tea leaf being processed. There are molecular changes to the constituents of the leaf that are induced by good firing techniques, and these are what create depth in sweetness and distinct accents in the floral and fruity layers of the flavor profiles, which is what I find in this Tieguanyin Classic.

It’s nice to see an example of proper firing techniques in something priced superbly well for daily drinking. If you’re looking for a roasted Tieguanyin as your daily-drinker, this is a great choice.

The leaf quality is fantastic, as these little nuggets unfurl slowly across both gong-fu and Western-style infusions, and across a wide temperature range, they are uniform and have some stoutness to them even after taking a long bath in water fresh off a rolling boil. They hold their composure well and resist turning bitter. Even as the cup cools, the tea remains crisp and clear in its flavor profile.

It is great comfort to read from a user who can so explicitly understand the rarity and value of this selection. It does take ample exposure to what’s available in the market, consistent brewing skills, as well as the talents of a sensitive palate to write this comment here. My deepest appreciation.