Really high quality tea at competitive price I really enjoy their teas, but I have to remember not to wait as they sell out quickly 🙂 for me, oolong is their best (and my favorite) category but their long jing is phenomenal. If you want really high quality tea at competitive (for quality that rarely hits the western market), this is my go-to
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Frankee Muller
I have been reading Leo Kwan's Tea Guardian website for years. Every time I have a question about tea he is the first source I go to. I was thrilled when he launched Tea Hong because I knew he would only carry the best of the best teas, and I was not disappointed. Customer service is excellent in every way. The teas are expertly packaged so as to arrive in perfect condition. Superior quality Tea Hong's mantra.
A source that I trust for pure, authentic tea Definitely impressed with the speed and quality of service. The tea I received was vibrant and fresh, with strong aroma. Some sites offer a large selection, and you have to try to find the good ones. Tea hong offers a well curated selection, taking out the guesswork. Bottom line: This is a source that I trust for pure, authentic tea.
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Richard Lee
Thanks Tea Hong for the quality tea I've order several Phoenix Oolongs from Tea Hong and they're amazing. Thanks Tea Hong for the quality tea!!!
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Teddy Lionel
The only online tea shop that I will ever buy from Since reading Leo Kwan's tea blog (Tea Guardian), I had been longing to try for myself true quality teas, especially Phoenix Oolongs which I had never heard before. Well, thank God that he set up Tea Hong, I could finally experience those teas from a trustworthy source, the tea master himself ! Tea Hong might be rather new in online market, but they have been improving themselves and the customer service is great, not to mention the frequent sales and special offers 🙂 . This is the only online tea shop that I will ever buy from.
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NN
the very best, without a doubt I've consumed more than 1,000 different teas from over 100 vendors during the past 20+ years, and in my opinion it doesn't get much better than Tea Hong. Not only is this entire catalog curated and selected to be among the finest teas available anywhere in the world, but the level of detail that goes into both this website and Leo's other website (Tea Guardian) is a reflection of how passionate Leo is about educating tea drinkers around the world.
This entire catalog is curated and selected to be among the finest teas available anywhere in the world - and if you're looking for Phoenix Mountain oolongs, look no further, Leo has put together the absolute best that any connoisseur could ever wish for. The price to quality ratio is unbeatable and the flavor profiles are exquisite beyond belief. I never knew such gastronomic qualities could be achieved at such reasonable price points... Tea Hong truly is the mecca for Fenghuang oolong.
Across the full range of offerings, the attention to subtle nuances is unparalleled. Every tea I have tried is worth every penny, and the information about each tea is worth every second of your time. I am glad to have explored the world of tea through the lens of many different vendors, and found some great ones along the way, but after having discovered Tea Hong, I feel completely and entirely satisfied in my life. I no longer seek out new vendors, and I find myself only buying tea from Leo. I know that, whatever I buy from Tea Hong, it's going to be mind-numbingly impressive, and I can always count on Leo to offer the very best tea at prices that other vendors could never match.
I am happy to be able to support Tea Hong and I think everybody should as well. Even the most discerning and demanding aficionados will find something that will blow their minds no matter what their favorite teas are. For me, personally, that is Fenghuang dancong, and I can say without a doubt there is no better vendor out there. Save your money and do yourself a favor - come and explore the very best collection that anybody could ever dream of and wish for.
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Tony de Jasay
I have never been disappointed Tea Hong Oolongs are of a very high standard. So is the service, though the postal charges are a burden to a UK resident. I have never been disappointed, except by the withdrawal of the Phoenix Osmanthus from their range! Phoenix Classic is even part of the family arsenal when fighting of a cold! And thank you for the interesting articles and photos.
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Lai Hung En
I've always had top-notch tea from Tea Hong, and after trying so many tea shops around the world (including very expensive ones like Jing Tea in the UK), Tea Hong is one of the few that I keep coming back for. It’s not cheap but it’s worth every penny! I can’t get tea at the same quality anywhere else, so I guess I’ll keep coming back for more!
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Thuha Pham
Convenient way of bringing the tea dream to Canada An amazing teashop! The reason I'm skeptical of online tea shops is because of quality and you cannot taste the teas beforehand. But I have gained a unique trust with the vendor, and figured what lines are more suitable for me. Might I recommend the Phoenix line and puer line. The price beats all and the shipping and customer service is exceptional. I cannot wait for more high quality gems this year from teahong. The only thing is how they sell out to fast, and minor bugs for the site bit nevertheless phenomenal for online quality. *Side note: I haven't learned from a tea master as great as Leo before, his knowledge is amazing and his insight about the market is outstanding. May I commend him on his work as I know this is a smaller part of his latter career. I have learned things that no amount of my shenzhen tea friends could've taught me. Thank you teahong for making my tea collection larger with some fine selections, you've brought a convenient way of bringing the tea dream to Canada. So much easier than carrying kilos all the way from China by hand as I do now. 🙂
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Carlos Jorge Higuchi
Just like high end Japanese sake A company that has the highest quality product control and information available of product Origen and rating. just like high end Japan sake and high end food and beverage. tea Hong and its owner Leo Kwan is head and shoulders in the Chinese tea world. It is a good as it gets. truly recommend trying the Teas carefully following instruction in making the best tea infusion possible. the Tea alone is not enough to make a great tea experience. Water and its temperature, tea pot,tea cup,technical skill in pouring the water in the tea pot. But most important is the heart and energy of the person while handling the infusion. tea Hong has taught me all this.
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Matthew Grohne
Especially Phoenix oolong One of my favorite places to buy tea, especially Phoenix oolong (though the Laos Shengcha, now out of stock, is also one of my favorite teas overall). Excellent quality and service every time.
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Lui Wui Sze Olivia
Great value for quality teas Great value for quality teas. The shopping experiences are also excellent because there are detailed product information available on the site. Whenever you have questions about the teas (e.g. teas for pregnant women?) or teawares (e.g. how to choose a tea pot), just ask and the people in teahong will answer you in great details. Like phoenix oolong the most 😉
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Karen Elias Ager
Absolute pinnacle of quality teas Tea Hong offers the absolute pinnacle of quality teas. Certainly nothing else I'd previously experienced compares to Tea Hong. "Expert" tea shops in the U.S. pale in comparison. Tea Hong's proprietor and tea evangelist Leo Kwan ensures that the product is fairly traded and pure. Kwan makes regular forays into mainland China and elsewhere and has long-established relationships with expert growers, many of whom are from tea families dating back for generations. He and his team describe each offering with the same qualitative language as you'd expect from a wine sommelier. There is truly nothing more exciting than when the Tea Hong box arrives from Hong Kong filled with exotic and aromatic leaves, each variety with its own distinct shape, texture, color, smell and flavor. World travel in every cup.
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Steven Goldstein
I believe that Leo is the greatest tea connaisseur that I have ever meet
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Deborah Biber
Leo is the TEA Man Leo is the TEA Man. His Knowledge is beyond compare and he is dedicated to his cause of helping us all understand and appreciate the many nuances and attributes of tea.. He is the creator and founder of the Ming Cha brand.
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What they say about specific products
Some customers have shared what they think about a product by posting reviews in the product pages. There are quite a number of them. These are a few arbitrarily selected by a computer script to display below.
Would you like to tell others what you think of a tea too? Go to the respective product page and post it now.
Lincang Centenarians, traditional black tea
A good dianhong
This tea had a great complexity with a sweet tannic aftertaste in the throat and lower mouth. Really nice with the suddle citrus, and it carries itself well because it is not to weak. I feel like the more golden tips may give aroma but this tea has a nice balance between the two. Definitely a lot more complex and interesting than other more floral dianhongs I’ve tried.
Minh Pham
Shiguping Wulong, rare Phoenix oolong
A very special experience for a seasoned tea drinker who has been around the block with both Fenghuang and Taiwanese oolong.
The experience this dancong offers is one that extends far beyond just what is possible to perceive in the cup. You may smell and taste one thing, but if you understand what this is, it will open your mind up to a completely unchartered territory that no other dancong can access, and no other vendor can offer. I have yet to find Wulong genetics elsewhere in a Western-facing market; and even if I could, I sincerely doubt the quality would be the same as what Tea Hong offers.
In other words, this dancong is ridiculously good. What we have here is a genetic fork-in-the-road which represents a thousand-ish year old evolution of genetics that are separate from what normally defines Fenghuang oolong. This is not a Shui Xian hybrid… this is entirely different, and it shows across the full session.
Creamy, buttery, exceptionally round and smooth with tons and tons of exquisite nuances, this harmonizes the subtleties that only the highest caliber dancong and Taiwanese high-mountain oolongs can bring into existence.
It has the powerful minerality and complex mouthfeel that defines premium dancong, coupled with the graceful elegance that make Taiwanese high-mountain oolongs so desirable and expensive, in perfect equilibrium that both balances each other out and accentuates the differences in such a profound way that it becomes impossible to describe, and only possible to experience.
You simply must try this.
NN
Mini Peony, matured white tea
Aroma-evoked memories
As a child, my summer mornings were often spent in an open field, examining nature’s tiniest details. Mini Peony takes me back there with its tourmaline-yellow liquor and light, fresh aroma of purple clover, daisy and Queen Anne’s Lace. There’s also an herbal scent reminiscent of the sticky milkweed pods I would pull apart to examine. The infused leaves of this tea are a pleasant tangle resembling pea tendrils. Compared to the other white teas I’ve tried, Mini Peony is brighter and softer in taste with a surprisingly round, smooth and substantial texture. If only I could lift the lid off my gaiwan to hear birdsong and buzzing cicadas, my childhood flashback would be complete.
Karen Ager
Celeste Green Gaiwan
This quickly became my favorite Gaiwan.
The design is wonderful and reminds us to connect with nature. It is easy to decant due to the perfect shape of the lid.
The only wish I would have is for a slightly smaller version of the same design, maybe around 100ml for smaller gongfu sessions.
Tobias D
Bulang Maocha 2016, Pu’er shengcha
Availability
Hello Ming,
I am sorry if this has disappointed you. For the next batch, we shall have to wait till next harvest, which will be Spring 2016. By the time we finish screening and re-finishing the tea, it probably will be put on shelf by May.
Siu PB
Aura of the Night, bouquet Phoenix oolong
I am so happy that you have discovered that the tea has good dimensions besides its alluring beautiful first impression. It is indeed a very nice and rare batch.
While White Peony from Fuding tastes more floral, that from the other earliest region, Zhenghe, tastes longer and deeper. The more tedious curing process is marked by the darker colors on the leaves. While many prize Silver Needle Supreme for its delicate taste and furry appearance, a superb traditional white tea as White Peony Classic Long delivers a more impressive taste experience. That may explain why this Mudan Wang, aka King of White Peony, is considered the best and most classical representation from the origin, and a favourite by many tea connoisseurs. As most aficionados prefer it, we have always matured this tea adequately before releasing it in the shop. The current stock is a single batch first flush ( i.e. pre-Qing-ming ) harvest from 2019.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in wide Kraft-alu pack
To us, offering the extremely rare Shiguping Wulong is not a challenge enough. We think we should give you the best of its kind. Trekking further deep into the mountain above the elusive main village of Shiguping, we found the patch of land which the locals called Liao-xi-ya, where it all began. The tea is softer, yet fuller and even more complex than that in the main village. The very original Shiguping Wulong*, as highly acclaimed by the man who devoted all of his life in advocating oolongs of Phoenix, the 74 years-old tea specialist Huang Bozi.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
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
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.
Produced using a Phoenix native cultivar Da Baiye ( i.e. Big White Leaf ), and has certain taste similarity as the rarer Song Cultivar Huangzhi Xiang, this tea is popular amongst traders for use as a substitute for the pricier label. Tea Hong’s top quality selection, Big White is certainly a good demonstration of how this tea can fool the lesser experienced connoisseurs. That said, however, the trained tongue can certainly tell it is a fine tea on its own for the uniqueness in its floral aroma, silky texture and soft, smooth body.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
One issue with smaller gaiwans made from porcelain is the balance of weight while infusing and handling. The lightness in a small volume also means easier heat loss. The use of stoneware alleviate both issues. The brim is made thin, even and firm for easy control when decanting, while the body wall gradually thickens towards the centre for good heat retention. The glass like celadon overglaze makes the vessel as good as porcelain, only with the advantages of a more substantial body. This "Rural Life" gaiwan is one of two hand scripted smaller size selections we have picked from Dehua.
The first four lines from a Tang Dynasty poem "Rural Life" are handwritten on the perimeter of the gaiwan. The style of this calligraphic script is Cao Shu, a cursive script. Some call it running script. It seems that the brush was indeed running when the characters were being brushed on the ceramic biscuit.
茶碗上以草書體寫唐代賈島的一首詩，「郊居即事」的開頭四句：
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
The full body and fine taste of Imperial Golden Tip is possible only because of the foundation of a fine tippy tea, a masterfully and patiently executed post-fermentation processing and a specialistic approach in maturing. A great value for the level of taste it delivers. An optimal choice for the health benefits of pu’er tea.
Net weight: 100 g (3.5 oz) in Kraft Alu Pack
As a person continues to discover tea, sometimes finding one with subtle and yet complex fineness seems a lot more exciting than one with strong impressions. That is how we feel when we got hold of this. The locals aptly name it “Cao-lan” (Cymbidium goeringii), the rare orchid which ancient Chinese literati had revered for millenniums for its understated beauty and fragrance*. The long, sweet yet subtle taste and aftertaste of this tea echos the sentiments for the civilized persistence for humanity virtues of the classic eras. If you enjoy our Eight Immortals, Orchid Literati will take you to another level.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
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
Cutting away from the main trail towards the more visited Zhongxin Yin and Lizai Ping, hidden away behind a spur, there is this tiny secluded enclave in Wudong by the name of Danhu. As the mecca of Fenghuang Dancong, where the oldest form of oolong is the de facto tea to produce, Wudong is one of the major mounts of the Phoenix Mountains. Outside of the 7 major villages listed administratively, there are actually many other small areas where a few or even a couple of households make up a small tea haven of their own. Shaded on the north of the dark rock mountain, it is cool here even at 4 pm on a summer day. The tea forests here are mostly bushes 2 to 3 meters tall. Occasional 3 to 5 meter ones, each occupying a circular clearing around them, growing gloriously with their wide-spread crowns. Tiny patches of vegetables grown here and there under tea trees. The few families here have been tea farmers since their grandfathers remembered. As to when the old bush for our Song Cultivar have been here, no one can really tell.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
What they say about our shop
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Tell people what you think of Tea Hong
Or you can post it directly here
[contact-form-7 id=”12892″ title=”Your review of our shop”]
What they say about specific products
Some customers have shared what they think about a product by posting reviews in the product pages. There are quite a number of them. These are a few arbitrarily selected by a computer script to display below.
Would you like to tell others what you think of a tea too? Go to the respective product page and post it now.
Lincang Centenarians, traditional black tea
A good dianhong
This tea had a great complexity with a sweet tannic aftertaste in the throat and lower mouth. Really nice with the suddle citrus, and it carries itself well because it is not to weak. I feel like the more golden tips may give aroma but this tea has a nice balance between the two. Definitely a lot more complex and interesting than other more floral dianhongs I’ve tried.
Shiguping Wulong, rare Phoenix oolong
A very special experience for a seasoned tea drinker who has been around the block with both Fenghuang and Taiwanese oolong.
The experience this dancong offers is one that extends far beyond just what is possible to perceive in the cup. You may smell and taste one thing, but if you understand what this is, it will open your mind up to a completely unchartered territory that no other dancong can access, and no other vendor can offer. I have yet to find Wulong genetics elsewhere in a Western-facing market; and even if I could, I sincerely doubt the quality would be the same as what Tea Hong offers.
In other words, this dancong is ridiculously good. What we have here is a genetic fork-in-the-road which represents a thousand-ish year old evolution of genetics that are separate from what normally defines Fenghuang oolong. This is not a Shui Xian hybrid… this is entirely different, and it shows across the full session.
Creamy, buttery, exceptionally round and smooth with tons and tons of exquisite nuances, this harmonizes the subtleties that only the highest caliber dancong and Taiwanese high-mountain oolongs can bring into existence.
It has the powerful minerality and complex mouthfeel that defines premium dancong, coupled with the graceful elegance that make Taiwanese high-mountain oolongs so desirable and expensive, in perfect equilibrium that both balances each other out and accentuates the differences in such a profound way that it becomes impossible to describe, and only possible to experience.
You simply must try this.
Mini Peony, matured white tea
Aroma-evoked memories
As a child, my summer mornings were often spent in an open field, examining nature’s tiniest details. Mini Peony takes me back there with its tourmaline-yellow liquor and light, fresh aroma of purple clover, daisy and Queen Anne’s Lace. There’s also an herbal scent reminiscent of the sticky milkweed pods I would pull apart to examine. The infused leaves of this tea are a pleasant tangle resembling pea tendrils. Compared to the other white teas I’ve tried, Mini Peony is brighter and softer in taste with a surprisingly round, smooth and substantial texture. If only I could lift the lid off my gaiwan to hear birdsong and buzzing cicadas, my childhood flashback would be complete.
Celeste Green Gaiwan
This quickly became my favorite Gaiwan.
The design is wonderful and reminds us to connect with nature. It is easy to decant due to the perfect shape of the lid.
The only wish I would have is for a slightly smaller version of the same design, maybe around 100ml for smaller gongfu sessions.
Bulang Maocha 2016, Pu’er shengcha
Availability
Hello Ming,
I am sorry if this has disappointed you. For the next batch, we shall have to wait till next harvest, which will be Spring 2016. By the time we finish screening and re-finishing the tea, it probably will be put on shelf by May.
Aura of the Night, bouquet Phoenix oolong
I am so happy that you have discovered that the tea has good dimensions besides its alluring beautiful first impression. It is indeed a very nice and rare batch.
Random top customer-rated products
White Peony Classic Long, traditional white tea
Lighter Aromas, Milder Tastes, Minnan/ Mindong, Fujian, Neutral-Cool Energy, Tea, White teasZhenghe Mudan Wang
While White Peony from Fuding tastes more floral, that from the other earliest region, Zhenghe, tastes longer and deeper. The more tedious curing process is marked by the darker colors on the leaves. While many prize Silver Needle Supreme for its delicate taste and furry appearance, a superb traditional white tea as White Peony Classic Long delivers a more impressive taste experience. That may explain why this Mudan Wang, aka King of White Peony, is considered the best and most classical representation from the origin, and a favourite by many tea connoisseurs. As most aficionados prefer it, we have always matured this tea adequately before releasing it in the shop. The current stock is a single batch first flush ( i.e. pre-Qing-ming ) harvest from 2019.Shiguping Wulong, rare Phoenix oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Fuller Bodies, Lighter Aromas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, TeaRare Indigenous Cultivar:
To us, offering the extremely rare Shiguping Wulong is not a challenge enough. We think we should give you the best of its kind. Trekking further deep into the mountain above the elusive main village of Shiguping, we found the patch of land which the locals called Liao-xi-ya, where it all began. The tea is softer, yet fuller and even more complex than that in the main village. The very original Shiguping Wulong*, as highly acclaimed by the man who devoted all of his life in advocating oolongs of Phoenix, the 74 years-old tea specialist Huang Bozi.Oriental Beauty, deep oxidation Taiwan oolong
Fuller Bodies, Lighter Aromas, Neutral Energy, Oolongs, Taiwan, TeaDongfang 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.Bamboo Leaf, traditional green tea
Cool Energy, Fuller Bodies, Green teas, Lighter Aromas, Tea, ZhejiangZhuye 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.Big White, Phoenix dancong oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, TeaFenghuang Da Baiye:
Produced using a Phoenix native cultivar Da Baiye ( i.e. Big White Leaf ), and has certain taste similarity as the rarer Song Cultivar Huangzhi Xiang, this tea is popular amongst traders for use as a substitute for the pricier label. Tea Hong’s top quality selection, Big White is certainly a good demonstration of how this tea can fool the lesser experienced connoisseurs. That said, however, the trained tongue can certainly tell it is a fine tea on its own for the uniqueness in its floral aroma, silky texture and soft, smooth body.Rural Life Gaiwan
Gaiwans, Stoneware, Tea AccessoriesCeladon overglaze stoneware
One issue with smaller gaiwans made from porcelain is the balance of weight while infusing and handling. The lightness in a small volume also means easier heat loss. The use of stoneware alleviate both issues. The brim is made thin, even and firm for easy control when decanting, while the body wall gradually thickens towards the centre for good heat retention. The glass like celadon overglaze makes the vessel as good as porcelain, only with the advantages of a more substantial body. This "Rural Life" gaiwan is one of two hand scripted smaller size selections we have picked from Dehua. The first four lines from a Tang Dynasty poem "Rural Life" are handwritten on the perimeter of the gaiwan. The style of this calligraphic script is Cao Shu, a cursive script. Some call it running script. It seems that the brush was indeed running when the characters were being brushed on the ceramic biscuit. 茶碗上以草書體寫唐代賈島的一首詩，「郊居即事」的開頭四句：住此園林久，其如未是家。葉書傳野意，檐溜煮胡茶。
Aura of the Night, bouquet Phoenix oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, TeaYelai 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.Imperial Golden Tip 2013, Pu’er shu cha
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral Energy, Pu'er teas, Tea, YunnanMenghai Fine Leaf Classic Pu’er:
The full body and fine taste of Imperial Golden Tip is possible only because of the foundation of a fine tippy tea, a masterfully and patiently executed post-fermentation processing and a specialistic approach in maturing. A great value for the level of taste it delivers. An optimal choice for the health benefits of pu’er tea.Orchid Literati, Phoenix dancong oolong
Cool Energy, Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Oolongs, TeaCaolan Dancong — Duck Poo Tea
As a person continues to discover tea, sometimes finding one with subtle and yet complex fineness seems a lot more exciting than one with strong impressions. That is how we feel when we got hold of this. The locals aptly name it “Cao-lan” (Cymbidium goeringii), the rare orchid which ancient Chinese literati had revered for millenniums for its understated beauty and fragrance*. The long, sweet yet subtle taste and aftertaste of this tea echos the sentiments for the civilized persistence for humanity virtues of the classic eras. If you enjoy our Eight Immortals, Orchid Literati will take you to another level.Moon Drops Himalayas, deep oxidation Nepali white tea
Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Nepal, the Himalayas, Neutral-Cool Energy, Organic teas, Tea, White teasWhen 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.Danhu Old Bush Song Cultivar, Phoenix dancong oolong
Fenghuang | Phoenix, Floral Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Neutral-Cool Energy, Oolongs, TeaA very special Huangzhi Xiang
Cutting away from the main trail towards the more visited Zhongxin Yin and Lizai Ping, hidden away behind a spur, there is this tiny secluded enclave in Wudong by the name of Danhu. As the mecca of Fenghuang Dancong, where the oldest form of oolong is the de facto tea to produce, Wudong is one of the major mounts of the Phoenix Mountains. Outside of the 7 major villages listed administratively, there are actually many other small areas where a few or even a couple of households make up a small tea haven of their own. Shaded on the north of the dark rock mountain, it is cool here even at 4 pm on a summer day. The tea forests here are mostly bushes 2 to 3 meters tall. Occasional 3 to 5 meter ones, each occupying a circular clearing around them, growing gloriously with their wide-spread crowns. Tiny patches of vegetables grown here and there under tea trees. The few families here have been tea farmers since their grandfathers remembered. As to when the old bush for our Song Cultivar have been here, no one can really tell.Celeste Green Chahai
Chahai, Tea Accessories, White porcelainA classical shape chahai that goes well with an 160ml teapot. Or choose it to pair with the Celeste Green Gaiwan.