Japanese Black

In addition to its well-known green teas, Japan also produces small quantities of black teas.  It is a nice change from drinking too much matcha, sencha or gyokuro. 



Japanese Black


Type:  Black Tea     Producing Country: Japan      Preparation:  95°C 3 Min

Dry Leaf:  The small-cut pieces are herbaceous.
Wet Leaf:  Cooked squash would describe the brew.
Liquor:      The result is a reddish brown tea that is sweet, floral, malty and slightly astringent.   It is comparable to good Ceylon and Kenya teas.

Tee Score: 4 out of 5

Golden Monkey

This Golden Monkey is likely from Fujian and not from Keemun.   Only buds and young leaves are harvested to craft Golden Monkey, which possibly describes the golden color and the monkey-claw shape of the dry leaves.   Monkey as in 'monkey-picked' could also imply that it is a 'high quality' tea.  Monkeys can be trained to pick coconuts.  As for them picking tea leaves, it is just a myth.

Golden Monkey

Type:  Black Tea     Producing Country: China     Preparation:  95°C 4 Min

Dry Leaf:  These mixed golden and brown needles are tiny, beautiful and full of aromas, including coco, leather and wicker.
Wet Leaf:  The soft leaves smell like wet straws. 
Liquor:      The deep copper brew is brisk, full-bodied, slightly malty, and not astringent.   It pairs well with golden Oreo cookies.   

Tee Score: 4 out of 5

99% Oxidized Oolong

Typical oxidation levels of oolong are from about 10% to 80%.  A 99% oxidized Purple Oolong from Sumatra is closer to a black tea.    



99% oxidized oolong

Type:  Oolong     Producing Country: Indonesia      Preparation:  95°C 5 Min

Dry Leaf:  The dark brown, not purple, 'pearls' are larger than other oolongs'.  They have the aromas of dark roasted oolong teas: smoky, toasty, chocolaty and woodsy. 
Wet Leaf:  The wet leaves are very dark and smoky. 
Liquor:      The brown liquor is surprisingly smooth.  It is like a mixture of coco, coffee and roasted barley.

Tee Score: 3 out of 5

Jun Shan Yin Zhen

Jun Shan Yin Zhen, one of the 10 famous Chinese teas,  contains only the young tea buds that underwent the process of being covered with a damp cloth for several hours after withering and heating steps.  

Yellow teas are rare and Jun Shan Yin Zhen best represents this tea category. 
 

Jun Shan Yin Zhen


Type:  Yellow Tea     Producing Country: China      Preparation:  85°C 3 Min

Dry Leaf:  The dark green needles are lovely and herbaceous.
Wet Leaf:  The young buds have the aromas of green beans.
Liquor:      The yellow brew is delicate, light and well-rounded. It has notes of green beans and toasts. 

Tee Score: 5 out of 5

Jin Xuan

The tale of milk oolong is that the Moon fell in love with a comet passing through the night sky.  The comet burned and vanished.  The Moon's unrequited love for the comet caused the wind to blow and the temperature to drop in the tea farms.  As a result of a sudden change in temperature, the tea collected and produced turned out to be buttery delicious.   But in reality, it's likely the tea varietal that attributes to the characteristics of milk oolong or Jin Xuan. Taiwan has been developing tea varietals for many years.   TTES12 or Jin Xuan is one of the more popular cultivars developed for oolong.    

 

Jin Xuan


Type:  Oolong     Producing Country: Taiwan     Preparation:  90°C 5 Min

Dry Leaf:  The semi-rolled pellets are fragrant, buttery, and sweet with a clean  background (no flavorings added). 
Wet Leaf:  The pellets unfurl to large leaves, which are both creamy and floral.    
Liquor:      The tea is straw-colored.  It is still milky, floral (gardenia), smooth and long in the mouth after multiple infusions.    

Tee Score: 5 out of 5

Da Hong Pao

Da Hong Pao has a rich history.  It is one of the ten famous Chinese teas as well as one of the four legendary WuYi rock teas.  One legend of Da Hong Pao is that hundred years ago a scholar fell ill on his way to take a bureaucracy exam.   But he recovered after having drunk the tea Mount WuYi monks offered and was able to continue his journey.  Later the scholar, now a bureaucrat, returned to WuYi and bestowed his official da hong pao or big red robe on the trees that produced the teas he once drank.   There are still six 360-year old 'mother' trees, guarded and protected, at WuYi. The Da Hong Pao tea available on the market today is from the clones or descendants of the mother trees.     



Da Hong Pao

 Type:  Oolong     Producing Country: China      Preparation:  95°C 4 Min

Dry Leaf:  The long wiry charcoal leaves are floral, dried-fruity and slightly chocolaty.
Wet Leaf:  The leaves are floral with roasting aromas.
Liquor:      The amber tea is floral and smooth.  It is full-bodied with some spicy notes.

Tee Score: 4 out of 5