Liu An Gua Pian

Liu An Gua Pian (Melon Slice from around Liu An, Anhui, China) is produced from leaves only.  Buds and stems are removed after plucking.  The shape of the dry leaves resembles a plump watermelon seed.   Gua Pian is as refreshing as watermelon juice.

Gua Pian has a long history dated back hundreds of years and was one of the tribute teas to the emperor. 

Liu An Gua Pian

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

Dry Leaf:  The dark green melon slices are definitely herbaceous and not fruity.
Wet Leaf:  The leaves again are herbaceous. 
Liquor:      The light tea is a little bit astringent but is still sweet and refreshing.

Tee Score: 4 out of 5

Dragon Well

Dragon Well or Long Jing is the most well-known and popular Chinese green tea.   The key characteristic of Long Jing is its flat leaves.  Making Long Jing requires very skilled hands shaping the leaves in a hot wok.   This elaborate effort results in a light and sweet tea. 

Dragon Well

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

Dry Leaf:  The flat green and beige leaves are toasty and inviting.
Wet Leaf:  Each flat leaf becomes one bud and one leaf.  The wet Dragonwell is peppery and vegetal (artichoke).  
Liquor:      The tea is pale yellow.  It is creamy and sweet.   The clean and fresh finish must be the reason for its popularity. 

Tee Score: 5 out of 5

An Ji Bai Cha

It sounds, looks and smells like a white tea.  But it fools you as it is a green tea.   Teas are classified by their manufacture process and not by their good looks.   An Ji Bai Cha or White Tea from An Ji or Jade Phoenix likely got its name from the tea varietal.  An Ji Bai Cha contains more amino acids than other Chinese green teas.  Therefore, it is an ideal chill-out drink.     

An Ji Bai Cha

Type:  Green tea  Producing Country: China      Preparation:  85°C 3 Min

Dry Leaf:  The bouquet of these thin and straight needles is wicker or rattan.
Wet Leaf:  Each thin needle becomes one bud and one leaf, and is vegetal.
Liquor:      The very pale tea is fresh, not grassy, and artichoke-vegetal.  With more amino acids, it is savory and long. 

Tee Score: 5 out of 5

Huang Zhi Xiang

Huang Zhi Xiang (Yellow Branch Fragrance) is a Guangdong Phoenix Mountain Dan Cong Oolong and is produced from the clones of an old tea tree.  One may, while drinking gallons of tea, debate over the meaning of Dan Cong (single bush) until the cows come home. The fact is that Dan Cong teas are delicious.

There are several Phoenix Mountain Dan Cong teas, such as Mi Lian Xiang (honey fragrance) and Rou Gui (cinnamon), each of which with its own unique flower or fruit flavor profile.  They are best brewed Gong-Fu style and can be steeped many times.   

Huang Zhi Xiang


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

Dry Leaf:  The long wiry leaves are buttery and floral. 
Wet Leaf:  The wet leaves are not particularly large and have a nice gardenia nose.   
Liquor:      The golden tea is smooth and thick or full-bodied.  It has sweet and long floral aromas (gardenia and honeysuckle) and is reminiscent of a fine Jasmine tea.  

Tee Score: 4 out of 5

Blue Unicorn

In recent years, more tea growing countries have forayed into making Oolongs.   Nevertheless, China and Taiwan continue to produce the majority of and the best Oolongs in the world.



Blue Unicorn is from Idulgashinna Tea Garden in Sri Lanka.  Each cone comprises several leaves/buds and does resemble the horn of the legendary animal but is the size of a tee.  Oolong is also known as blue tea.  Three Blue Unicorns weigh about 2 g and are sufficient for brewing a cup.    

Blue Unicorn

 Type:  Oolong     Producing Country: Sri Lanka      Preparation:  90°C 6 Min

Dry Leaf:  The cones are richly fruity: raisins and figs.   The shape is attractive. 
Wet Leaf:  The cones uncoil into leaves/buds, which are again fruity.  
Liquor:      The tea is clean and smooth but lacks animal magnetism.   By the third steeping, it is flat.  It could be mistaken for a Chinese green tea.  

Tee Score: 3 out of 5

Japanese Oolong

Japanese teas are synonymous with green teas.  Japanese Oolong teas are usually imported from China and Taiwan, and are rarely produced domestically.  This Oolong is from Miyazaki on Kyushu Island in Japan.  It is lightly oxidized and pan-fried.    The overall mouthfeel is similar to a green tea.     



Japan Oolong



Type:  Oolong     Producing Country: Japan      Preparation:  90°C 4 Min

Dry Leaf:  The leaves smell like toasted green teas.
Wet Leaf:  The wet leaves are a bit floral
Liquor:      The tea is clean, vegetal and faintly floral.  It is not grassy but finishes like a green tea - long and slight astringency.      

Tee Score: 3 out of 5

Bai Mu Dan

White Peony or Bai Mu Dan is said to have got its name from its one bud and leaves plucked, which are similar in appearance to white peony flower petals.   It is a fuller and less expensive white tea as it contains more leaves and some buds, generally from the Dai Bai tea bush.   Bai Mu Dan is often used for making flavored white teas.



Bai Mu Dan

 Type:  White Tea     Producing Country: China      Preparation:  85°C 4 Min

Dry Leaf:  The leaves have a strong scent of dried fruits.  They also are herbaceous and spicy.
Wet Leaf:  The wet infusion is faintly floral and fruity.   
Liquor:      Although the amber tea is fuller, it is not ample.  It has slight astringency and a note of cocoa.

Tee Score: 3 out of 5