Author: Oolong Owl

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2017 Cloud 9 Fuding White Tea from Bitterleaf Teas

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Today’s tea is Bitterleaf Tea’s 2017 Cloud 9 Fuding White Tea. This white tea is interesting as it is old growth large leaves only, but not the huangpian ugly grade leaves. I purchased this tea as Bitterleaf Tea’s white tea offerings I find economical for aging. Leaf and Steeping Method Wow, 2017 Cloud 9 looks fun with the large flat leaves. The cake smells like stale hay and willow sticks, making me think this is rabbit food than tea. This tea is easy to pry pieces off of, however, it creates a lot of shattered dust if going the usual… Continue reading, hoot!

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Wild Northern Thailand Apple Pie Green and Moonlit Mint Black Tea from Love Some Tea

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I have the hankering for some flavored teas, so let’s drink some dessert teas today. Love Some Tea uses wild-grown tea from Northern Thailand, making the base tea something special. I previously reviewed Love Some Tea, including their teas without any added flavorings. Love Some Tea’s Moonlit Mint Black Tea Love Some Tea’s Moonlit Mint is simply their wild black Northern Thailand tea with peppermint oil. To infuse this tea, I used 4 grams of leaf, 9.5oz/ 280ml of 200F/ 93c water for 2 minutes. Moonlight mint sips in fairly pepperminty. As the sip goes on, it gets dark, woodsy,… Continue reading, hoot!

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2019 Gore of the Forest Sheng Puer from White2tea

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2019 Gore of the Forest is promised to be a complex and pithy sheng blend. I didn’t hesitate to purchase a sample of this tea with my last White2tea order as I tend to enjoy this price bracket. Leaf and Steeping Method The dry leaf has a powdery fruity sweet scent, like peachy fruit leather. Nothing new, I used a gongfu ratio of 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, steeped in quick boiling water infusions. After a rinse, the leaves smell like rice porridge. Tasting of White2tea’s 2019 Gore of the Forest Sheng Puer First and Second… Continue reading, hoot!

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19 Year Old Lishan High Mountain Laocha from Tributary Teas

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Among the other Taiwanese High Mountain teas, Tributary Teas has an aged 19 year old Lishan. Not often do I come across aged high mountain teas, so trying this Lisahn Laocha will be a treat. My sample package says 18 years as I got this tea in 2019. Leaf and Steeping Method Leaf smells like roast and cherry wood. I used 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, gongfu steeped in boiling water. Steeped up, the leaves have a creamy nutty scent. Tasting of Tributary Tea’s Lishan High Mountain Laocha First, Second, Third, and Fourth Infusion: Lishan High… Continue reading, hoot!

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2019 Eden Manzhuan Sheng Puer from Bitterleaf Teas

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Eden is a Manzhuan blend which is an ongoing tea in Bitterleaf Tea’s lineup. A number of my tea friends quote Eden as being one of their favorite Bitterleaf teas, whereas I’m the loon that likes The Bitter End LaomanE cake. I have to admit, 2019 Eden is my favorite wrapper artwork from Bitterleaf Tea’s 2019 lineup. Leaf and Steeping Method The dry leaf has a fruity tart cherry scent. As usual, I used a gongfu ratio of 1 gram per 15ml of vessel size, steeped in boiling water. After a rinse and a steep, the leaves smell of floral,… Continue reading, hoot!

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2019 Builders Black Bamboo Roasted Tea from White2Tea

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The Owls and I were in the mood for a hearty black tea, so today let’s have White2tea’s 2019 Builders. The 2019 Builders is a Yunnan sundried black tea smashed into bamboo then hand roasted over a fire. I am expecting a strong session, similar to a UK Builders Tea. My curiosity about the combo of Yunnan black tea in bamboo got me to purchase a sample with one of my White2Tea orders. Leaf and Steeping Method The scent of the dry leaves is sweet, fruity, and tannic. Above is a 23 gram chunk, with 2 grams of crumbs to… Continue reading, hoot!

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Aged Pomelo Oolong from Wang Family Tea

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Wang Family Tea’s Aged Pomelo Oolong took the 2019 Northwest Tea Festival by storm! It is a Shan Lin Xi (Qingxin cultivar) High Mountain oolong stuffed into a Pomelo then aged for 8 years, though now maybe 9 years as it is 2020. Leaf and Steeping Instructions The leaf is very fragrantly orange despite my crap storage treatment. At the tea festival, Wang Family Tea put a tea sample in a paper box, which I left in for months, so it has been exposed to more airflow than optimal. For steeping ratio, I used 1 gram of leaf per 15ml… Continue reading, hoot!

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2020 January White2tea club feat. 2019 Charlie Shou Puer

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Back in February 2019 White2tea club, it featured a new club exclusive shou puer – 2018 Charlie. Charlie is back for the January 2020 White2tea club! 2018 Charlie was one of my favorite shous for its earthy creamy quality. The 2019 Charlie is a bit different adding 1 to 3 year old+ material to the mix, though pressed in 2019. It took me a couple of months to try my shou cake, so it is fairly rested from travel. Leaf and Steeping Method The cake has an earth and paper scent. My gongfu ratio was 1 gram of leaf per… Continue reading, hoot!

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2019 Spring Gao Shan Rou Gui Oolong from Old Ways Tea

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The tea review for today is Old Ways Tea’s Spring 2019 Gao Shan Rou Gui. This Rougui sports a lighter roast and tea material from one of the higher altitudes in Wuyishan. Leaf and Steeping Method Gorgeous leaf, look at those fall colours! Far away, the tea smells like peanut shells, but when I jam my face in the leaves it smells like fruit leather. For gongfu ratio, I dumped the entire packet in my gaiwan, clocking in at 1 gram of leaf per 12.5ml of vessel size. From there, I steeped with boiling water. The hot leaf smells like… Continue reading, hoot!

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Ohelo Tumbler Review

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Ohelo Tumbler is an attractive, low profile, temperature retention bottle with a filter. I have the Black Blossom model. Ohelo Tumbler Specs 400ml / 13.5oz Vacuum insulated double-walled 18/8 stainless steel Electropolished interior for extra resistance to bacteria and easy cleaning Stays hot for 6 hours, cold for 12 hours. Removable stainless steel mesh under the lid Leakproof sip twist lid BPA, BPS, BPF free Handwash only (though uncoated stainless steel designs are dishwasher safe) Offered in 4 different laser etched designs (plain, bee, blossom, swallows) and 6 colours (black, stainless steel, white, pink, blue, yellow) The laser etched design… Continue reading, hoot!