Author: Oolong Owl

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2021 December White2tea Club feat. 2021 XXXmas Sheng Puer

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Happy Holidays! As a tradition, the White2tea club sends out a 200 gram huangpian cake for the month of December. Like previous years, this is the 2021 XXXmas sheng puer! Yes, I am missing a few months of the club and skipping ahead to the December box. Blame the current chaos that is international shipping so I have tea clubs out of sync. I rather drink this tea on Christmas than 3 months later when I catch up on tea clubs. Leaf and Steeping Method The leaves have a faint nutty floral scent. I used a gongfu ratio of 1… Continue reading, hoot!

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Zendo and Haiku Ripe Puer from Mandala Tea

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Back again with more incredible Mandala Tea shou puer! For today, I have mini touchas of 2020 Zendo and Haiku ripe puer. Mandala Tea ripe puer game is always strong and they ship fast for those in the US as they are in Minnesota. Mandala Tea’s 2020 Zendo Ripe Puer The material from Zendo is from Mang Fei mountain in Yongde county, Yunnan. I have the mini toucha as my sample, but Mandala Tea sells this tea also in 100 gram cakes and loose leaf form. Zendo’s leaves have an earthy and black licorice scent. For both shous, I went… Continue reading, hoot!

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Tieguanyin, Wuyi Rock Oolong, and Silver Needle from Hence Tea

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I have more teas from Hence Tea today. This vendor is based in Los Angeles, California – so another US source for Chinese teas. On the tea menu are Tieguanyin, Wuyi Rock Da Hong Pao, and Silver Needle white tea. Hence Tea’s Tieguanyin Just from the scent alone, this is a heavy floral Tieguanyin. For this tea, I used boiling water and a leaf to gaiwan ratio of 1 gram per 15ml. Tieguanyin sips in buttery, sweet, powdered honey, with a vibrant floral carnation and orchid flavor. Each steeping dives deeper into the floral notes, adding some buttered popcorn to… Continue reading, hoot!

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Atlas Tea Club feat. Teas from Thailand

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Back again with Atlas Tea Club – a monthly tea subscription that sends you tea from a new country! I think this tea club is such a great idea as it explores one’s horizons, provides tea education, and no international shipping to deal with. The previous box I wrote about is the Nepal month. Today, I have teas from Thailand – Golden Lily Green, Gui Fei White, and Honey Scent Black! Not pictured is a baggie of paper infusers. Note: Typically everyone gets 2 teas per box with a choice of Greens, Variety, or Black teas – it appears I… Continue reading, hoot!

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2020 Nightshade Old Tree White Tea from Floating Leaves Tea

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I’m always excited to see a new white tea being offered by Floating Leaves Tea, as one of my favorite white teas of all time is their Red Peony. Today is a brand new white tea – Nightshade Old Tree White Tea! This is a 2020 Lincang, Yunnan white tea, so a bit different than their usual Taiwanese teas. Leaf and Steeping Method Not too much scent from the leaves. There is a powdery sweet scent and lovely grayscale like appearanceI used 1 gram of leaf per 20ml of vessel size, gongfu steeped in boiling water. After a rinse, I… Continue reading, hoot!

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2021 October Old Ways Tea Club feat. Rougui Tea Master’s Set

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2021 October Old Ways Tea Club – Issue 7! Gosh, it’s been a year on this tea club and it doesn’t feel like it. This month is a Rougui Tea Master’s Set – Maocha, First Roast, and Second Roast. Rougui Maocha from 2021 October Old Ways Tea Club Rougui Maocha is biscuity and floral scented. To make a 5g serving I pulled out almost a gram of sticks – it is worth sorting as sticks don’t add much flavor. I went for a lighter gongfu ratio than I usually do for these oolongs, so 1 gram of leaf per 15ml… Continue reading, hoot!

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2021 September White2tea Club feat. 2018 Gongmei

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Let’s go! 2021 September White2tea club time! In this box is a fancy 2021 Baimudan and 2018 Gongmei whites, as well as 2021 Yesheng Gushu Hongcha. If you were waiting on my 2021 August club post, China Post still has it, so I’ve just decided to proceed with September. August through November I’ve had all my packages from China either show up immediately or months. 2021 Baimudan White from 2021 September White2tea club The fresh Baimudan leaves are shades of light and dark green mixed with fuzzy silver buds, all with an itchy freshly cut timothy hay and floral scent.… Continue reading, hoot!

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2020 Baby Dragon Sheng Puer from Crimson Lotus Tea

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Today’s tea is Crimson Lotus Tea’s 2020 Baby Dragon sheng puer. Baby Dragon is “Slumbering Dragon lite” as it has a blend of wild Kunlu and other mountains to make it a bit more affordable. The wrapper artwork is A+. Stasia Burrington‘s work is enchanting! I only have a sample of this tea, so I do not have the wrapper art, but I do own a Baby Dragon shirt! Leaf and Steeping Method Unwrapping Baby Dragon’s packaging emitted a strong herby floral scent. Upclose in the hot gaiwan, the dry leaves smell of straw and bruised peaches. My young sheng… Continue reading, hoot!

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2020 Mud Sheng Puer from White2tea

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Today’s tea is White2tea’s 2020 Mud Sheng Puer. I purchased this sample as it sounded up my alley with promises of mega huigan (returning sweetness aftertaste). Yes, I know I’m way behind in the White2tea club but I am at the mercy of China Post. In the meantime, let’s drink some Mud. Leaf and Steeping Method Mud’s leaves have a honey sweet scent. As usual, a gongfu ratio of 1gram per 15ml vessel, steeped in boiling water. After a rinse, the wet leaves have a honey nut and tangy grass scent. Tasting of White2tea’s 2020 Mud Sheng Puer First and… Continue reading, hoot!

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Fuding Shou Mei White Tea Mini Cakes from Teavivre

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During the last Teavivre sale, which is always the best time to load up on daily drinkers, I decided to cash in a bunch of points and buy old daily drinker favorites as well as some interesting white teas. One of these teas is Teavivre’s Fuding Shou Mei White Tea Mini Cakes. The site says they are 2018 material, pressed into little squares in 2020. Leaf and Steeping Method I find these mini square teas so much fun! Each one is 5 grams. The square has a lemon and fresh linen scent. I went with 1 gram of leaf per… Continue reading, hoot!