Talking Taiwan Oolongs, Superior Puerh, and Green Needle Tea

Alishan Light Roast High Mountain Oolong

I feel a bit bad for posting this, as we got in around 300 grams of the Winter 2014 harvest to taste and review. I've had Alishan High Mountain from many sources, and the one we got this batch in from is one of the best (and the price reflects that). Aromatic, light, with plenty of tea oils to coat the back of the tongue and throat, allowing you to continue to enjoy the subtle flavors well after the last sip. This is what the modern, light roast, "jade" or "green" oolong is all about. I put out the 300 grams and it is pretty much all gone - if you are reading this today, there is enough left for a pot or two. However, don't fret, as I've put in a large order from the same farmer for several pounds of this winter's harvest. We do have some excellent Long Feng Xia High Mountain oolong, which is very similar but comes from the Shan Lin Xia area (Jhushan township of Nantou county) to the north. Alishan is the principal high mountain in the Mei shan area of Chiayi county, just south of Nantou in central Taiwan.

The tightly rolled leaves and stems open quickly in one to two steepings.

The big, bold leaves still attached to the stem.

This Alishan is from the Jin Xuan varietal, and the large, robust leaves reflect that. The readings I got on this tea for the third steeping of 30 seconds was***:

Water
TDS - 73ppm
PH - 7.72

Brewed Tea
TDS - 371ppm
PH - 6.34

Difference
TDS - 298
PH - 1.38

The Long Feng Xia, which I tasted on the 15th and will post later, for comparison, had a difference of 370 (TDS) and 1.03 (PH).

Superior Puerh - Shou Style 2010

Puerhs are an interesting thing - the cultural packaging around this tea has reached almost mythological proportions. "Symbols associated with Puer tea represent new national, regional, and individual identities to counterbalance prior identities and ongoing globalization" (Zhang, 2014, p. 23). These symbols and the cultural packaging around Puerh tea that has happened in the last 20 years are fascinating, and here in the West we have fully bought into them, as have many Chinese and others. "Many Yunnanese are confused by them, especially by the sudden appreciation for the flavor of aged Puer tea, which ironically was 'artificially' created by a group of advocates in only about five years..." (Zhang, 2014, p. 21). I'm just now delving in to this packaging and re-packaging of at one point what was thought to be a simple beverage, but that does not deny that I do enjoy good Puerh, and the Superior Puerh we have from 2010 is an excellent example of this recent mythology allowing one to enjoy a "drinkable antique."

An old leaf, but still partially intact.

 We have been sitting on this Puerh since 2010 when we acquired it. I have no idea as to the "factory" that it came from, as the package was unlabeled other than the name and date. It is certainly not from Menghai, but most likely one of the other larger factories. We have a number of "mystery" puerhs that we have acquired over the past 20+ years - does that make them any less exciting in terms of the tea itself and the journey it provides? I don't think so, and perhaps that makes them even more exciting, they are truly one-of-a-kind teas and their is only a small amount of them that we can offer. There is also a reason that these puerhs have no provenance - prior to the past 5-10 years, that was how puerh was packaged and sold. Even today, most puerh is blended in some fashion, even "wild arbor" stuff.

The readings I got doing the standard third steeping at 30 seconds:

Water
TDS - 103 (high day?)
PH - 7.68

Brewed Tea
TDS - 322
PH - 6.07

Difference
TDS - 229
PH - 1.61

Rainflower Needle Spring Green

This green was picked towards the end of the spring season in Jiangsu Province, China, and arrived on US shores in August during the start of the second green season. In the US, there are really four or five green seasons when buying: the first pre-qingming greens which we air freight directly in from China, the pre-qingming greens that come over on the boats and arrive later, the first summer greens again air freighted over, and then the summer greens that come via boats. Each has a different price point and freshness quality. This Rainflower (Yu Hua) green comes from Nan Jiang area, one of the ancient capitals of China and current capital of Jiangsu, located on the edge of the Yangtze River delta. Lower in elevation than other tea regions, this area has four distinct seasons, with spring being the best for producing fresh greens before the hot and muggy days of summer arrive.

Tightly hand rolled, then pan fired leaves in the form of needles.

A spring leaf, obvious when compared to the size of the ones above.

This Rainflower Needle batch is very good, exhibiting all the qualities that I enjoy in a spring green: freshness, vibrancy, vegetal flavors with sweet undertones. Steep it too long and it will become astringent, but flash steeps of 20-30 seconds produce lovely cups. It is always a gamble with boat greens, as you don't really know what kind of conditions the tea was subjected to on the long journey across the Pacific, but this batch seems to have survived well. Nice to have it around for a bit.

The readings I got were:

Water
TDS - 64
PH - 7.75

Brewed Tea
TDS - 396
PH - 6.25

Difference
TDS - 332
PH - 1.50

*** I'm collecting TDS, PH, and now temperature of every tea I drink and will post it here. There are several lines of investigation that is involved with this, but until I can at least come up with some baseline data, I will not conjecture about anything revolving around these numbers. However, tends are starting to make themselves apparent.

Fighting In Formosa: Competition Oolongs From Taiwan

This afternoon on a glorious "Indian Summer" Sunday I hosted "Fighting in Formosa: Competition Oolongs from Taiwan." Although not the most PC of titles, it goes along with the other kitchy titles I've come up with for the last couple tea tastings: Drunk on Darjeeling and Overboard on Oolong.

It was a great time, and I'm honored that so many people came out to enjoy some wonderful oolongs from the central part of Taiwan. After a brief explanation about the teas and how competitions work in Taiwan, I opened up the tasting and let the chaos ensue. People were free to taste and steep the teas as long or as short as they wanted, and we did two "competition style" as well. I also brought out a more modern style Long Fen Xia Jin Xuan for people to compare. Below are my notes in a slightly elaborated format.

First, I wanted - and still want to - stress the importance of tasting each tea on its own merits. It is unfair to the farmer, roaster, and everyone else to compare a Nantou Qing Xin Light Roast Oolong to that of a High Mountain Jin Xuan from Alishan. Not only is it unfair, but it is missing the point of each tea, especially competition teas. Competition teas are a celebration of each unique artisanal region and style, and comparing them to each other would be inappropriate. You don't compare an American IPA to an Australian Lager to an English Stout. The same holds true here.

The other point I stressed is that although the trend over the last 20+ years in marketing and pushing Gaoshan or High Mountain Green (Jade) oolongs has resulted in some remarkable teas, it has at the same time done a disservice to the more traditional flavors and profiles found in Taiwan (and China as well). The initial push by TenRen in the 1980s for green oolongs, which can be more readily replicated then complex, more oxidized and roasted oolongs continues, and every year more and more oolongs are produced in this green style than in the more traditional style.

This is the map I made for the tasting, highlighting the teas we were tasting, not all teas or regions in Taiwan. Red are ones we tasted purple are other famous regions.

To combat this, and to celebrate regional and traditional practices, varietals, and flavor profiles, farmers in Taiwan have formed their own associations and trade groups. Not only does this allow the small farmers in Taiwan - some 12,000+ in total - combat the larger corporate farms, but it also builds community, solidarity, and allows them to share resources and knowledge. To honor each other and their hard labor, each association holds their own competition - once in the spring, and once in the winter. Not every farmer enters their association's competition - sometimes their bushes do not produce, sometimes their entire lot is bought prior to the competition, sometimes a roaster does not want a certain farmer's crop (farmers and roasters are not synonymous in Taiwan).

Competitions are run on a modified Indian format, with each entry submitting 13kg of tea within their respective field. Fields are broken down by roast level and by varietal. So, for the Nantou Farmer's Association Spring Competition one could submit an entry into the Jin Xuan Light Roast category, or the Qing Xin Medium Roast category. Each tea varietal and roast are compared only across their own qualities.

During the competition almost all of the tea is consumed in the judging process, but there is often around 2kg (4.5lbs) left over. If the tea "wins" and is designated Top Class or Gold Winner, it is officially packaged and sealed by the competition body and sold immediately to those with lots of money or the proper connections. However, those that make it through the first rounds of the competition, but do not make it to the final top ranking, can be acquired if the right opportunity presents itself. That is how I was able to get these teas.

A note on competition judging. The judging is composed of 20% on aroma, 20% on appearance, and 60% on taste. Each competition has it's own ranking system, so some award Top Class, while others award Gold Winner. However, unlike here in the US, there is no single winner. Rather, there are percentages: 60% are dropped from the initial entry into the competition, then the next ranking is Premium, followed by Superior, then Top Class or Gold. So, in the end, if there are 1,000 entries, there are 10 winners, 100 Superior, and so forth. Still, since one needs to judge the tea on its own merits, they are all usually very good and of high quality.

Another important note is how the tea is brewed during the competition. I prefer to use gaiwans, and do quick steepings with lots of leaves. In competitions it is different. The steep time is 6 minutes, then the tea is poured off and let to cool, then the judging begins. We did this for the Meishan and the Tung Ting entries, as well as brewed with gaiwans and the differences were noticeable. I won't say which was "better" since that is subjective and dependent on what I like, my constitution, the water one uses, etc.

The most common varietals found in Taiwan are:

• ·         Qing Xin: Soft stem varietal, one of the original strains from Fujian, China, known as Green Heart. Found throughout central Taiwan, but more prone to disease and pests, so being displaced by Jin Xuan.
• Qing Xin Da You: A sub-varietal.
• ·         Tsui Yu: Newer varietal, TRES #13, known as Kingfisher Jade, registered in 1981. A lowland varietal, lighter, more floral.
• ·         Jin Xuan: modern varietal, TRES #12, registered in 1980. This is the big modern one that is very popular because it is disease and pest resistant and also produces larger leaves for bigger crop yields. Often called "Milky Oolong" whether or not it was steamed over milk or not.
• ·         Si Ji Chun: 4 Seasons, modern varietal, not produced by TRES but rather a a hybrid that was found by a farmer. Popular because it is floral and has a high yield, allowing it to be harvested during "all four seasons."
• ·         Ti Kuan Yin: from China, one of the original strains, mostly found in the north of the island.
• ·         Bai Hao: Oriental Beauty, another original varietal, grown in the north of the island. Unique because it is "bug bitten" like Darjeelings and Concubine Oolongs. The original Formosa Oolong.
• ·         Bao Zhong: A green varietal, grown in the north, usually not rolled or roasted, the lightest of the oolongs.

     Finally a note on harvesting. There are generally two harvesting methods: by hand and by "machine." By hand is the traditional method, and is still the only way to harvest most of the High Mountain oolongs because of the steep slopes. This method preserves the integrity of the leaves and stem, but it does not allow for optimal harvests. Machine harvesting is newer and performed on less steep terrain. It is really not a "machine" like we think in the West, but basically a motorized clipper with an air vacuum attached that clips and then sucks the leaves into the basket. Two people hold it, one on each side of the bush.  This method does not preserve the stem, but it does allow for leaves to be harvested at the optimal time, which is after the morning dew has evaporated from the leaves, but before the sun has heated them up. It also allows for the harvest to take place faster, which provides more control over the outdoor oxidation that occurs between plucking and wilting. People argue for each method - I can't really say which is "better." But it is something to think about.

Nantou County Tea Trade Association Qing Xin Oolong 2015 Spring Competition

Elevation: 2,600’

Roast: Medium

Oxidation: Medium (30-45%)

Varietal: Qing Xin

Competition Entries: 2,400

Place: Superior Grade (Top 20%)

Comes from Song Bo Lin, Nantou.

Nantou County Tea Trade Association Tsui Yu Oolong 2015 Spring Competition

Elevation: 2,600’

Roast: Medium

Oxidation: Medium (30-45%)

Varietal: Tsui Yu

Competition Entries: 2,400

Place: Superior Grade (20%)

Comes from Song Bo Lin, Nantou.

Mingjian Farmers’ Association Qing Xin Oolong 2015 Spring Competition

Elevation: 2,600’

Roast: Light-Medium

Oxidation: Light-Medium (25-35%)

Varietal: Qing Xin

Competition Entries: 2,134

Place: Superior Grade (Top 20%)

 

Meishan Farmers’ Association High Mountain Oolong 2014 Winter Competition

Elevation: 5,800’

Roast: Unroasted

Oxidation: Light (10-20%)

Varietal: Qing Xin

Competition Entries: 2,437

Place: Superior Grade (Top 20%)

Second largest competition, comprises the majority of the Alishan High Mountain Oolong region.

Tung Ting Tea Cooperative Jin Xuan Oolong 2014 Winter Competition

Elevation: 5,600’

Roast: Medium-Heavy

Oxidation: Light-Medium (30%)

Varietal: Jin Xuan

Competition Entries: 2,535

Place: Top Class Gold (Top 3%)

Comes from Yong Long Village, just above Tung Ting Mountain.

Stems were hand removed from the most eligible batch produced from this farmer’s winter harvest.

Sadly, I have no photos of the Tung Ting. No excuse, just my fault!

 Thanks everyone for coming out and tasting teas! A special thanks to my source, Nic and Andy! Some of these will be in the cafe for regular drinking in a week or two, but I think everyone was able to take some home to enjoy at their leisure. Thanks again, until the next one.

Sources:

I spent a long time researching this post. I did a lot of surfing of the web, spent some time on Google Scholar, and also on the TRES website and the various Association websites. If I got anything wrong, just tell me and I'll fix it. This is a learning journey for me and I would like to make sure I get things as accurate as possible.

New Teas In The Cafe - Risheehat First Flush Darjeeling, Jin Xuan Oolong, Wood Dragon Oolong

Each couple weeks I put out new teas, often reflecting the mood of the season. For this round, it was oolongs to embrace the start of the fall here in Colorado. These are here only for a limited time, as I usually only order a couple pounds, so I try and feature them so that our customers are aware of them.

New Teas – September 11, 2015

Fall brings our attention to the last days of summer and the first hints of winter – cool crisp mornings, warm days, and clear, relaxing nights. Oolong teas are similar to fall, with their aromas and flavors offering a mix of the growth and abundance associated with summer and the coolness and crispness associated with winter. To celebrate, we are pleased to offer three new oolongs:

• Risheehat First Flush Darjeeling – The Risheehat Estate, located in the north of the Darjeeling District, produces one of the finest First Flush Darjeelings available. 100% organic, this First Flush oolong* showcases why Darjeelings are recognized as the Champaign of Teas. Light and fruity, with hints of warm, floral notes that remind us of early summer days, this oolong is perfect as an afternoon tea on these last days of summer. *I refer to First Flushes as oolongs simply because they are not oxidized all the way, and tend to be closer to an oolong in that regard then a true black, such as a Second Flush or Assam. I know some people will not agree, but if we are looking at whites to blacks on a scale of oxidization, then First Flushes would fall in the oolong category, not in the black category.
  

  

  First Flush Risheehat Darjeeling from 2015

   
• Jin Xuan Oolong – Coming from the Wushe Mountains in Nantou County, Taiwan, this Jin Xuan has been expertly crafted to merge the transition from summer to fall. Produced by the Chou family, this tea was harvested in the spring from the Jin Xuan cultivar, before being lightly steamed over milk to create a fresh, sweet, creamy flavor with a smooth, full texture. A warming oolong, this tea is excellent for cool fall days that herald the colder months to come.

  

  Jin Xuan from Nantou, Taiwan - Beautifully shaped.

  
  

  

  The first steeping - the milky flavor is pronounced, but mellows with each steeping.

  
  
  
  
  

  

  Size comparison of unrolled leaves.

• Wood Dragon Oolong – A unique tea specifically made for one of our suppliers, Wood Dragon oolong comes from the same cultivar and area as our Jin Xuan above. However, that is where the similarity ends. Wood Dragon is 20% oxidized, medium roasted, made entirely by hand from the twigs and stems of the tea bush. Relatively low in caffeine, this fiery and nutty oolong is perfect for the longer nights and shorter days that fall brings.

  

  Wood Dragon - Coming from the Jin Xuan varietal.

  
  

  

  A delicious woodsy, roasting, toasty flavor.