Roasted Tikuanyin a lost treasure

I was going to post a Yunnan Sourcing "Ai Loa Mountain"  that I had it last nite but it tasted different from my tasting notes this morning! So I' ll write about Roasted Tikuanyin I had this afternoon instead, that I lost in mess of samples I have not gone through yet. Am sure you have one too :o)! Actually Emmett called my attention of this lost tea the other day and told me that it has aged very good! When we bought it together a long, long time ago in a galaxy far away...

 Just kidding (guess who Emmett and I?) We don't remember where or how long back but Emmett wrote down ten years aged. I don't think I tried it back then, it got lost!

When I opened up the bag I got an instant lovely aroma of  sweet and high roasted tea filled the whole house fast, my wife told me it smelled like Genmicha Japanese green tea. I told her not tonight honey.

The first rinse brings out flavors of sweet aromas mixed in with cinnamon Hmmmmmm!

First brew you taste a sweetness, I can put my finger on it maybe sugar cane, (not honey like the wedding Tikuanyin). Second infusion brings out a dark sweet, smooth smokiness flavor. Third infusion bring out a sweet flavor of cinnamon.

By the seven infusion the brews are still strong and not letting up to the tenth brew!

Its the later part of the day and I decided to go grandpa style which I thought it would be fainter flavor but it stood up for two more 8oz brews! I stopped after that and didn't see if I could do it again.
Talking to Emmet we figured the more a tea ages the more infusion you can do just like the tale of the two high officials who found a aged puerh and were able to brew many times over till they had there fill and stopped.

A Shohin (meaning a small thing) black pine I have had in my collection for a eight years

 I have been trying to get it to back branch and when I find the right pot I'll be put it in a new one.

That is a 90ml tea pot right next to the pine to give you an idea how small this tree is! I do have smaller!

"Yunnan Sourcing 2012 Early Spring Yi Wu Raw"

 Today I tried 2012 Early Spring Yi Wu Raw from Yunnan Sourcing and when you open up the package you get a strong fruity grass smell. The leafs are light green with dark leaves mixed in.

 The first rinse you get light fruity smell with nice light yellow liquor. The first infusion you get  mouth watering flavors of light over tones of fruit in you mouth.



Second infusion you get more young puerh taste with grassy  under tones. The third infusion the leaves start to open up more and you get a hint of apricot over tone with still young puerh taste after the sweetness.

By the fifth infusion you get a floral echo in the back of your tongue and not until you get to the eight infusion the echo turns to fruity over tones which is also felt in back of you tongue. 

 Over all the puerh was light maybe good for any everyday tea and maybe in the morning brew when you want something lite and not to complex like Jakub Tomek says in

"Two Keyixing bricks: 94 from Finepuer, 90s from thechineseteashop" 

Come to think of it, I never though about drinking lite puerh like that in the morning. Until I read his blog I drank a cooked or green tea in the morning. I would agree with him you could have tea you want to drink in morning (lite puerh less complex) or take it a little further for different moods of the day too. For example some people like myself  like white wine for hot summer nites and red for winter months even vodka on the rocks depending on mood Ect....  I guess if your like me and don't want wake up to fast and instead wake up slowly on the days I don't have to go to work :o)

The leaves you see are nice and small with stems and all.

 Here's another tree which is another maple its a  informal up right and been





training for four years and the color of the leaves well you get what I mean enjoy!

  Next year I'll be picking out a pot to planted it in.

Pu-erh.sk "Man Nuo 2011"

Today I tried another sample of Pu-erh.sk "Man Nuo 2011"

When I opened the package, I got a little sweet smell of fruitiness from the package. The leaves look light green mixed with dark green.

When I did the first rise, I got aromas of smokiness and hints of fruity smells and color of the liquor was a light yellow.

First brew brought out flavors of smokiness and tastes of light fruits in your mouth. The second through the fifth  brew brought out the same kind of flavors but seemed to have no complexity and the flavors got lighter soon then expected (but very smooth). At this point (Fifth brew) I also got an echo in the back of my throat which was again faint but nice thing about the tea. I think that it wouldn't be a good pick for an every day brew or maybe when your on the run for grandpa, if you consider the price of this cake! I 'd take a pass personally :o)   The cake is young and maybe after a few years of aging it could change (I wish I had a crysle ball to know which cakes will be the best later!).

 I have had some cakes that at first were ok but after letting them age or rest in my cabinet at bit it,  they exploded with flavors after six months! Back to the tasting notes, I also got an echo in the back of my throat which was again faint but welcoming. I would try it out for yourself before you make your decision on buying a cake. I know that when Emmett and I try  different cakes their are ones he likes and one I like.

 Pictures of the leaves after seven brews.

I love the change of color here in the windy city of Chicago and especially on my Bonsai! I have here a maple that is still in training for four years. I haven't picked out a pot yet.

Going to be a raft style, which is a tree that has fallen down and the side branches become the tree.

2009 Tikuanyin red box

The mystery  red top Tikuanyin I received from my mother in-law a few months ago has good flavor for a commercial brand but I wish I had a name of the company that makes it. She bought this one in shop in Hong Kong.

 

You can tell that it has been lightly roasted (the leaves look slightly green and dark) and it gives off a sweet floral smell when you open the tin.

 When you give it the first rinse you get a honey, floral over tone smell and the liquor is bright yellow.
First infusion you get a nectar, floral taste that fills the mouth. the second infusion the taste has over tones that are stronger in the first infusion. The fifth infusion the leaves are fully open and you get the full impact of the complexity of all the flavors in your mouth, which I think is the best infusion!  I got seven infusion in this seccion and I think if the Tikuanyin was young maybe I would gotten five, but it have been a good three years since it been made. I am going to put it away and let it age a little longer.

This is a picture of the cup my mother in-law gave me along with the tea and it pairs good with Oolongs! I don't know if you have noticed that different shape cups enhance the flavor (allows you to smell better the tea) of the tea, kinda like different cups for wine. I think it how you nose is position to the cup which allows you to taste more (without your nose you wouldn't be able to taste the same). If you have cup collection like I do, try different tea in it until you find one that you think makes you taste and smell the tea better. You'll be surprised on some flavor you have tasted with the tea you have! I'll post my different cups later and tell you my thoughts enjoy!

Misencha Fukamushicha

 This morning am going to drink this green tea "Misencha Fukamushicha" that I bought at my local Japanese store which carries some good green tea! When you open up the package it smell like fresh air and grassy.

 When I infuse it the first time you can smell fresh air and nuttiness from the liquor and the leaves. The color is light green and the brew tastes sweet and little nuttiness flavor.

 The second infusion I let the water cool down for another few minutes. When I infusion-ed the first infusion, I let the water cool down for four minutes after boiling the water. When you infuse green tea with boiling water, I found out that it burns the leaves giving you a harsh bitter taste every time ( unlike puerh ). I've read that by cooling water after boiling it, brings out the sweet flavor in green tea which the Japanese like.  Back to the tasting notes, you get a sweeter grass smell and the taste is more define with nutty green taste.  Am going to enjoy this infusion with my tea pet!

The third infusion you still smell a sweetness in the liquor and the taste is little liter in sweetness and nuttiness. I can probably keep infusion this tea for couple more infusions but now am going to run out and enjoy the sunny day today.

 The color of the leafs after they have been infused.

This is the tea pot I brew my green teas which was  a good find with a nilon screen I believe it only set me back five dollars(local thrift store)! Am not sure who made it and it has no marking of any kind but it looks old and been use a lot.

Wedding Gift Roasted Tikuanyin part two

Emmett and I have been wanted to solve the mystery of the white little bags of Tikuanyin. This tin of Oolong was given to my mother in-law when my sister in-law was married in 2005. I thought at first this Oolong was just high roasted and had no idea it was aged. Emmett and I think this Oolong is about 10 plus years, may be older. I took pictures of the tin but could not find a date :o( . When it was purchased though my mother was told it was already age for some time?

 Now for the tasting notes. After the first rise you get honey, nectarine and smokey smell. The color of the liquor is dark yellow. First infusion tastes like honey and spicy. When I tasted this Oolong for the first time I though it tasted like a Rock Wu Yi but different (probably from the high roasting) .

I must have gotten more than ten infusions and the leaves as you can see still have not fully unrolled yet . If you want to read more check out Cha & Kung Fu:

Wedding Gift Roasted Tikuanyin 

One thing if you seen this age Oolong let me know please.