Yiwu Mountain Ecological Arbor part two dry vs Malaysian storage.

Malaysian storage Yiwu Mountain old tree arbor

I recently received this tea from Alan Woon from sampletea which is the same year as the Yiwu Mountain Ecological Arbor  2013. 

Here I have both cakes, which am not sure if they are the same cakes different wrapping?  But what I what to talk about is dry storage vs. Malaysian storage. I have a Yiwu Mountain Ecological Arbor cake since 2013 and dry storage in my tea cabinet and another Yiwu 2013 from Alan Woon, Malaysian storage from 2013. Not enough time for the Yiwu Mountain Ecological Arbor tea to age, you can say. But what if you were to change the storage conditions of a cake from the same year and same kind (Yiwu). Would it taste be the same? Would Malaysian storage really have any effect on taste and age?

Looking at both cakes they look the same, right? The pictures does not tell the whole story but the cake storaged in Malaysian is a bit darker but hardly noticeable. I also think both almost smell the same.  

Looking at the Yiwu tea makes my mouth water and I wonder if there is a difference in taste between dried and Malaysian storage.

Going to use one my pots from my friend Mr. Chen's tea/vegetable shop. Sorry Emmett for using your picture. But never got around to taking a picture of our friend from Chinatown! He's gotten rid of his tea table you know.

Looking at the color of the liquor it looks the same but I think the Malaysian storaged one is a bit darker but again not noticeable.

One can see the color better here. I think is a darker yellow color and on the first infusion too.

Now for the tasting notes. I have to say that this Yiwu (Malaysian storage) taste the same as I stated in Yiwu Mountain Ecological Arbor dry storage but a little bit heavier in taste in the mouth. Meaning the not same as an aged taste but well on it's way in tasting aged. 

In the first infusion the liquor is little darker yellow hue as stated before and also feels thicker than dry storage. This tea also fills the mouth with the same tastes of young Yiwu but more define. Still has nice Yiwu taste with a touch of sweetness but again richer in taste! Second infusion more of the same taste but with a little bit of sweetness echo in back of your tongue and throat. The rest of the infusions were the same but more consistent with the flavors not letting up like the dried storage, previously done before. I pushed this tea up to ten infusions like the dried storage! 

Okayti Silver Needle Darjeeling from Golden Tips 2014 second flush

Today, I had a chance to try Okayti Silver Needle Darjeeling from Golden Tips 2014 second flush  (sample) from my friend which he gave me to try.

When I opened up the package, I got smells of spiciness and fresh grass aroma. This tea reminds me of an aged white puerh. The smells from the leaves makes my mouth water.

At first glance the leaves have hues of light and dark green. Also the leaves have lots of hairs, like a good puerh.

 The leafs also smells like fresh grass and spice.

 The liquor is a nice light yellow color.

First infusion (1 Minute) 

On the first infusion the liquor tastes malty and sweet which lightly coats the mouth. The liquor  also gives off a nice spiciness smell!!!

Second Infusion has more of a heavier but light taste of the maltiness and sweet taste in the mouth. 

Third and fourth infusion has same taste of the maltiness and sweet taste. 

The leaves are a little choppy looking but whole for the most part. Also the leaves have very little stems attached to them but it does not interfere with the flavor of this tea.

The more I drink Okayti Silver Needle Darjeeling, it reminds me of an aged white puerh. When you try fresh white puerh, its has a strong taste of spiciness and maltiness. When brewing fresh white puerh, one has to be careful to put little leave when brewing it, or it'll be an overpowering taste of spice and maltiness. I also like aged white puerh because when aged it mellows out the strong flavors nicely. So, if you like white puerh you love Okayti Silver Needle Darjeeling because you don't have to wait to age it. I also notice that you can steep this tea longer and it does not seem to get bitter. I wish I could try more of these teas from Golden Tips but my friend drank them up fast and only saved this white tea for me because am a white tea connoisseur. My friend did leave me a little bit of Avaata Supreme Nilgiri which I'll review later. 

I leave you with some pictures of a tea house I visited in Seattle Washington and Mont Rainier National Park, which I review tea house later.