Tea Type:
Oolong Tea
Where To Buy:
Zi Chun
Product Description:
Gui Fei oolong made in similar fashion to Oriental Beauty in that the tea leaves are bitten by small green insects. It is the insects biting the leaves that gives these teas their unique honey characteristic aroma and taste, and also initiates the oxidization process. The main difference with Gui Fei is that 1.) it is grown in the central regions of Taiwan (Oriental beauty is grown primarily in the North) and 2.) Gui Fei is processed using traditional Dong Ding oolong processing techniques.
Tasters Review:
I’m not sure why – perhaps it’s just a personal preference – but I tend to drink Oolong Teas in the afternoon. While I’m working and writing and writing and working I tend to drink teas that I can infuse over and over again. The other day this tea accomplished both. This tea is from Zi Chun and is their Gui Fei Oolong Tea.
It’s not overly colorful once infused – more of a tint or a hue than a color – but that doesn’t mean it lacks for aroma. It’s gently roasted yet slightly sweet. It’s not lacking flavor but the flavor is not intense either. Eventho I was sipping on this while frantically writing and typing in the afternoon I could totally picture myself unwinding with this tea in the evening, too. It’s incredibly smooth and comforting.
A few things I found out about this tea is that it was harvested in the summer of 2013 in Lugu township, Nantou County, Central Taiwan at the elevation of 1,200 – 1,500 feet. Another thing that I enjoyed learning about this tea is that it’s also known as King’s Concubine tea.
Just when I think I might stray away from Oolongs – a really fabulous one enters my life – that I must listen to and try – and try over and over again. THIS is one of those Oolongs!
Gui Fei Oolong from Butiki Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Butiki Teas
Tea Description:
Our Gui Fei Oolong was sourced from Lugu Township in Nantou County, Taiwan and is a particularly unique tea. Green leafhoppers are allowed to bite the tea leaves which causes the leaves to begin the healing process which creates the honey notes in this tea and also begins the oxidation process. This tea utilized traditional Dong Ding processing techniques. Gui Fei Oolong has a natural sweetness to it and produces no astringency. Notes of honey, lightly burned toast, raw almonds and apples can be detected.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Good Heavens! This tea smells DIVINE! Seriously I have had this in my stash for ages now and just never got around to testing it out. I am angry with myself for waiting so long! I am kicking myself!
The aroma is peach and honey. The dry leaf is nuggety and a few stems while the moist leaf is still quite dry and I hope for more steeps to follow! The cup is a beautiful sunny orange color.
My first sips emote honey, peach, and candies almonds. What a pure and simple delight! This will be consumed regularly until it is time to reorder. Still angry at myself for sitting on this one!
Subtle notes of oak are peaking through. I do not detect any apple notes but perhaps in the second infusion. I am getting a mouthfeel of brandy like consistency. Thick and syrup like yet not clinging to my mouth like syrup, much brighter than that – not heavy just very juicy and refreshing in a sweet rich sort of way.
There is some astringency to this cup and it is a tad sour on the after taste much like a peach that is not fully ripened yet, but as you wait a little the flavor tames into almost an oak moss flavor and then the sweetness comes back around. There is a palate cleansing effect that follows.
My second steep is still deep in color perhaps even more so which is surprising. The steep turned into more of a reddish orange rather than a bright sun colored orange. The astringency still exists, which is something I have found in Butiki Teas oolong more so than others but it is nice as it reminds me of a black tea’s astringency even though the flavor description says there is none but again, I don’t mind at all. I am now getting a savory sweet note like apples and sage that I often cook with together.
I decided that I needed to “pair” my tea with a chocolate truffle. Okay I was making excuses to have one but hey I wanted a truffle! This brought out the peach notes in the tea by truck loads! Literally it was like a truck load of juicy ripe peaches drove into my mouth! Okay not literally but figuratively. Regardless it was amazing! Now I could easily use this new discovery of the paring as an excuse to have another truffle but alas I would prefer to savor my third steep allowing it to stand on its own.
Steep three although not necessarily the final steep but the last I will write about still has a lovely color to it. It does not seem to be weakening at all! The flavors are still very present with the peachy notes, along with the wood notes. It is becoming more oak-y in flavor now however and a little less sweet. Now it is settling into a tea that one would kick back and really relax with and it may even be making me a little sleepy due to its easy going qualities – no not sleepy but grounded. Like a good meditative tea!
End result is this tea has many layers of flavors to offer someone willing to sit down and contemplate it. One could easily suck down cup after cup and just enjoy and embrace the goodness however for me, I am finding this tea one that I will build a relationship with and discover more depth through each steep as I know there are many more left to uncover! The wet leaf still has more love to give, still some dryness within them, and they still smell strongly of flavors!
Very good tea!
