Huang Shan Mao Feng by Driftwood Tea. . . . . .

by Sensiblyscript

I steeped a tablespoon of leaf in about a cup of 175-degree water for three minutes. (The directions said to use a tablespoon per pot but didn’t say what pot size to use, so I just stuck it in my mug because I was like, it’s probably not going to turn out too strong anyway. And I was right!)

The dry leaf smells a bit vegetal, a bit astringent. Some of the leaves are more intact than others but on the whole they’re long and thin, dark green, and some even slightly fuzzy. They seem to be the growing tips of the plant (a leaf and a bud).

The tea is still almost perfectly clear after it’s finished steeping; it just has the faintest off-white, almost peachy tinge to it. It’s even clearer in color than many white teas I’ve seen!

First sip: it’s light, almost floral, and has vegetal flavors only on the back of the tongue. None of the flavors are very “forward” in the mouth except maybe the light floralness that comes at the front of the sip. It’s not too astringent, but it has a little brightness to it and even offers a comforting, energizing aftertaste. It’s definitely not too overpowering; however, the high-quality leaves should stand up to multiple steepings.

I’ve had to use my sneaky detective skills to find out more about this tea because the info isn’t up on the company’s website right now. Huang Shan Mao Feng is apparently a type of green tea, judging by the processing techniques (no oxidation time, et cetera) but the flavor really reminds me more of a white tea or even maybe a super-mild sheng (raw pu-erh) tea.

Altogether it’s a light, gentle cup that I’d recommend for relaxed, pensive afternoons where you’re not necessarily looking for something super dark or highly caffeinated.

 

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Green
Where to Buy:  Driftwood Tea
Description

This tea doesn’t appear to be on the site now but click below for teas that are.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sensiblyscript

Hi! My name is Tabitha and I'm an uprooted PNW native living in the South with my husband and my cocker spaniel. My favorite teas are usually dark and strong and go well with milk and sugar. I like to combine tea-drinking with all of my favorite activities, such as listening to music, reading YA fiction, knitting, and writing blog and website content for businesses. Because I'm a well-rounded person, I also have other interests, such as wearing mismatched socks and pretending to be ambidextrous.

This post was posted in Driftwood Tea Company

2011 Pre-Qingming Huang Shan Mao Feng (Yellow Mountain Peak) Semi-wild from Life in Teacup

by liberteas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Life in Teacup

Tea Description:

This top quality Huang Shan Mao Feng was harvested from abandoned tea fields in Yellow Mountain. The fields are isolated from mobile roads. Therefore, only simple manual management is possible. The tea didn’t have any pesticide or artificially synthesized fertilizer. Although it’s not certified organic, it’s organic tea by the real sense.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This is a very refreshing green tea.

The dry leaves are very beautiful, long and withered with a beautiful variety of hues of green starting from a very pale, almost yellow green to a bright, deep green that reminds me of the colors of the Pacific Northwest in the late spring.  Very vibrant and beautiful.

The flavor is remarkable as well.  The sip begins with a delicious sweetness that has a savory side to it as well as the sweet, remind me a bit of the sweet taste of green beans.  As the sip continues, I notice that the savory tone develops slightly as the sweet subsides.  This is the kind of flavor I think of when someone uses the term Umami.

Toward the tail of the sip, there is a fair amount of astringency that is clean and dry, leaving only a hint of the sweet, savory tastes that the palate enjoyed throughout the sip.  With this aftertaste, the palate is almost begging for another sip.  This is the kind of tea that is difficult to put down once I’ve started drinking it; and makes me long for more once the cup is empty.

A wonderful tea experience is in store for those who seek the “Semi-wild” side of this Huang Shan Mao Feng!

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Green Tea