Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
TeaVivre brings you the fresh Monkey King Monkey King Tie Guan Yin which has no heavy roasting flavor. It is from the origin place of Tie Guan Yin, Anxi in Fujian Province. The twisted dry leaves are tight and strong in dragonfly-like shape. Dry tea has the light refreshing fragrance of vegetables and fruits. After brewed, the characteristic fresh scent of Tie Guan Yin comes. The tea liquid tastes sweet and its fragrance lasts long.
Tie Guan Yin has two different kinds of making method, Zheng Chao (正炒,) and Tuo Suan (拖酸), which was introduced in the description of Anxi Superfine Tie Guan Yin. This Anxi Monkey King (Ma Liu Mie) Tie Guan Yin belongs to zheng chao Tie Guan Yin tea, has comfortable brisk and smooth flavor without the sour taste on your tongue, just like the Anxi Superfine Tie Guan Yin.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a lovely Tie Guan Yin – it’s a little different than the ‘typical’ Tie Guan Yin, at least, those that I’m used to. The leaves above look greener than the leaves that I found when I opened the sample pouch, these appear to be a chocolate brown color with notes of a deep forest-y green. They look as though they might have been lightly roasted or at the very least they appear as though they were oxidized a little longer than the typical green Tie Guan Yin.
To brew this tea, I grabbed my gaiwan and measured a bamboo scoop of leaf into the bowl of the gaiwan. I rinsed the leaves for 15 seconds in 180°F. Then I discarded the liquid and resteeped the leaves for 45 seconds in 180°F water and strained the liquid into my teacup. Then I repeated the process, adding 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion. I combined the first 2 infusions to create my first cup, infusions 3 and 4 combined made my second cup, and so on…
And after tasting the tea, I think I’m correct with the ‘roasted’ guess because I taste a nice roasty-toasty flavor to this. It’s sweet and nutty and very pleasantly smooth. There is very little astringency to this first cup. It’s creamy and this creaminess develops as the cup cools. I found the first few sips to be crisper, brisker than the sips that followed as the cup cooled somewhat. As the tea cooled, the brisk flavor became more subdued and the creaminess came forward. While I liked that brisk note, I am liking the creaminess even more. I like the way it melds with the nutty flavors.
The second cup was not quite as creamy as the first but I found it to be even smoother. The roasty-toasty notes remind me of notes of charred wood and freshly roasted, still warm chestnuts. The toasty flavors lend an autumnal taste to the cup, evoking thoughts of a walk on an afternoon when the weather is crisp and the fallen leaves are crackling beneath your feet. You can smell hints of smoke in the air from a nearby chimney. It’s a very cozy and comforting flavor.
The third cup almost seemed like a different tea entirely! It’s still smooth, but this tastes brisker and cleaner. I’m not getting as much a nutty tone as I’m getting a fruit-like flavor. Hints of peach with the charred wood notes that I experienced in the second cup.
This third cup is a very refreshing tea – my palate feels clean after sipping it but don’t mistake that for a ‘cleansing astringency’ because I’m not experiencing that. What I’m experiencing is a crisp, clean flavor that isn’t inundated with a heaviness. It is gentle and soft on the palate and doesn’t weigh it down with flavors. It’s an invigorating taste. As the cup cools slightly, some of the nutty flavors start to emerge and these meld beautifully with the peachy flavors.
A really lovely Tie Guan Yin. If you are familiar with the greener Tie Guan Yin, I strongly recommend trying this one for something a little different! This is yet another example of why I love Oolong teas so much – the word “Oolong” can mean a vast number of different tastes and just when you think you’re familiar with one type of Oolong, something comes along like this Monkey King and offers something a little different and makes you fall in love with Tie Guan Yin all over again!
Nonpareil Taiwan Li Shan Oolong Tea from Teavivre
Keep reading for information on how to receive a $5.00 gift card from Teavivre!
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
Speaking on Taiwan tea, Li Shan Oolong Tea is the top level Taiwan Gao Leng oolong tea. The special phrase Gao Leng, 高冷(gāo lěng) in Chinese, means high and cold, refers to the environment at high altitudes and in low temperature. Li Shan tea trees are grown in this high and cold environment, making the tea leaf soft, thick with high content of pectin substances. This unique feature cannot be found on the teas grown in low altitude areas. Just as an old Chinese saying that human beings are shaped by the land around them. So are the tea trees.
By this token, growing of the tea trees, picking the fresh tea leaves, as well as processing of the tea all reply on the environment condition. The climate in Lishan Mountain makes Gao Leng Tea in a limited output. It is a remarkable tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’m going to be a happy sipper for the next couple of hours when the first sound that I emit after taking my first sip of this tea is “Mmmmm” and the first words uttered are “Oh my goodness, this is lovely!”
To brew this simply divine Oolong, I used my gaiwan. I first gave the leaves a 15 second rinse and then I steeped the first infusion for 45 seconds, strained the tea into my YiXing Mug, and then steeped the second infusion for 60 seconds and I then strained the tea into my mug … and so on. My first mugful of tea is comprised of the first 5 infusions following the initial rinse.
And it is creamy and smooth. No bitterness. No astringency. No sharpness whatsoever. Only smooth, creamy, decadent flavor that is reminiscent of sweet, warm cream with hints of orchid and whispers of peach, melon and apple. It has the sweetness of the apple, perhaps just a touch of the tart of the apple but I wouldn’t describe the apple-y flavor that I’m tasting as “crisp” the way I often do articulate an apple-y flavor. It’s more of the sweet and a hint of the tart without the crispness.
That’s because this tea is all about soft! It tastes soft, it feels soft to the palate and imparts such a lovely softness of flavors and textures. Don’t mistake that for “subtle” or overly delicate flavors, because I wouldn’t say that this tea is a subtle or delicate tasting tea. Certainly not. But it’s presentation is soft. It isn’t an aggressive tea that assaults the taste buds. It doesn’t have to. Instead, it romances the taste buds with wonderful flavor.
For my second mugful of this beautiful tea, I started the sixth infusion with a 2 minute infusion, and added another 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion, acquiring five more infusions for the second mug.
This cup has all the flavors of the first cup, however, they’ve become more unified now. The fruit notes become very melded, like a nectar that’s been composed of a medley of fruits. The honey notes are still present, as is the creaminess. The creaminess is a little lighter now, allowing for more of the fruit notes to come though. The combination of the sweet fruit notes and the honey flavors is delightful.
A truly rewarding Li Shan Oolong! I highly recommend this tea to all Oolong lovers and anyone looking for an extraordinary cup of tea!
GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!
Yep, we’re at it again! Teavivre has offered us several $5. gift cards to give away to our readers! Yay!
Here’s the fine print on the gift cards:
- It can be used to purchase any teas or teawares on the Teavivre website.
- By using this particular gift card, the customer can also get an extra sampler pack which includes 2 kinds of our premium grade flower teas.
- The card can also be used to pay the shipping fee.
- One gift card per order, please.
- It can be applied on international.
- No minimum purchase required.
By now you’re wondering, COOL! What do I have to do to enter? Am I right?
Well, we like to make things easy around here, so, you can earn your first entry by simply commenting on this review/contest announcement post. Just post a comment and be sure to include a way to contact you if you’ve won. If you’re already registered with TeaTra.de – cool! I can contact you via PM on TeaTra.de If you prefer a Steepster PM, that’s fine too, just tell me who you are on Steepster. If you prefer a private email contact, then you need to register when you comment and be sure to include your email with the registration and tell us that’s how you want us to contact you.
Well, that’s the first entry, but, how about bonus entries? You can earn them too! Here are a few easy ways to earn more entries:
- Like Teavivre on Facebook.
- Follow Teavivre on Twitter.
- Post the contest information on Facebook *Be sure to give us a link!*
- Tweet about this contest! *Be sure to give us the link of the tweet!*
See that? That’s five easy ways to get a cool five bucks off your next purchase from Teavivre! How awesome is that?
This contest will run through December 17. On December 18th, I will be contacting the winners of the gift cards with their gift card codes! You can use the gift card immediately and it will be good through November 2015!
Dong Ding Oolong Tea from Palais Des Thés
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Le Palais des Thés
Tea Description:
Oolong tea lovers consider it one of Taiwan’s best.
Oolong tea with intermediate oxidation (30-40%). Naturally low in caffeine.
The tea is named Ding Dong (“Icy Peak” in Taiwanese) after the mountain that overshadowed the village of Lu Gu and its lake. It is the principal example of tea rolled into large, very dense pearls.
The pearl-shaped leaf is semi-oxidized, giving the liquor a unique yellow-orange color.
Its scent is both silky and intense, and its taste combines the flowery aspects of the less oxidized oolong teas with the fruitier, woodier Fancy teas. This exceptional harvest should be enjoyed according to the rules of Gong Fu Cha.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When it comes to fine Oolong teas like this Dong Ding Oolong from Palais Des Thes – from their Grand Cru collection of teas – it’s important to understand that proper brewing is important. If you don’t have one already, I’d highly recommend picking up a gaiwan.
I did a quick google search on “Easy Gaiwan” looking for a source for the gaiwan that I use. I didn’t find what I was looking for within a few minutes (about 15 minutes actually) so I gave up that search and told myself that someday, I’ll do a more in depth search for it. For now, I will say that as I was searching I found many well thought out blog posts in defense for the use of a gaiwan so I don’t feel like I really need to go into the reasons for a gaiwan in depth here, so instead I’ll just say this:
After having brewed teas in just about any way you can imagine, I’ve found that the best way to steep an Oolong is with a Gaiwan, using short steeps. I get the best flavor and the most infusions this way. And really, when I drink tea, I drink it because I enjoy the flavor. So why not take that extra step and grab the tool that will get the best flavor out of the tea? Especially when using a gaiwan, especially an “easy gaiwan” like I own – is so easy!
If you want more a more in depth article on why you should be using a gaiwan for your Oolong brewing – google it. Trust me. You’ll find more than enough information that will convince you.
Anyway, let’s get back to this review.
To brew this tea, I did use my gaiwan (surprise, surprise) and I added a bamboo scoop of tea to the bowl of the gaiwan and then added just enough hot water (180°F) to cover the leaves for a quick rinse. I let the tea steep for 15 seconds and strained the liquid, discarding it. Then I infused the rinsed leaves for 45 seconds for the first infusion, and with each subsequent infusion, I added 15 seconds to the steep time.
The aroma is sweet, floral and slightly nutty. These essences translate to the flavor, although I taste more nutty tones than I smell, and there are fewer floral notes than the fragrance led me to think there would be.
The sip begins with a strong honey-like flavor with hints here and there of flower. Shortly after the start, I pick up on sweet, creamy notes that transform into a stronger nutty presence. This is a very smooth tea from start to finish, and in this cup (a combination of infusions 1 and 2), I am getting virtually no astringency to speak of. It is not bitter. It’s just pleasant and lovely from beginning to end and then an aftertaste that is almost equally as enjoyable with hints of flower and luscious sweetness.
The second cup (infusions 3 and 4) is just as smooth as the first cup. It’s not quite as creamy as the first cup was, but it’s still quite sweet and pleasantly nutty. The floral notes are beginning to emerge slowly, but they aren’t sharp or overly aggressive. They are soft, delicate flowery essences that mingle with the sweet nutty notes. It’s almost like a sweet corn flavor – only sweeter than any corn I’ve ever tasted. Like a sweet creamed corn with notes of butter.
With the last cup (infusions 5 and 6), I started to pick up on a light astringency. This cup was lighter – not as creamy. The nutty flavors are still present and it’s still a pleasantly sweet cuppa. I found the aforementioned sweet creamed corn notes still present although it wasn’t as “creamy” as creamed corn this time, it tasted more like corn on the cob that had been roasted and then very lightly buttered. The floral notes have emerged in a more prominent way now and I can taste distinct notes of orchid and even hints of jasmine.
A really enjoyable Dong Ding! Recommended to all tea lovers!
Taiwan DongDing (TungTing) Charcoal Baked Oolong Tea from Fong Mong Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Fong Mong Tea
Tea Description:
The hand-plucked leaves of Dong Ding Oolong are grown in the Dong Ding region of Taiwan at the elevation of 740 meters. At this elevation, the leaves absorb moisture from the surrounding fog and clouds every morning and afternoon which is ideal for Oolong plants. Due to the unique geographic location and stringent selection of leaves, this is the finest Dong Ding Oolong from the Dong Ding estate.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Dong Ding from Fong Mong has been charcoal baked and you can really taste that element in this tea! It’s a really nice complement to the natural nutty flavors of the Oolong tea. This is really one of the tastiest Dong Ding Oolong teas I’ve tasted in a while and I think that the fact that it was charcoal baked makes all the difference.
My first cup was sweet and nutty with a distinct charcoal note. I could taste the charred wood and a hint of smoke. There was a creaminess to the cup, but it wasn’t like a heavy creamy note or a buttery note. It was more like browned butter. Smooth and silky; it didn’t feel heavy on the palate.
The sip starts out sweet with notes of honey. I start picking up on the nutty flavors almost immediately. By mid-sip, the sweetness is fully developed and I start to pick up on a hint of smoke which transcends into a charcoal note. The aforementioned browned butter notes weave their way in and out of the sip. The finish is almost “fruit-like,” tasting a bit like a roasted, caramelized peach.
The second cup seemed a little more unified. The flavors were seamless. It was a very smooth transition from notes of honey to toasted nutty flavors and hints of smoke. The smoke was a little more subtle this time, and the notes of charcoal were stronger, even though they seemed “fused” with the other flavors. Still sweet, still a fruit-like finish. Delicious.
The third cup was very much like the second. The browned butter notes have diminished by this point but they seem to have made way for more definition of the peach-like flavor. I experience a slightly dry sensation toward the finish, almost mineral-y. Still a sweet, lovely Oolong.
I brewed this Dong Ding the way I’d brew most Oolong teas, using my gaiwan and following a 15 second rinse, I started the infusion time at 45 seconds and added 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion. I combine 2 infusions for each cup, so my first cup was made up of infusions 1 and 2, and the second cup was infusions 3 and 4 … you get it, right?
Fong Mong offers quite a few amazing Taiwan Oolong teas that are well worth checking into! I highly recommend them!
Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea from Teavivre
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
Although Taiwan originates from Fujian, China, its flavor is quite distinct with Fujian Oolong tea. Like this Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea, it is recommended for beginners of Taiwan oolong. Different from the high aroma of Fujian Oolong, this tea has light floral fragrance. When sip the liquid, you can feel the sweet taste. If you want to taste new flavor, or try Taiwan Oolong, you can start with this Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea, by experiencing its flower scent and sweet flavor.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Based on the description above, this Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea from Teavivre sounds like it’s a “beginner” Oolong. But that doesn’t mean that those of us who are more acquainted with Oolong teas can’t enjoy it too! This is a lovely Oolong.
I brewed this the way I would ordinarily brew an Oolong: in my gaiwan, of course! I added 1 bamboo scoop to the bowl of the gaiwan, added water heated to 180°F and allowed the tea to “rinse” for 15 seconds. I strained off the liquid and then steeped the leaves for 45 seconds. I strained the tea into my teacup and then resteeped the leaves for 1 minute. (For each subsequent infusion, I add 15 seconds.)
My trusty gaiwan is one that I’ve been using for years now, it has suffered a minor ‘chip’ on the spout (it’s one of those “easy” gaiwans and looks a lot like this one.) But the gaiwan is still quite functional and since I don’t have to drink out of the gaiwan, the little chip doesn’t bother me.
As I said before, this is a lovely Taiwan Oolong. It’s not as creamy as some Oolong teas and certainly not as floral as many greener Oolong teas I’ve tasted in the past. But I like the delicate qualities of this tea.
It’s sweet but it isn’t a heavy or overwhelming sweetness. The tea is soft and subtle. The flavors are more delicate. And I get what Teavivre meant by saying that this is a good starter Oolong, because the floral notes of some green Oolong teas can be rather overwhelming for a palate that isn’t familiar with those flowery essences. The floral notes are beautifully gentle here.
It’s a mildly sweet Oolong with a nice, silky texture. The vegetal notes are subdued, the floral notes are mellow, and there is a hint of sweet melon in the background.
My second cup (infusions 3 and 4, combined) is a little creamier than the first, but it still isn’t a heavy creamy note. The floral notes are slightly stronger than in the first cup, but they are not sharp. This cup is still quite smooth and sweet and pleasant.
The third cup (infusions 5 and 6, combined) is very much like the second cup. This still has a pleasant, light creamy note. The floral notes are a wee bit stronger than previous cups and I notice just a hint of sharpness. Still a remarkably smooth, light and refreshing cup of tea.
As I said at the start, this is a really lovely Oolong. It is one I’d recommend to those who are new to Oolong teas, definitely, and also to those who are familiar with Oolong teas for a refreshing change of pace. It’s almost like cleansing the palate, drinking this Oolong!
GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!
Teavivre has offered us several $5. gift cards to give away to our readers! Yay! These are just the thing for Black Friday and I’ll be giving the next five away just in time for Black Friday Shopping! Here’s the fine print on the gift cards:
- It can be used to purchase any teas or teawares on the Teavivre website.
- By using this particular gift card, the customer can also get an extra sampler pack which includes 2 kinds of our premium grade flower teas.
- The card can also be used to pay the shipping fee.
- One gift card per order, please.
- It can be applied on international.
- No minimum purchase required.
By now you’re wondering, COOL! What do I have to do to enter? Am I right?
Well, we like to make things easy around here, so, you can earn your first entry by simply commenting on this review/contest announcement post. Just post a comment and be sure to include a way to contact you if you’ve won. If you’re already registered with TeaTra.de – cool! I can contact you via PM on TeaTra.de If you prefer a Steepster PM, that’s fine too, just tell me who you are on Steepster. If you prefer a private email contact, then you need to register when you comment and be sure to include your email with the registration and tell us that’s how you want us to contact you.
Well, that’s the first entry, but, how about bonus entries? You can earn them too! Here are a few easy ways to earn more entries:
- Like Teavivre on Facebook.
- Follow Teavivre on Twitter.
- Post the contest information on Facebook *Be sure to give us a link!*
- Tweet about this contest! *Be sure to give us the link of the tweet!*
See that? That’s five easy ways to get a cool five bucks off your next purchase from Teavivre! How awesome is that?
This contest is over. Please check with our giveaway link to see what’s next!