Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
Phoenix Dan Cong is a famous Tie Guan Yin from Guangdong Province. The tea has a high aroma with a different taste between the first sip and aftertaste. Along with the fragrance of sweet potato, an aroma of litchi will also be felt from the liquid. Be aware of the infusion of this tea. If you use gai wan, remember to quickly pour the liquid into your pitcher, instead of a long time’s infusion. A shorter time for the first brew will bring a more wonderful taste because the fruity aroma is stronger by now.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
So good! I’m really glad that I read the website’s description of this Guang Dong Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea from Teavivre (the description above!) before I steeped this. I took extra care to only steep the first infusion for 30 seconds rather than the usual 45 seconds (I add 15 seconds to each subsequent infusion), because this ended up tasting amazing with just 30 seconds infusion time!
It has a strong litchi (or lychee) fruit taste to it. In fact, had I not known this was a pure (unflavored) tea, I would think it was a lychee scented Oolong. The fruit flavor is really quite profound! I am also getting the sweet potato notes that the description suggests – not just in the aroma but in the flavor – a note that is especially distinguishable in the aftertaste. This is a very flavorful Oolong.
It has a pleasant, silky texture to it with a mild astringency. There are some woodsy notes to this tea as well as the fruit notes. I am surprised at just how flavorful this first cup (infusions 1 and 2) is. I find myself looking forward to my next set of infusions!
The second cup (infusions 3 and 4) to be sweet and very flavorful. I am noticing more of the aforementioned “woodsy” notes in this cup than I tasted in the first. The litchi notes are still quite profound here. I notice fewer of the sweet potato notes in the taste and aftertaste. This cup is a little less “silky” feeling. It has a dryer finish than the first cup.
With my third cup (infusions 5 and 6), I found the flavors beginning to soften and become more unified. The flavors here are less sharp and focused, but, there is something quite lovely about the way they all come together. It is still sweet, fruit-like, and delicious. In fact, this may be my favorite of the three cups because it is much more relaxed.
This is a unique Oolong – quite different from any other that I’ve tried … or at least, any that come to immediate memory! I can’t recall a pure Oolong tasting so distinctly of litchi. It’s rather remarkable and I enjoyed it.
Nonpareil Taiwan Li Shan Oolong Tea 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:
A gorgeous Li Shan Oolong, this Nonpareil Taiwan Li Shan Oolong Tea from Teavivre! The aroma of the dry leaf is floral with notes of vegetation, and it maintains this fragrance once the tea is brewed.
I brewed this in my gaiwan, combining the first five infusions in my Li Shan Yixing mug (following a 15 second rinse).
The floral notes translate to the flavor nicely. It tastes floral but it isn’t an overly sharp floral tone. Orchid? There is a sweetness to the cup as well, and when I taste those sweet notes, honeysuckle immediately comes to mind but I do think I’m tasting more orchid here than honeysuckle.
As I continue to sip, I find that the flowery notes seem to become more complex. This is not as creamy as I would expect from a Li Shan. It has a thinned creamy taste and texture, it isn’t a heavy creaminess, more like a background note of something soft and silky.
However, as the tea cools slightly, I find that it becomes a little thicker and creamier, so if you’re one who really loves that creamy taste and texture of a green Oolong, it is worth the wait to allow this to cool for a few minutes. Your wait will be rewarded with a smooth and creamy tea!
This has some nutty tones to it, although it doesn’t have the roasty-toasty type of flavor to go along with it. Just a sweet, nutty character that sort of weaves it’s way in and out of the sip. In place of where I might normally taste the roasty-toasty flavors of a roasted Oolong, I taste more of a ‘cake-like’ sort of flavor that when combined with the floral tones of this tea, becomes a very interesting flavor, indeed. Imagine an orchid infused cream cake!
Another very enjoyable Oolong from Teavivre. If you’re looking for a top-notch Oolong, Teavivre is the place to go!
Fengqing Raw Pu-erh Cake Tea 2006 from Teavivre
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
This Raw Pu-erh Cake Teavivre choose is from the representative Pu-erh production area Fengqing. Fengqing is the original place of the world-wide famous Dian Hong Tea. And it is also a classic place of Yunnan Pu-erh. It is a place in Lingcang which is one of the four famous Pu-erh production areas. The taste of Fengqing Pu-erh is mellow and sweet, deeper than Pu-erh in other production area. And it usually has the flowery flavor of Dian Hong Tea.
This Raw Puerh Cake is special for the two seasons resource from the same Arbor Tea Trees. Some are picked on March which we called “Ming Qian” or “Chun Jian” leaves. This is the best tea leaves in Spring Tea because it contains more nutrition and tastes mellow. Some are picked on September which we called “Gu Hua” or “Paddy Flower”. This is the best leaves for Autumn Tea because the aroma is stronger lasting longer. The Autumn Tea (Paddy Flower Tea) also has special flower fragrance. This Raw Puerh Cake is made by the two kinds of tea resource which were carefully blended by certain proportion.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve never made any secret about my first disappointing experiences with pu-erh but since those early days, I have learned the way to brew the tea for the best flavor and I find that I now enjoy an afternoon now and then sipping on pu-erh tea. And I’m really enjoying this Fengqing Raw Pu-erh Cake Tea 2006 from Teavivre.
The dry cake has an earthy scent to it, but I found the aroma to have more of a vegetal scent than an earthy one. But the reverse is true for the brewed tea: I’m finding the fragrance of the brewed liquid to smell more earthy than vegetative.
The flavor is both vegetative and earthy. The first infusion (following a 15 second rinse) tasted light and slightly dry. Earthy tones, yes, with hints of vegetation. It is quite mellow with a slight brine-like taste to it … I can almost taste a hint of salt, and I think that’s where I’m getting the aforementioned dryness from. Overall, I found my first cup to be lightly sweet and pleasant, with a mild, soothing taste.
I noticed more earthy notes begin to emerge with the second infusion, and a slight mushroom-y sort of flavor. The brine-y note from the first cup was no longer present, however, the dryness remained (although it was significantly less noticeable in this cup). Still mellow, the flavor deepened with this infusion, and it is still sweet and enjoyable.
With subsequent infusions, the earthy notes began to subside a little, making way for a more well-rounded flavor that I found to be both sweet and savory, with it leaning more toward the sweet than the savory.
I enjoyed the mild character of this tea. It was soothing and relaxing to sip, and especially nice after eating something spicy (wings!) … I found that it helped calm my belly after that meal. A very pleasing pu-erh!
Superfine Taiwan Qing Xiang Dong Ding Oolong Tea from Teavivre
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
In Taiwan Oolong Tea, Dong Ding Oolong Tea is an excellent kind highly praised by the world. Dong Ding is originally planted on Dongding Mountain, which is a branch of Phoenix Mountain, in Lugu Village, Nantou County, Taiwan. The tea is planted in the area at the altitude of 1000 meters. So this is also a High Mountain tea, which is known as its obvious floral fragrance. This Dong Ding Qing Xiang Oolong Tea is made of the tea leaves from Qing Xin Oolong tea tree. This tea has thick and soft leaf, refreshing tea liquid, with strong osmanthus scent. Meanwhile it has strong sweet aftertaste, which makes High Mountain tea more excellent than low altitude tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Superfine Taiwan Qing Xiang Dong Ding Oolong Tea from Teavivre is absolutely lovely! It’s so sweet and lush, with a creamy mouthfeel and an intriguing flavor that has exotic floral notes as well as hints of fruit. I’m enjoying the complexity and the soft texture.
I brewed this Oolong in my gaiwan. First I did a quick “rinse” or awakening of the tea leaves, by steeping them in hot water for 15 seconds and then straining off and discarding the liquid. Then I steeped the first infusion for 1 minute (I meant to infuse it for 45 seconds, but I got distracted and missed the 45 second mark, so it steeped for a full 60 seconds), and the second infusion for 1 minute 15 seconds. I poured both of these infusions into the same cup. Subsequent infusions were prepared the same way.
The first cup was lighter in texture than those that followed, but, it still possessed a pleasantly creamy mouthfeel. It is so silky and smooth. I taste notes of peach, hints of vegetation (just a slight “grassiness” in the background), and a overtone of floral notes. There is a faint astringency that is most noticeable at the very end of the sip. I start to notice a slightly dry sensation.
The second cup was my favorite, and this seems to be typical of my Oolong experiences. It seems that I always love the second cup best. It felt soft and smooth to the palate, and it had a flavor that was both floral and fruity. The vegetative notes have emerged slightly and they added an interesting contrast to the sweet fruit and floral tones.
In subsequent infusions, the flavors became more of a harmonious taste. The flavor remained sweet, and I started to notice an almost “honey-esque” note in the third and forth cups.
I enjoyed my afternoon spent with this Dong Ding from Teavivre. An excellent choice for the Oolong enthusiast!
Nonpareil Taiwan DaYuLing High Mountain Cha Wang Oolong Tea from Teavivre
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
The Nonpareil Taiwan DaYuLing High Mountain Cha Wang Oolong Tea is grown in the area at the altitude of 2500 meters, in which the climate is cold and forests grow well. This cold and moisture condition is suitable for tea trees’ growth. In addition, the soil here is fertile, meanwhile performs well in drainage. Thus the tea leaves carry a natural scent of flower and fruit.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The fragrance of this Nonpareil Taiwan DaYuLing High Mountain Cha Wang Oolong Tea from Teavivre is extraordinary. It has such a beautifully sweet, floral scent with hints of fruit and a slight vegetal note.
My first cup of this tea – infusions 1 & 2 following a quick rinse of the leaves – is light, sweet and creamy. There are faint vegetative notes with more prominent floral tones. There are subtle notes of fruit in the layers of flavor here too … reminiscent of apricot.
The second cup – infusions 3 & 4 – is not quite as delicately flavored as the first, and it’s a little less on the creamy side and a little more on the floral side. The floral notes seem to be melding with the vegetal tones to create a seamless flavor. The fruit notes seem to be emerging a little more too. This cup is a little more flavorful overall.
I noticed that my third cup – infusions 5 & 6 – was much more unified in flavor. It was still a little creamy and the floral notes are less sharp and distinct. I find that the fruit tone tastes a bit more like an apple now: crisp, sweet, with vague hints of sour. I don’t taste very much of a vegetative taste now, this is more fruit and flower than any other flavor. The texture is very smooth and there is very little astringency to this cup.
Teavivre offers some of the very finest Oolong teas that I’ve ever tried and this DaYuLing is but one example of what I’m talking about. They also provide excellent customer service, and exhibit exceptional care for their product. I cannot recommend them highly enough … you just can’t go wrong with them.