"Mysterious Orchid" from Tong Xin She Teahouse is a very low oxidation and lighter roast. Orchid fragrance strongly dominant with some small woody backbone. Even a tad of returning sweetness on the aftertaste. A very nice rock oolong, if a bit atypical. A rock tea for Tie Guan Yin lovers.
#RockOolong #Yancha #TongXinSheTeaHouse #Tea #Cha #DailyTea @tea
Second tea from the 2023 Rock Tea flight from Tong Xin She is Cinnamon aka Rou Gui. Slightly lower oxidation on the Rou Gui than the previous Shui Xian, lighter highlights, tighter perfume.
#RockTea #Yancha #RockOolong #TongXinSheTeaHouse #Tea #Cha #DailyTea @tea
Most years, Tong Xin She Teahouse, based near Wuyi, China, releases a collection of some of their favorite Rock Oolongs from the previous year. One of my annual indulgences is to pick up one of the luxuriously packaged sets.
#RockOolong #YanCha #TongXinSheTeaHouse #Tea #Cha #DailyTea @tea
Interestingly, this Iron Arhat (2024 release) from White2Tea is the lightest oxidation and roast of the three recent Rock Oolongs. Also the largest leaves and most uneven sort. Enjoyable, all the same.
Another take on Iron Arhat Rock Oolong, this one (2023) from Rivers and Lakes Tea. While it isn't as exceptional as the version from Tong Xin She, it is very good (and quite a bit cheaper). Good traditional rock tea flavor, but lacks a bit in depth of character and impression of longevity.
#RockOolong #Yancha #RiversAndLakesTea #Tea #Cha #DailyTea @tea
Rock Oolong season begins after Thanksgiving. Dug the Gaopan out of storage and found this sample, not sure what year, to start the season. Iron Arhat (Tie Luo Han) is always a favorite rock oolong type.
#RockOolong #YanCha #TongXinSheTeaHouse #Tea #Cha #DailyTea @tea
2022 Da Wang Feng Shi Ru (aka "Rock Milk") Rock Oolong from Ho Yum Tea has changed a lot since I last tried it this summer. Still has the fragrance I remember, but the mineral/rock aspect seems much stronger in the flavor. A great tea, but not a tea you would give to someone as their first rock oolong.
Alas, this dose of "shuixian" is the last of the 2023 rock oolong samples from last year's tea club. Well, onward...
2023 "jin guan yin" from White2Tea is my style Rock Oolong, medium-heavy roast and oxidation. Chewy.
"jinmudan" rock tea varietal is a result of a cross between "tie guan yin" and "huangdan". Can definitely taste the tie guan yin in its ancestry. White2Tea 2023 release.
Erik Ellestad