Mastodawn

The last tea to try from the oolong sampler is a AA grade tie guan yin from Gande Village, Anxi County, Fuijan Province. The leaves and liquor are noticeable more green than the fancy grade. A very floral aroma and sweet flavor. #MastOolong #teastodon

Sean Gillies Mar 6

From my oolong sampler I'm brewing 毛蟹 (Hairy Crab) oolong from Gan De Village, Anxi County, Fuijan Province. Indeed, there are little hairs floating on the top of my tea. I love the hint of cream in this. #MastOolong #teastodon

I just realized that this tea is from the same neighborhood as the Golden Turtle I tried last month. They share many qualities.

Sean Gillies Feb 26

Today I've opened my Chinese oolong sampler and am brewing some Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong from Ping Keng Tou Village in the Phoenix Mountains of Guangdong Province. The "King of Duck Shit Aroma" is a absurd name for a carefully cultivated style of tea.

Producers credit the qualities of this tea to their uniquely yellow-brown soil. Its aroma is honey and lychee, not duck shit. The dry leaves have a lovely dank, hoppy smell. #MastOolong #teastodon

Sean Gillies Feb 21

This 月光白 Yue Guang Bai "Moonlight White" from Jinggu Village, Yunnan Province is one of my favorites from the sampler. It's sweet and minty. #MastOolong #teastodon

Sean Gillies Feb 13

Today's brew from the tea sampler is a classic grade green from Laoshan, China, on the Shandong peninsula. Long Jing #43 varietal grown at 300 meters. Wee leaves and tips, tightly rolled. Reminds me of steamed greens (spinach and turnip), in a good way. #teastodon #MastOolong

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Sean Gillies Feb 4

I'm finding Taiwanese oolong teas to be more varied and fun than their Chinese counterparts. Is this not true? Is it sampling bias? Do I need to find a better source for better mainland Chinese teas? #MastOolong #teastodon #tea

Sean Gillies Feb 2

I got an box of teas in the mail and am brewing up some 滿洲港口茶 (Seaport Oolong) from Manzhou Township, Pingtung County, Taiwan. Wuyi and Jinxuan cultivars grown at the seaside. Medium oxidation and roast. Would go well with norimaki arare. #MastOolong #teastodon

Sean Gillies Dec 4

奇萊山高山茶 (Mount Qilai) from Ren'ai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan is akin to the tea from Mount Pyrus that I was drinking recently. Lightly oxidized, minimally roasted. More floral, less pea-shoot flavor. #MastOolong #teastodon

Sean Gillies Nov 27

Today's meal prep is powered by 梨山高山茶 (Mount Pyrus), a Quingxin cultivar grown at 2100 meters in Heping District, Taichung City, Taiwan. Lightly oxidized and minimally roasted. Nice and green. #MastOolong #teastodon

Sean Gillies May 14, 2025

This is the second infusion of 焙香武夷 (Wuyi Roast) leaves from Sanxing Township, Yilan County, Taiwan. It's more toasty than the Mount A-Li that I was drinking on the weekend, and steeped in slightly hotter water. It has a deeper color and a little more astringency.

According to https://tecompanytea.com/products/wuyi-roast the producer bakes the leaves using far-infrared radiation. A fancy microwave oven. More often the heat source is a charcoal fire.

#MastOolong #teastodon