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The King of the 80s: Dong Ding
The year is 1980. Ronald Reagan was elected president, The Empire Strikes Back had just been released, and Dong Ding was at the top of the Taiwanese tea world. Before Da Yu Ling, before Lishan, before Shan Li Xi (all relatively new entities in tea), and even before Alishan, there was Dong Ding. Perched at an…
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Camellia Sinensis 1999 Alishan Taiwanese Oolong [Episode 23]
James & Denny review a charcoal roasted Alishan from 1999. Sold by Montreal-based tea company Camellia Sinensis, this is an excellent tea with a ton of longevity. Watch as the leaves slowly unfurl to reveal wonderfully complex coffee and fruity flavors. A nice change of pace from the typical green oolong that represents most of…
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Jushang Taiwanese Oolong [Episode 22]
James & Denny review the unusually fruity Taiwanese Jushang oolong. Sold by Tealet, this marks a nice change of pace from the more typical high-mountain tea and represents the variety that Taiwanese Oolongs offer.
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The Royal Court, Uber-Premium Taiwanese Teas Feat. Zhu Lu, Long Feng Xia, Fu Shou Shan, Da Yu Ling 105k
You are now a seasoned veteran of Taiwanese teas. It has been hard work and you’ve spent alot of time and money, but it’s been worth it. You’ve tasted and mastered the whole lineup… Dong Ding, Baozhong, Oriental Beauty, uber-fresh straight from Taiwan high-mountain teas…Alishan, Lishan, Shan Li Xi, Da Yu Ling. What’s next!? Like…
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Dan Chan Dong Cheon Korean Black Tea [Episode 21]
In Episode 21, James & Denny finish up a short, two-episode series with a true rarity, Korean Black Tea. Like the Jungjak in Episode 20, the Danchan comes from Dong Cheon teas. Grown from the Hadong region, using high-quality Sejak leaves this is a truly unique tea. This tea can be purchased in the western…
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Jungjak Dong Cheon Korean Green Tea [Episode 20]
James & Denny do a short, two-episode series on some green tea acquired during James’ recent trip to Korea. From the Hadong growing region they review the lovely young-leaved Jungjak from Dong Cheon teas. This tea can be purchased in the western world from Phoenix Tea House.
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The Price of Low-Elevation Taiwanese Tea
What is the average price of Jin Xuan? What about Oriental Beauty? Should I be buying in bulk?? Taiwan offers an eclectic and flavorful lineup of oolongs that goes far beyond their wonderful but pricy high-mountain collection. Though the western world remains a distant minority in Taiwanese oolong consumption, in recent years the amount of western-facing vendors has…
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Hehuanshan Taiwanese High-Mountain Oolong [Episode 19]
James & Denny complete a short mini-series on a couple high-mountain teas from Floating Leaves Spring 2013 selection with an offbeat indie high-mountain selection Hehuanshan. Elevation-wise the tea was harvested well-above the high-mountain cutoff at 2,000 meters. For complimentary reading on Taiwanese Oolongs check out the Taiwanese Oolong Compendium, the Price of High-Mountain tea, and…
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Alishan Taiwanese High-Mountain Oolong [Episode 18]
James & Denny start a short mini-series on a couple high-mountain teas from Floating Leaves Spring 2013 selection. This episode covers a classic favorite, the Alishan high-mountain oolong. For complimentary reading on Taiwanese Oolongs check out the Taiwanese Oolong Compendium, the Price of High-Mountain tea, and the Taiwanese Tea Vendor Guide.
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Taiwanese Oolong (& Black) Cultivars & TRES
The words cultivar and varietal are often used interchangeably (and incorrectly) around in the tea community. On this particular topic there is a ton of directly conflicting information and incorrect statements even amongst reputable sources. Knowing cultivars may seem ultra-technical and seem like impractical knowledge but it can be very useful (most importantly helping out…