Wuyi Shuixian (Strand Tea Company)

Shui Xian Oolong tea is grown in many areas of southeastern China, but most notably in Fujian and Guangdong provinces. While green balled versions in the style of Tie Guan Yin are produced in southern Fujian, the majority of Shui Xian is generously oxidized, formed into twisted strips, and fully baked. Much of the Shui Xian production consists of cheap, flat-tasting tea that's heavily processed in an attempt to add character where little exists. On the other hand, some fine and pricey examples do exist and include: Wuyi Zheng Yan (Genuine Rock) Shui Xian tea, Wuyi Lao Cong (Old Bush) Shui Xian, and high-grown versions processed as Phoenix Dancong in northern Guangdong province. Unfortunately, in between these extremes, pickings can be thin. It's really hard to find a very good, but relatively inexpensive Shui Xian.

Northern Fujian province (Min Bei) is known for its Shui Xian, and that from the Wuyi Mountains is considered the best of all the Min Bei. The very best of the Wuyi Shui Xian is grown in the delimited Zheng Yan (genuine rock) area, along with all of the famous Yan Cha (Rock Teas), such as Da Hong Pao, Rou Gui, Shui Jin Gui, Tie Lou Han, and Bai Ji Guan. Most of the Wuyi Shui Xian is grown outside of the Zheng Yan zone, and the degree to which these teas approach the genuine rock article will vary. With careful processing, those from the surrounding areas with similar soil composition and climate can be very fine, and may be marketed as Ban Yan (half rock) tea. A well-made Ban Yan may be far better than a sloppily handled Zheng Yan that costs much more. In reality, the name Wuyi or Wu Yi does not guarantee much, and one can easily find cheap and awful "Wuyi" tea of questionable provenance.

Wuyi Shui Xian Oolong processing spans the spectrum, from lightly oxidized leaf with mostly green centers and oxblood edges and blotches, to leaf that is oxidized like a black tea. In addition, Wuyi Oolong undergoes a baking process, either over charcoal or in an electric oven. Shorter baking retains floral notes, and longer baking increases depth and fruitiness. As a result, almost all Wuyi Oolongs have at least a minor toasty note, and some, unfortunately, are roasted to a crisp. Tea marketed as traditional usually undergoes a moderate-to-fuller oxidation, and a longer baking. A modern or light-roast style, goes lightly on both oxidation and roasting. Many traditional-style teas may receive a more complex fermentation/oxidation that yields earthy complexities.

And now, finally, we get to today's tea. I like Wuyi teas a lot. Unfortunately, as with all the famous teas of China, the really good stuff is prohibitively expensive, and very difficult to procure. I've been lucky to have been gifted some of the real deal by Chinese friends and have purchased modest amounts of decent stuff from Chinese and US-based sources. But, these are not teas I can afford to drink every day. I've been looking for a good, moderately-priced Wuyi Shui Xian, but I've been mostly disappointed. I received a sample from Jack at Strand, not expecting much considering that the tea goes for $8.95 for 4 oz., and compared it to two teas I consider good examples in the light-roasted style: Seven Cups Premium Wuyi Narcisus, Wuyishan Forrest Park Tea Company Zheng Yan Shui Xian (Harvard Stars).

Shui Xian leaves are usually a bit bigger than the other Wuyi cultivars, and the mostly intact leaves of this Strand example were just a bit larger than those from my two benchmark teas, both of which were spring teas. The dry leaf scent was a bit more straightforward and a bit less fruity than from the benchmarks, but pleasantly full and with a light toasty note. Once steeped, the tea produced a medium amber liquor and was just a bit lighter in color than either benchmark. The wet leaf showed a fairly light oxidation, a bit less than the Seven Cups, and the baking seemed fairly similar with all three, with the leaves unfurling at approximately the same rate. The generous aroma showed strong Shui Xian character, and was notably floral with a pleasant toasty note. The benchmarks, while not quite as strong, were perhaps a bit classier with more stone fruit and honey and a more integrated toasty complexity. In all cases, the flavor followed the aroma. The Strand was more direct, more intensely floral, but less honeyed, and tasting a bit more like an autumn tea with just a hint of coarseness. All had aftertastes of moderate strength and persistence, but I did like the slightly greater tang in the Strand. None of these teas showed a lot of the thickness before the swallow that good Zheng Yan can have, and all three had a good second steeping, but not a lot after that.

This may not sound like a resoundingly good review of the Strand sample, but I was comparing it to teas that cost more than twice as much. This is a carefully processed tea of high quality that's offered at an exceptional price. It's a Shui Xian I'd drink on a regular basis and a tea I'd recommend to those who'd like to try a lighter style of Wuyi tea at an affordable price.

Nilgiri Wrap-up

In all, I tasted 12 Nilgiri teas for the last round of notes. There were no green or CTC (crush, tear, curl) teas represented, even though plenty of each is produced. I skipped some notable estates, including Glendale, Dunsandle, Korakundah, Nonsuch,and Corsley. Nevertheless, the tasted teas represent a reasonable cross section of the genre, i.e. Nilgiri orthodox black and Oolong teas. Keep in mind that all of the tasted teas cost less than $10.00 US for 4 oz. (112 grams), so even the best of the lot were in the medium-priced range--at least by my reckoning. Below are my observations and recommendations.

There is no one prototypical Nilgiri black tea. At the lighter end of the spectrum, they strongly resemble a first-flush Darjeeling, and at the darker end, a stout Ceylon. None of the tasted teas will liquor up as strongly as an English Breakfast blend, and many would be considered medium-bodied teas at best. If you're looking for a substitute for a thick Assam or a powerful Kenyan tea, a Nilgiri tea will likely disappoint. If you are searching for a lighter liquoring tea with pronounced aroma and taste, and a refreshing, tangy finish, try a Nilgiri. On average, Nilgiri teas are most like high-grown Ceylons, but with more fruit and tang, and less astringency. Some are close to an Uva Ceylon, but with the minty flavor being replaced with something more like marjoram. Overall, I'm quite satisfied with the quality of orthodox Nilgiri teas, but some do come across as quite straightforward, with little in the way of nuance or dimension. To my taste, those produced in a more Darjeeling-like style take best advantage of the leaf. Oolong processing also seems to work well.

There are several reasons why your opinion of a tea may vary widely from mine. First, my tea preferences may be very different, or I may not be as discerning as you. Second, estates may produce several like-named teas, each from a different harvest, or location, or plant clone. Also, different retailers may seem to carry the same tea, but their stocks may be from different harvests or grades. OK, enough of the disclaimer stuff. Here are my picks by category:

Overall favorite: Burnside Special OP
Light-liquoring favorite: Parkside
Strong-liquoring favorite: Tiger Hill
Most refreshing: Iyerpadi OP
Most complex: Thiashola
Best for iced tea: Iyerpadi BOP
Oolong Surprise: Chamraj Oolong

I also liked both of the flavorful and characterful Kairbetta teas, but neither tolerated sloppy brewing well.

Burnside Special OP Nilgiri (Chado)

I was immediately smitten when I tried a Burnside tea several years ago. It was the tea that launched my interest in the region. So, I was excited to try this Special OP and see if it measured up to that first love. I'm happy to report that this tea is even better.

The long and wiry dry leaf is quite fragrant and pleasantly fruity. Once wet, it is clear that this tea has received a careful oxidation, as there is a wide range of variegated color to in the leaf, from deep red to a bright, dark olive green. The liquor is a fairly brilliant red-amber, with a pronounced and balanced aroma featuring fruity and floral notes. The tea is medium to medium-light in body, but very flavorful, with a bunch of things going on. There are hints of cherry-like fruitiness, soft floral notes that I associate with green tea, and a nice citrus tang leading into the tasty aftertaste.

This tea is a bit more expensive (4 oz. @ $7.18) than many other Nilgiri OP teas, but it is, in my opinion, well worth it. Aromatic, flavorful, and balanced, this very enjoyable tea is near the top of my list of favorite teas.

Parkside SFTGFOP Nilgiri (Strand Tea Company)

UPDATE:
I tasted this tea again a few days after this review and realized that my notes did not do the tea justice. In fact, it was my senses that were apparently on the subtle side. This tea has a good deal more aroma, flavor, and nuance than I had thought. In fact, it's quite aromatic and flavorful, while still having a rather refined and subtle nature, and, as it turns out, not so different than the Kairbetta SFTGFOP after all. Take this as a lesson in the fallibility of this reviewer.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
There are two teas in this series of Nilgiris tasting notes that invite comparison to a first-flush Darjeeling: the Kairbetta SFTGFOP and this tea. The two, however, could hardly be more different.

This tea appears to be a blend of two different teas: moderately oxidized curled leaf, and green OP-sized flat flakes. The dry-leaf aroma bears a strong resemblance to Darjeeling.

The tea brews up amber and has a very pleasant, but subtle aroma. It's hard for me to describe the aroma other than to say that it is a very mild representation of classic Nilgiri components, along with a bit of apricot, some nuttiness, and soft grassy floral notes. This is a fairly light-bodied tea, that comes across as soft, smooth and full in the mouth. The flavor is sweet and mild, tasting, not surprisingly, like a cross between a classic light-liquoring Nilgiri black and a green tea. The tea transitions smoothly into a modest aftertaste, with just a hint of crispness.

As described, you might get the impression that it's a plain and indifferent tea, but it's not really. It's a subtle tea, just as a good Long Jing is a fairly subtle tea. Both comfort and refresh, while leaving you wanting more. If you like a tea that hits you over the head with character, then definitely skip this one. If subtlety is something you value, this one might charm you, as it has me.

Kairbetta BOP (Upton Tea Imports)

Nilgiri black teas are generally considered easy to brew, relatively low in astringency, and almost never bitter. Kairbetta, it seems, is the exception, producing teas that are strong in aroma and flavor, but with a tendency toward excessive astringency and bitterness. I like this BOP very much, but it is bit of bugger to brew. When you get the brewing right, it's a great cup. When you brew it too strongly, it's bitter with a mouth-puckering astringency. When you go shy on the water temp or amount of leaf, you can loose much of the intensity and range of the aromatics.

When the brewing is nailed, this tea has a clean, pronounced aroma, with notes of peach, almond, and flowers. The liquor is flavorful, with a bit of a tannic grip and flavors that are hard to describe, but mirror the aroma. The aftertaste is persistent, due in no small part to the tea's gripping tannin.

If you're looking for a big, fat, dark tea, skip this one. If you're willing to monkey around with the brewing and favor a flavorful, cleansing, and lighter-bodied tea, this one could be charming. I found somewhat short steeping times and brewing temperatures above 180 but below 190 degrees Fahrenheit to work best. Your experience may differ.

Chamraj TGFOP Nilgiri (Chado)

I really wanted to like this tea. Chamraj is a big and important Nilgiri estate and part of the United Nilgiri Tea Estates group, which also owns the popular Korakundah estate.

This is a fairly button-downed tea, with a serious demeanor. The modest aroma is slightly toasty and has a somewhat "darker" aroma that I associate with a more oxidized leaf. It's pretty much devoid of floral or herbal notes. In the mouth, the tea is pleasant, a bit flat, and with an atypical hint of cinnamon and malt. The aftertaste is the best part of this brew, with a hint of cinnamon, malt, and some woody tannin. The Nilgiri zest finally makes its appearance at the tail end of the aftertaste. Don't scrimp on the leaf with this tea, it requires a generous amount for a satisfying flavor.

It appears that the leaf for this tea has undergone a more uniform and slightly greater oxidation than is typical for the region. It also received a generous amount of baking; the tea gives off a very toasty scent when the dry leaf hits the hot water. This explains, in part, why the tea is more generic, a bit heavier, and less aromatic than much of the competition. I remember having a similar impression of a Korakundah tea I had several years ago.

Clearly, I'm not crazy about this style of tea, but this is a solid tea that you might like.

Iyerpadi BOP Nilgiri (Strand Tea Company)

I reviewed the Iyerpadi OP a few posts ago. Today I'm tackling the BOP. These two teas have a common "estate" flavor, but are otherwise quite different. As expected, the BOP is composed of more fully oxidized and smaller leaf pieces, so it brews up noticeably darker and stronger for any given volume. In place of the OP's bright citrus, and herb aroma, the BOP delivers a deeper and darker aroma with much less of the herb and citrus aromatics. In the mouth, the BOP is fuller, softer, and a bit richer and is close to an Assam in texture and style. The aftertaste is softer and less bright too.

This tea, like its OP stablemate, does not easily turn bitter or astringent when over-brewed. As a result, you can make a satisfyingly rich cup by using a little extra leaf and time, and this tea seems to shine when so brewed.

This is the most Assam-like Nilgiri tea I've had. It doesn't have much in the way of the malty or chocolaty notes for which Assam is known, but it does come fairly close in the texture and strength departments. As a result, this would be my first choice for an Assam drinker interested in trying a Nilgiri. It would also be a good choice for iced tea, especially considering its strength and relatively low price of $4.95 for 4 oz.

Craigmore OP Nilgiri (Upton Tea Imports)

This tea has an understated nature. The modest and pleasant aroma has a hint of woodiness, but little of the floral or herbal scents typical of many Nilgiris. The flavor is similarly pleasant and generic, finishing with a mild astringency and lemony tang that carries into a fairly persistent aftertaste.

The dry tea leaf contained many long and stout stem pieces, suggesting that the raw material for this basic OP tea was not the best the estate had at its disposal. It's a decent tea, but not one I would order again.

Kairbetta SFTGFOP1 Nilgiri (Stand Tea Company)

This is a very interesting tea, classified as a black tea, but liquoring up golden and coming across more like an Oolong. It most resembles a first flush Darjeeling, but has a distinctive Nilgiri, or more specifically, a very Kairbetta aroma and flavor. Its racy aroma contains sweet, floral, and spicy elements. It tastes like it smells: strongly floral, spicy and citrus-like. By the way, that spiciness is somewhat similar to cracked coriander seed. The aftertaste lingers, with sweetness, citrus, and a hint of bitterness.

The brewed leaves are small and delicate, indicating a tender top-leaf plucking, and presumably one from the winter season. They're a light olive green stained with light brown. Clearly this tea was carefully made, and from high-quality leaf. It's also quite strong, and can become unpleasantly astringent if over-brewed. For best results, treat this tea like finicky green or astringent Darjeeling, and keep your water temperature well off the boil. At 180 degrees Fahrenheit, you can re-steep the leaves several times and get an attractively light, sweet, and pungent cup.

This is an intense tea that demands your attention, but that intensity may make it less successful as an everyday tea. It should appeal to those looking for a bold Nilgiri analog to first-flush Darjeeling. Strand is offering this high-grade stuff for the surprisingly low price of 4 oz. for $8.95.

Chamraj Oolong (Chado)

While the Nilgiri region has been traditionally known for its black teas, several estates have been producing Oolongs or Oolong-like black teas. The Nilgiri Oolongs I've tried have been quite impressive.

This Oolong from Chamraj is very nice. It's quite similar to a medium oxidized and medium roasted Dancong Oolong. There is some dimension to the interesting aroma, which carries a peachy fruitiness I normally associate with Dancong. In the mouth, the flavor is again quite like Dancong, but a bit softer and less astringent. The moderately long aftertaste is pleasantly sweet, with a hint of bitterness.

This tea is definitely worth a try if you're a fan of Oolongs.

Tiger Hill FOP Nilgiri (Strand Tea Company)

I think Tiger Hill has produced a very nice tea here. This well-structured tea more closely resembles a good Ceylon than any other Nilgiri I've tried, but does so without obscuring its provenance. Somehow, the tea maker has been able to retain the best aspects of the Nilgiri identity while playing down some of the wildness. The net result is a fairly sophisticated, well-balanced tea with the stuffing and structure to stand up to milk. As good as it is, this is still a fairly straightforward tea, so don't expect lots of nuance.

This is a good choice for Ceylon drinkers looking to try a Nilgiri.

Havukal OP Nilgiri (Chado)

Until I tried this tea, I thought you were pretty much assured of a solid, reasonably flavorful black tea when you selected a basic OP, BOP, or FOP from one of the major Nilgiri estates. Sure, I didn't expect much in the way of finesse, dimensionality, or nuance, but flavor and some aroma were a given.

The Havukal estate teas are competitive at auction and their specialty teas are well regarded. So, I thought I'd give this basic orthodox offering a try. This tea has a very meager aroma, and not a particularly Niligi-like one at that. It doesn't fare much better in the flavor department, where it comes across as pleasantly sweet and mild, but with a weak could-be-made-anywhere flavor. Surprisingly, the aftertaste does have a little tang and flavor.

I checked the aroma and look of the dry leaf. While it was not particularly fragrant, it did not smell or look particularly old. In fact, the dry leaf was more fragrant than the brewed tea. Perhaps this was just a weak batch.

Every tea has its place, and this one could be an excellent vehicle for flavored tea, as it does have some structure and a mild sweetness. It could also be used in an iced-tea blend. As a standalone hot tea, I can't recommend it.

Thiashola Nilgiri (Strand Tea Company)

Several Nilgiri tea estates seem inclined to produce their basic black teas in a style that will woo the Ceylon tea drinker. I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing, but it does leave some of these teas with a rather generic character. Rest assured, this Thiashola tea is not one of them.

There is a wild and rustic quality to this tea. The aroma, while clearly that of a Nilgiri, bears a resemblance to that of a good aged sheng (raw) Pu-Erh. There is also a slight and atypical toasty/smoky note in the aroma and flavor.

The tea liquors up a bit on the light side, and this is not surprising as the leaves show a bit less oxidization than is typical of Nilgiri blacks. That may also contribute to this tea's low astringency and its ability to take strong brewing. And, it's clearly at its best when you use a little extra leaf and time. So brewed, it becomes soft, full and soothing. Like most Nilgiris, it has a pleasant fruitiness, but unlike the Iyerpadi with its bright berry notes, the Thiashola comes across more prune-like. There's also less citrus here, but the herbal notes remain and remind me, once again, of sheng Pu-Erh. The aftertaste is moderately long and tasty.

While there are finer and more expensive Nilgiri teas to be had, for the modest price of $6.50 for 4 oz. you get an very good and interesting tea.

If teas like Wu Yi Oolong or sheng Pu-Erh appeal to you, this may be your Nilgiri.

Iyerpadi OP Nilgiri tea (Upton Tea Imports)

Iyerpadi OP (Orange Pekoe) is one of my favorite Nilgiri black teas. It's fragrant, flavorful, refreshing, and relatively inexpensive (100g @ $5.40). This is not a terribly serious, heavy, or particularly complex tea, but one that is clean, bright, and invites quaffing. Its pronounced and attractive aroma hints at citrus and herbs and notes of strawberry, citrus, and herb mingle in it's pleasantly fruity flavor. The liquor is gently brisk, and finishes with a light, cleansing tang.

This might be a good alternative for those who appreciate a light-liquoring, high-grown Ceylon tea.

Nilgiri Teas

The next ten or so posts will cover Nilgiri tea. The vast majority of teas produced in this mountainous far-western portion of the Tamil-Nadu state of India are black CTC (crush tear curl) granular tea. However, the premier high-elevation estates generally produce a variety of high-grade black orthodox teas, and many also make green, white, or oolong variations. The following notes will cover a variety of currently available orthodox teas sourced via the internet. If you'd like more info on the history of Nilgiri tea, you may find the following well-written Wikipedia article helpful:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilgiri_tea

Why the Teabozo?

I'm grateful to all the people who have taken the time to post their tea experiences on the various tea-related internet blogs, forums, and review sites. That information has proved quite helpful. Basically, The Teabozo will be a repository for my tea-tasting notes, and my way of giving back to that helpful community.

I'm a longtime tea drinker who prefers whole-leaf, unflavored tea. I try to be as unbiased as possible in my evaluations, but I definitely have preferences. I drink Oolong, black(red), green and an occasional white or Pu-Erh tea. Some tea types I know quite well, and others I'm just getting acquainted with. I'll try to remember to indicate my degree of familiarity in each tea review.

I hope you can find something helpful here.

The Teabozo