Rou Gui AAA Autumn (Ebay-cnteacup)

Up to this point, the Wu Yi teas I've commented on have been primarily from the Shui Xian bush. I'm a big fan of Shui Xian, but I have to admit it's probably the least overtly characterful of the well-known Wu Yi oolongs. Nevertheless, it's excellent at playing second fiddle, and that can be a good thing. It's almost always comforting and rarely abrasive, it goes very well with a variety of foods, and, for me at least, it's less likely to cause the jitters.  Rou Gui is not at all like that.  It demands attention and, often careful brewing.  At its best, it has a beautifully unique and piercing aroma and flavor, and an energizing kick.  Here's my experience with cnteacup's relatively inexpensive autumn version of Rou Gui.  They also have a more expensive spring version which I will be reviewing in a later post.

The dry leaf is rather typical in appearance, moderate in length, and with a slightly purple hue. The wet leaf shows signs of moderate oxidation and moderate-to-light roasting.  It appears to be a blend of hand and machine gathered leaf.

The tea liquors up a fairly deep amber/red.  The moderately intense aroma is heavier and deeper than that of a typical light-roast Rou Gui, with dark stone fruit aromas and just a hint of cocoa.  It's pleasant and rather similar to that of a Fujian red tea, but also a bit reticent.  The typical artifacts of roasting are barely discernible here.  

This Rou Gui is fairly full and mellow, but the flavor is a bit more generic and muted than in-your-face varietal.  It's still clearly Rou Gui, just not in the kind of piercing manner I'm accustomed to.  As with the aroma, there isn't a lot of the green/floral character showing, nor the complexities of the more heavily roasted versions.  The similarities with Fujian red tea show here too, with darker, cherry-like fruitiness and firm tannin.  After the swallow the tea shows a noticeable acidity and a nice grip in the throat.  

The aftertaste is quite persistent, and of moderate intensity, with hints of dark fruit and cocoa.  It's quite attractive.

This tea has more endurance than I was expecting.  It can be brewed several times.  

 At $9.99 for 100 grams, this may be the least expensive Rou Gui out there.  It's a quite a good tea, but, if you're aiming at the low end of the price range, I'd spend a bit more and get this vendor's spring Rou Gui (to be reviewed) or the Rou Gui from the Ebay store Shanghai Story.   

Wuyi Shui Xian Top (Ebay-Goshopstreet)

Today's review covers the top grade Shui Xian carried by the Ebay store Goshopstreet.  I'm not sure what this vendor's rating actually means, but this tea is listed as AAAAA grade.  Top grade Shui Xian for $16.98 for 150 grams seems like an unbelievable deal.  Is it?  Let's see.

The dry dark brown leaf is moderate in length and surprisingly fragrant.  There is a deep sweetness, along with earthiness, the smell of aging, vanilla, and the resinous aroma of very traditional processing. The wet leaf shows an interesting mix of leaf, probably due to the blending of several batches.  The majority of the leaf is compact (for Shui Xian) and shows heavy processing and roasting, but there is a smattering of mid-process leaf and a few greenish leaves too.

The tea liquors up a medium-deep amber and is quite aromatic, at least during the first steeping. The aroma has a distinctly resinous traditional character, with sweet caramel, some roast, some mustiness, and a tinge of herb.

The tea is very smooth on entry, with very little astringency. It's quite flavorful, but, at the same time, not particularly full bodied nor particularly deep.  The flavor, like the aroma, has that distinctly traditional resinous character that reminds me vaguely of creosoted wood.  Overall, the flavor is quite complex, and nicely balanced and will probably appeal to those who like a traditional aged rock tea.  The tea leaves a noticeable dose of chalkiness and a nice tang in the throat.

The fairly rich aftertaste is quite persistent with above average strength and a nice sweetness and complexity.

The dry cup aroma smells of sweet, toasted coconut.

This tea can be brewed many times.  Its intensity falls off fairly sharply after the first brewing, but it delivers quite a few pure-tasting cups after that and possesses the  nice creaminess in the later brews that I've come to associate with good high-roast rock tea.

I struggle with this tea.  It's a high-quality Shui Xian with many of the characteristics of a good genuine rock tea, but it's also a bit too resinous and traditional to be ideal for me.  I'm not sure if I'll purchase it again, but for those who like a complex traditional Shui Xian at a good price, or for those who are drawn to the taste and smoothness of aging, this one should merit consideration.  This is a long roasted tea, so the leaves unfurl fairly slowly and last through many infusions.  As a result, it performs best with a high leaf-to-water ratio using multiple infusions.

Wuyi Mountain Shuixian Oolong (Strand Tea Co.)

I reviewed this tea--or perhaps a different batch of it--some time ago on this blog. Here's my latest take.

The dry leaf is typical of a modern-style Wu Yi tea, but perhaps just a bit lighter and greener.  The dry leaf aroma is promising, though not terribly strong, with a nice hint of smoke and roast. The wet leaf shows careful processing, and is a bit more green and less roasted looking (the greens are still quite bright) than most light-roast Wu Yi.  It looks like spring leaf, but I could be wrong.

The tea liquors up a medium-light amber, somewhat lighter than I typically expect from this type of tea.

The clean, moderately-intense aroma carries a "raw green" Shui Xian varietal character that vaguely reminds me of artichoke and green olive.  It's also quite smoky and less fruity than expected.

This is the most "green" tasting Wu Yi Shui Xian I've had.  It's clean, distinctly varietal, and well made, but also on the dry side, with less of the stone fruit and honey notes that are fairly typical of Shui Xian.  There's also some smokiness in the flavor, particularly in the first brewing.  I'm drawn to the subtly complex flavor of this tea, but it may not be for everyone.

The tea does not have a lot of rock character, at least as it is typically expressed in the back of the throat, but the aftertaste is still quite satisfying and fairly persistent, with a distinct wood smoke note.

The dry cup aroma is quite good.

The tea can be brewed a few times, and while later brews are not terribly strong, they taste more pure and less flat than I've come to expect from oolongs of this price.

I like this tea and will probably purchase it again.  It's a nice change from the heavier and sweeter rock teas and, at $8.95 for 4 oz., it's quite affordable.

Organic Shui Xian Oolong (Arbor Teas)

I had ordered a sample of this tea about two years ago and thought it quite nice, so I put in a bigger order (7 oz. @ $14.25) this past fall.  This batch came across as much bolder than that earlier sample, and I find myself very conflicted about this tea.  It's actually a great counterpoint to the Lao Cong Shui Xian of the previous post.  That tea exhibited proper flavors and aromas, but left me wanting for something a bit more extroverted and complex.  This tea, comes at it from the other direction.  Here's how I see it.

The dry leaf of this tea is a typical dark brown, but there is quite a bit of variability in the leaf finishing.  Some leaf is well twisted, but much isn't. There are a large number of stems in this batch as well, and some of those stems are stout and hard. The dry leaf has quite a strong aroma, but it isn't a particularly refined one. Needless to say, the dry leaf is not inspiring. The relatively stiff and sturdy wet leaf is dark green with brown edges and splotches, suggesting a moderate oxidation and baking.

The tide turns upon brewing.  The tea liquors up a medium-deep amber/brown and gives off a generous aroma with a nice sweetness.  The aroma is multidimensional, with floral, fruity, and woody notes, and, in general, characteristics typical of medium-roast Wu Yi. At the same time, there is an underlying component to the aroma that I associate with summer teas. This may be viewed as a desirable complexity by some, but it puts me off.

This Shui Xian is medium bodied, quite flavorful and smooth. The flavor is surprisingly sweet, with fruit, wood, and, to a lesser extent, floral notes. The tea is quite quaff-able, yet has a  bit of grip on the swallow and a decent, tangy aftertaste. The "summer-tea" component shows here too, marring the experience somewhat for me.

The sturdy leaf delivers several infusions.

I checked reviews of this tea on the Arbor website just before writing this. Clearly, many really like this tea, and they have reason to. It's flavorful, it's exceptionally sweet, both in aroma and flavor, it's smooth and very quaff-able while still being multidimensional, and it pairs well with food. But, it's not a particularly pure tasting tea, and that's why I won't be purchasing it again. But, don't let my taste in tea stop you from trying it. Many others have enjoyed this tea and you might also.

"Wu-Yi" Water Fairy Oolong (Upton Tea Imports)

NOTE:  The tea reviewed here was from last year's batch of the Upton Water Fairy and may not be representative of their current offering.

Upton clearly states that this is not a true Wu Yi tea, but an affordable alternative grown elsewhere in Fujian province.  Let's see how it stacks up.

The long, brown-black dry leaf is pungent with an aroma typical of highly processed Shui Xian.   Once wet, you can see that the leaf is a fairly uniform and muted dark brown-green, indicating moderate-to-heavy oxidation and baking.

The tea soup is a deep amber and gives off a fairly rich aroma, with some smoke, some barnyard (cow barn), some sweetness, and a woody resinous quality.  The resinous quality, in particular, is quite prominent and reminds me somewhat of creosote and varnish.

The tea soup is gentle and fairly flat on entry, but there is pretty good grip and flavor appearing in the back of the mouth after the swallow.  Here the resinous quality shows again along with some of the  barnyard.  The complex flavors resulting from the fairly heavy processing are nicely balanced by a pleasant sweetness and a hint of floral character.

The aftertaste is marked by a nice smokiness, some sweetness, a woody-resin note, a pleasant zing, and a nice persistence.

This tea can be steeped a few times.

While this tea is a bit too resinous for my taste, it's a good example of traditional Min Bei (North Fujian) Shui Xian oolong at a fair price (100g @ $7.60).  It's certainly better than the inexpensive canned Shui Xians available at a Chinese grocery, and the raw leaf used to make it definitely better than that used in many of the cheaper Wu-Yi-area teas I've had.

Mao Jian Wrap-up

Our senses and preferences are all different, so I hate to declare winners and losers based on my perceptions and biases, but I will.  I found these Mao-Jian-style teas to be quite similar and I would not be terribly surprised if mistook one for another in a blind tasting.  Any would be a  good choice for a moderately-priced tea for frequent consumption.

My two favorite teas of the bunch were the Tai Mu San and the Special Dao Ren.  While the Yun Wu tea did not make my "subjective" top two, I think it was clearly the highest quality tea of the bunch.  Both of the Strand teas provided surprising quality for the money.  The Upton teas were good too, just not as good a value.

Special Dao Ren (Upton Tea Imports)

Upton doesn't call this tea a Mao Jian tea, but I think it fairly qualifies as one.  The medium-sized dry, wiry leaf is a healthy medium-dark green.  The wet leaf shows tender medium-sized leaf segments and buds, and produces a medium yellow-to-yellow/green liquor.  The tea's aroma is full but in no way garish, with clean hay and grass aromas and a hint of nuttiness.  It has a medium body, is noticeably sweet and smooth, and a little grassy.  It's refreshing and goes down far too easily.  The aftertaste is clean, lightly sweet, and just above average in length.  The first infusion is charming, the second nice, and the third useable. 

This is a relatively sweet, refreshing, and graceful tea that, while somewhat more expensive than some of the competition, is nevertheless worth its price ($9.80 for 80g) in my opinion. 

Tai Mu San (Strand Tea Company)

This organic tea is described as coming from a small farm in the "Wuyi mountain region", but I'm fairly sure it is actually from the Taimu (Tai Mu) mountain area near Fuding, considerably east of Wu Yi Shan and quite close to the coast. If so, it is in good company, as this area is well regarded for its various white, green, and red (Bailin) teas. 

The dry wiry leaf is fairly small and aromatic. The wet leaf shows a blend of small whole and medium-small cut leaf  with a generous amount of medium-small buds.  The yellow-to-yellow/green liquor has quite a few floating tea hairs and a fairly full aroma that is soft, round, and pleasant.  It reminds me of fresh, sweet hay.  This tea is notably full in the mouth, with more viscosity than any of the other Mao Jian teas reviewed in this segment.  Overall, the taste is clean, balanced and comforting.  The aftertaste has an above-average intensity and persistence, with a nice tang that carries it for some time.  My first two steepings were very nice, and the third was still quite flavorful, if not quite as clean. 

This Tai Mu San tea offers excellent quality for the price ($7.95 for 4 oz.)  There are pricier teas that provide somewhat more nuance, complexity, and sophistication, but few that beat this tea's comforting, mouth-filling tastiness.

Yun Wu Supreme (Strand Tea Company)

Yun Wu (Cloud Mist) teas are a generally made in the Mao Jian style, but are grown at high elevations where clouds and mist blanket the mountainsides.  Teas grown in such environments tend to have a very clean, pure, tight, and crisp taste.  I've included this tea with the Mao Jians, because for all intents and purposes it is one.

Compared to the other teas reviewed in this category, this tea has the smallest and most wiry dry leaf.  The dry leaf smells quite fresh and is pleasantly aromatic.  The wet leaf shows primarily leaf pieces from medium-small leaf with some whole medium and whole smaller leaf and a generous number of small buds.  The liquor brews up a pale yellow-green and is aromatic, yet in a restrained sense (if that makes sense).  It's a little grassy, slightly vegetal (spinach?), and a bit floral.  In the mouth the tea comes across similarly, being a little grassy, a bit floral, somewhat sweet, and flavorful in a tight and pure way.  Overall, it's balanced with a tendency toward astringency.  The aftertaste is clean with a moderate intensity, and a light cleansing astringency that is followed by a tang that persists quite some time.  You can get two very nice steepings from this tea, a third that is still fairly pure tasting, and a fourth that, while noticeably weaker, hasn't yet turned "dirty". 

This is a very nice, flavorful tea with some finesse and a dose of high-mountain character.  There are Mao Jian teas with somewhat more dimension and nuance, and others with more strength and body, but if you are looking for a fairly pure tasting Mao Jian at a very attractive price ($7.95 for 4oz.), give this one a try.  Perhaps it's the large number of buds in the mix, or perhaps it's something else, but whatever, this one delivers a stimulant buzz.  It wouldn't be my first choice for a bedtime drink. 

Yishan Hairpoint Imperial (Upton Tea Imports)

The Upton description for this tea is a bit heavy on the superlatives, so I just had to give it a try.  Besides, how can you pass up the opportunity to try an "Imperial" tea that costs just $9.80 for 80 grams?  Anyway, I opened my tea sample at my decidedly downscale "Imperial Court" and this is what I found.

The medium-to-long twisted dry leaf is a fairly uniform medium-dark color.  Once wet, it appears to be made of primarily medium-sized whole leaf, with a few smaller whole leaves and several pieces of larger leaf.  The leaf is joined by a fairly small percentage of buds, at least in my sample.   The quite aromatic liquor has a pleasant, clean, and slightly vegetal aroma with a mineral note and a medium yellow-green color.  In the mouth the tea is balanced and smooth with a pleasant vegetal taste that finishes on a sweet floral note.  The aftertaste is moderate in intensity and a little better than average in length, but it seemed just a bit flat to me.  With sufficient leaf, this Mao Jian makes a nice second steeping, and a third that's still decent. 

This is a good Mao Jian that is arguably a notch better that Upton's Gu Zhang tea and it is certainly one I could enjoy on a regular basis.  Unfortunately, Upton's glowing description raised my expectations too high and left me expecting slightly more.

Gu Zhang Mao Jian (Upton Tea Imports)

This Gu Zhang tea from Upton is, by a small margin, the least expensive of the Upton Mao-Jian-style teas reviewed in this series of posts.  The moderate-to-long twisted dry leaf has a distinct, fresh "dark green" aroma.  The wet leaf shows a combination of medium-sized whole leaf, torn larger leaf, and moderately small buds.  The liquor has a pleasant, clean, and fairly strong aroma with sweet grassy and chestnut notes.  Its taste is pleasant, clean, and quite flavorful with little of the coarseness that can show up in full-flavored teas at this price.  Medium bodied and well balanced, there is just the slightest hint of flatness.  The aftertaste is moderately long and pleasant.  This tea produces a very nice first steeping, a good second steeping, and not much after that.

Overall, this is a good, solid tea that pairs well with food and should appeal to those who prefer flavor over finesse. Attractively priced at $5.20 for 60 grams, it offers good value, but there are similarly-priced Mao Jian teas that offer somewhat higher quality.

Mao Jian Teas

Mao Jian tea is a popular style of Chinese green tea.  The Xin Yang Mao Jian of Henan province is the most famous and arguably the best,  but high-quality versions of this tea type are produced elsewhere.  In general, Mao Jian teas are produced from a young leaf with or without its attached bud. The leaf is rolled around its spine, or its attached bud, in a multiple-step firing and rolling process.  The result is a thin and wiry finished leaf with the hairy underside exposed only at the tip. Appropriately, Mao Jian means hairy or fur tip (point) in Mandarin.  Mao Jian teas vary in style and quality, but younger pluckings from premium and higher-elevated locations are generally considered the best.  I've had versions from very early pickings with leaf no longer than 1.5 cm and a character similar to Bi Lo Chun, to those picked in the late spring or the fall with mature 5 cm leaves, no buds, and a notably strong and coarse character. Compared to Long Jing or Bi Lo Chun, Mao Jian typically has a stronger aroma and flavor that is more grassy and vegetal.  Compared to higher fired teas such as Gunpowder or Young Hyson, Mao Jian is generally more floral and grassy, but less round and heavy in the mouth. It's a good choice for those who like a refreshing tea with a lot of flavor.

I've tasted a number of moderately-priced Mao Jian teas recently and have decided to post my impressions of the five that I liked most. Stay tuned.

Golden Snail Yunnan (Strand Tea Company)

I drink Yunnan black teas only occasionally and am far from an expert on the genre.  I've had some very good ones and  some dreadful ones.  Let's see how this one stacks up.

The dry leaf consists of small, tight spirals, many of which are golden.  The wet leaf is almost entirely whole leaves and buds with a fairly uniform cocoa-powder brown color.  The long buds and long leaves suggest that it's produced from the Yunnan large leaf variety.  Clearly, this is a tea that was picked and processed with considerable care.  The liquor is a fairly deep brown, with a golden, green-tinged rim.  The aroma is quite rich and deep, but with more of the characteristic softness of a Yunnan bud tea than the strong spiciness of a leaf-only grade.  I noted some soft and deep fruitiness, some molasses, a hint of cocoa, and a toasty note. There is definitely some dimension and complexity to this aroma.  In the mouth it's almost as smooth as a golden bud tea, but with a bit more body, grip, and richness of flavor.  I especially like the full mouth feel it delivers.  The liquor flavor intensifies notably as you transition into the swallow, showing strong Yunnan and cocoa flavors that persist quite some time in the aftertaste.

This is a very good Yunnan tea, which, at $10.95 for 4 oz., is a good deal for a tea of this quality.  It's powerful enough for breakfast, yet smooth and interesting enough for the afternoon.   A good choice for those who want a full-flavored Yunnan without the aggressiveness and/or peppery character that often accompany strong Yunnan blacks.

Pasir Nangka OP (Upton Tea Imports)

This is the first pure Java tea I've had, so I had little in the way of expectations.  All I know about this tea is that it is grown on an estate in the hills west of Jakarta, and that the estate does produce higher grades than this one.

The medium-to-long twisted dry leaf is quite dark and gives off a mild fruity and spicy scent.  The wet leaf shows a variety of oxidation levels, with much of it a very deep red.  The liquor is a coppery red, with a fairly full aroma that, for me,  immediately calls to mind Tiger Hill Nilgiri or a zesty mid-altitude Ceylon. The aroma also makes me think this tea is from an Assam and not a Chinese tea clone.  In the mouth the tea is quite flavorful, smooth, and balanced, with some fruitiness and spiciness, and a medium-full body.  Here too, it's a lot like the Tiger Hill tea, only with a bit more spine and a somewhat deeper flavor. The finish has a bit of a tannic grip, with a fairly lingering berry and spice flavor.

This is a flavorful, lively, and fairly direct self-drinker that's well worth the $4.40 for 100g.  Some might consider it to be a bit too generic, but I liked it and could drink it on a regular basis. It's not a malty or chocolaty tea, so, even though it will easily stand up to milk, it may not work for those who like Assam.  I suspect it could make an excellent iced tea. 

Kosabei Estate Kenya TGFOP (Strand Tea Company)

I'm not all that familiar with Kenya black tea. That shouldn't be too surprising, as much of what is produced is non-orthodox tea intended for blending.  As a result, most of the Kenyan tea I've consumed has been in blended and bagged teas, such as Barry's Gold Blend and Williamson's Lifeboat.  It doesn't help that I just can't seem to warm up to Irish teas, which are often blends of Assam and Kenyan tea, and which I generally find too blunt and heavy for my taste. By association, I have tended to steer clear of both pure Assam and Kenyan teas.  That's a shame, because I'm now starting to realize what I've missed.

Anyway, this Kosabei Estate tea is not what I was expecting.  An examination of the leaf tells you that it was plucked and processed with considerable care.  My sample had a combination of small whole leaf, broken leaf, tiny whole buds, and a few fine stem pieces.  The oxidation was quite light, falling in between a typical black tea and a Mi Lan Dancong Oolong.  The tea brews up a deep orange/amber.  The pleasant aroma is clean, and on the subtle side, with more floral character than I expect of a Kenya Black, but still retaining that characteristic aroma I identify with Kenya.  The taste was similarly restrained and clean, again combining the floral nature with a bright version of the typical Kenya flavor.  A healthy dose of astringency finally makes its appearance going into the aftertaste, which is crisp, subtle and fairly long, with a caramel note.

This is a tea for sippers who like to eke out nuance in their teas.  If you are looking for a dark, powerful Kenyan tea similar to Lifeboat, this tea will probably seem too light and subtle.  If you favor a clean, tight, high-mountain character over forward, lush flavor, give it a try.

Bai Lin Gongfu (Strand Tea Company)

This tea is quite a bit different than the last three Fujian reds I reviewed. It appears to have received less baking and is not in the least bit smoky.  The oxidation is more uniform and less aggressive too.  The leaf is less broken and with whole plump buds, giving one the impression that it was produced with more care and perhaps in smaller batches. 

The dry leaf consists of small wiry, well-twisted leaf, with a moderate amount of golden strands.  The wet leaf is a vital-looking middle brown, with a noticeable amount of buds.  The liquor is a medium amber-brown that is quite cloudy with tiny tea hairs.  The nice aroma is cleaner and more floral than many Fujian reds, with notes of sweet apple, cinnamon, malt, and cocoa powder.  The tea has a good mouth feel, seeming a bit more viscous than most, in part, no doubt, the result of the floating tea hairs.  The flavors follow the aroma, being a bit more floral than most and having a healthy dose of cocoa and malt.  Like most Fujian reds, it is sweeter than average, but with more of a cocoa/caramel flavor than the deep berry flavor of more baked and oxidized teas.  The tea is smooth going into the moderately persistent aftertaste, with cocoa and nutty/malty elements, and a bit of tannic grip and tang to anchor the flavors.   

Overall, this tea delivers an awful lot of quality for the price ($6.95 for 4 oz.).  Though not widely available, there are higher-grade versions of this tea (earlier plucking, more golden buds), but those teas are also much more expensive, and I'm quite sure, not so terribly much better. 

If you purchase this tea, use the Strand brewing instructions.  It really does well at 180 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 minutes.

Wuyi Golden Monkey (Upton Tea Imports)

I'm starting to see a pattern with some Fujian red teas, and especially with those from Upton.  That is: a tea seems weak with normal brewing, but add quite a bit more leaf, steep 50% longer, and the result is a big increase in flavor and mouth feel, but without the penalty of excessive astringency or bitterness.  Is this an expected characteristic of a certain subgroup of Fujian red teas?  Or, are these inherently weaker examples of their kind that salvage nicely with heavy brewing?  I'm not sure, but my guess is the truth lies somewhere in between. 

Anyway, this Golden Monkey fits the above profile.  Brewed strongly, it's a nice tea.  The dry leaf is comprised of fairly small leaf pieces with a modest amount of golden tips.  The wet leaf shows mostly small pieces with an average oxidation.  The aroma has a nice balance of classic Fujian red aromas, with a bit of deep cherry/apricot fruitiness, a bit of cocoa, and a toasty hint.  In the mouth the tea is pleasantly soft, with some winy deep berry flavors, malt, and a little chew tobacco.  Similar flavors follow in the reasonably persistent aftertaste.

At this price ($11.80 for 125 grams), you can't expect this to be one of the best Golden Monkeys, and it isn't.  However, it is a good example of Fujian congou, bringing together typical regional flavors and aromas into a pleasant and soft brew.  Expect to use extra leaf and time to get the most from this tea.

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.

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.