"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. 

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.

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. 

Kuterai Vetti BFOP (Upton)

Today I'm jumping back to southern India.  While the Nilgiri teas are widely considered to be the best of the southern Indian teas, a lot of tea is produced in the western Ghats south of Nilgiri in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala.  On occasion, these teas will be mistakenly grouped with or labeled as Nilgiri tea.  Those available to the internet shopper include:  the Singampatti Estate teas, especially their Oothu; those of POABS; various Munnar district teas; and today's selection.  Compared to Nilgiri tea, these teas are generally heavier, softer, and sometimes more spicy, and with much less in the way of the citrus, floral, and herbaceous notes.  Their texture and balance generally leans more toward Assam.

The look of the dry leaf of this Kuterai Vetti is what you'd expect of a FBOP, and, when wet, it shows a fairly full oxidation with a vibrant brown/red color.  The liquor brews up a red-tinged brown and has a fullish aroma that has some resemblance to Nilgiri, but is deeper and darker, with notes of apple and dark spice, and with little in the way of citrus and herb.  In the mouth, the tea is soft, full and quite flavorful.  It's heavier and flatter than a Nilgiri, and closer to an Assam in texture and weight.  While it can get a bit tannic with heavy brewing, it remains decidedly more fat than brisk.  This tea has a sweet and spicy aftertaste that is surprisingly long. 

While not particularly elegant or nuanced, it's a well made, solid, and tasty tea, with some dimension.  For the price ($7.60 for 250 grams), it's an excellent value for those looking for a fuller-bodied Indian tea.

China FOP Organic (ZK16) (Upton Tea Imports)

The first time I tried this tea from a sample, I was smitten.  I remember it being so soft and smooth with a sweet fruity, and wine-like flavor.  Since reordering, my opinion has shifted.  It still tastes very much like that sample, but it seems less full and flatter to me now.  It's probably me and not the tea. 

Upton doesn't give any information about the origins of this tea, but they do mention that it has "the character of a non-smoky Keemun."  I think that's a fair way to describe it, but actually it reminds me a bit more of a south Fujian red tea.  So while this is not necessarily a Fujian red, it's close enough that I'm reviewing it with the bona fide ones. 

The dry leaf consists of small rolled OP pieces with a generous amount of light tips.  The dry-leaf aroma is similar to Upton's Wuyi Golden Monkey, but just a bit sweeter and less roasted. The liquor brews up medium red, and gives off a fairly generous and pleasantly soft aroma featuring sweet cherry berry, with a bit of wine, some fresh bright tobacco, and a light toasty note.  In the mouth, the tea is very soft and gentle, with wine and berry flavors.  It's almost impossible to make this tea astringent, and that's a good thing as you'll need a very generous amount of leaf for it to shine.  The berry flavors continue into a fairly soft and moderately persistent aftertaste that finishes with a wine-like tang.

This tea is soft with very little spine.  It could be a good fit for those who like bud teas, or for those who like a soft, fruity, and sweet tea, but it will definitely come across as flat to those who are accustomed to the backbone and briskness of a Ceylon or Kenyan tea.

As mentioned above, this tea really needs a bit more leaf than you might think to get a good mouth feel and generous flavor.   I've found that I use about 40% more leaf with this tea than I do with many other teas, but, when I do so, I get a rewarding cup. 

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.

Panyang Congou Select ZP22 (Upton)

UPDATE:

After making this tea several times using somewhat more leaf than normal, I came to the conclusion that it was hopelessly weak and too smoky.   So, I went out on a limb and used over twice as much leaf as I normally would.  With most tea, this would result in a liquor too tannic and bitter to be enjoyable, but it was just what this tea needed.  So prepared, it came into balance with attractive floral and fruit aromas matching up to the smoke.  The mouth feel improved greatly and there was much more fruit and cocoa in the taste.  With the stronger brew, it's a nice tea that I can recommend, but not one I'd probably purchase again.  Too bad my sample pack is totally spent.  Oh well, maybe I'll order one more sample in the future and give it another go.

ORIGINAL POST:

After enjoying Upton's basic Congou Panyang, I was excited to try this select version, which, at $8.80 for 125 grams, is twice as expensive.  Will it be twice as good?

It should be noted that this tea (ZP22) is a fairly recent addition to the Upton catalog and apparently replaces an earlier, like-named tea (ZP20). 

The promising-looking dry leaf consists of medium-sized twisted leaf with some light tips and a noticeably smoky aroma.  The somewhat light and matte brown of the tender wet leaf segments suggests a modest oxidation.  The aroma of the medium orange-amber liquor is dominated by a smokiness that has both a pine and hardwood character.  Some sweet fruit and floral notes can be detected beneath the smokiness, but the balance is strongly in favor of smoke.  A similar thing happens in the flavor, were the smokiness is dominant.  While the tea seems to possess a smooth, balanced and pleasant character, to my taste it is not sufficiently strong to stand up to the smoke.  It appears that this tea was made in a style similar to a Zheng Shan Xiou Zhong (Bohea) but with a base tea too delicate for the task.  The moderately-long aftertaste is the most impressive part of the tea, with a strong cocoa note, a nice tang, and typical Fujian red flavors that match up well with the smokiness. 

Keep in mind that I bring my biases to this review.  I'm not a huge fan of "tarry" Lapsang Souchong, but will occasionally indulge in a lighter-smoked  Zheng Shan Xiou Zhong.  If you like smoky teas and are looking for a  budget Bohea, this may be a good candidate.   To get the best from this tea, use plenty of leaf, steep a bit longer, and keep the water off the boil.

Congou Panyang (Upton)

This is a tea that's reasonably priced and generally gets good reviews, so I decided to give it a try.  At $4.40 for 125 grams, it's the cheapest of the batch of teas I'll be covering over the next few days, and not one I was expecting much from.  

Well, this is actually a surprisingly good tea.  The dry leaf is dark and wiry, with a dark sweet aroma with cocoa and smoky notes.  The liquor is a fairly dark red-brown, and is a bit darker than I typically associate with  Fujian congou.  The aroma of the liquor is fairly full, with a bunch of things going on.  There is a dark berry aroma there that reminds me of a combination of fresh and smoked cherry-flavored pipe tobacco, a dose of cocoa powder, some funky barnyard stuff, and a balancing, but noticeable smokiness that seems more a result of a long, full baking than any smoking over pine.  In the mouth the tea seems fairly robust, with medium-to-full body, and flavors that I'd expect based on the aroma: dark berry, cocoa, barnyard, and smoke.  I'd expect a tea at this price to be a noticeably flat and dull, but they've done a pretty good job here, with just a hint of the flatness.  The aftertaste is fairly decent, with a dark berry note, some smoke, and cocoa.

This tea is a good example of how crafty processing can do a lot with decent leaf.   This is not a terribly pure tea, and probably won't appeal to those who value handmade delicate teas, but if a stout tea with a bunch of funky complexity sounds appealing to you, try this one.

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.

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.