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.