Walker Tea Review

Dialog: Authentic Da Hong Pao, or Big Red Robe

Jason — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:06:07 +0000

Appellation. For wine and other products, appellation offers legal protection. It prevents a tea labeled “Darjeeling” from being produced outside of the designated geographical region of Darjeeling. Even though it has been produced for generations, da hong pao tea does not yet have such a recognized (and enforced) appellation. So I asked 2 colleagues to help clarify what it means to have an authentic “da hong pao.”

Peter Luong is a second-generation owner of Red Blossom Tea in San Francisco. He and his sister Alice took over the family business from their father. They specialize in Taiwanese and Chinese teas.

Timothy Hsu created The Mandarin’s Tea Room to offer select, (even custom crafted) teas and a tea tasting atmosphere in New York City.

Both Peter and Timothy travel to origin, and are fluent Chinese speakers. Given the thorough visits and the relationships they have cultivated, they offer real, deep insight from farmers and industry experts on understanding Da Hong Pao (大红袍), or Big Red Robe wulong tea.

JW: Talking about the plants themselves, what makes da hong pao authentic?

PL We (Red Blossom) define Da Hong Pao as a cultivar, and we feel that that cultivar is best when grown within the actual Wuyi range. A truly authentic da hong pao is one that is a direct descendant of the original da hong pao. The general agreement amongst tea producers in Wuyishan that I have spoken with is that the one closest in genetic make-up to da hong pao is a cultivar called “beidou” (北斗).

TH
Da Hong Pao is a sub-varietal of ShuiXian. Like Golden Key or Tie Luo Han, each has their own special character profile besides the terroir. It should also grow around the original mother trees or at least inside the Wuyi Nature Reserve to be considered authentic.

JW: I noticed you both noted authenticity applies when the right plant grows in the right location.

TH
It is very much all about location if you are a tea connoisseur, in my opinion. Just like drinking Lion Peak Longjing or a champagne for example. Its not legally a champagne if the production is not from the Champagne region of France.

PL
Yes, it needs to come from the Wuyi mountains. It needs to be a zheng yan (正岩). (Editor’s note: See this post on the differences between zheng yan and other classifications.) This is an issue in China, as a lot of wuyis do not come from the actual wuyi mountains but from surrounding tea gardens. It’s a huge issue in the US because I think most of the wuyis being sold here are not “zheng yan”. They are teas grown outside the wuyi mountains (the best tell is price for some of these teas). For example, it’s impossible to have a zheng yan at a price point that some of these teas are being sold for.

JW: But some Wuyi teas just get piled together and sold under the name “da hong pao.” Are there any tells that can help a discerning tea drinker distinguish the more authentic from the less?

PL
Today, the term da hong pao has become an almost generic marketing term, used as a label for “high grade” “wuyi” oolongs. I have quotes around both high grade and wuyi because sometimes, what is being sold is neither high grade nor from the wuyi mountains.

More often than not, what is being sold as da hong pao are blends that consists mostly of Huang guan yin, an incredibly floral cultivar. The use of Huang Guan Yin as a stand-in for da hong pao is based on the incorrect assumption that anything high grade needs to be incredibly floral. What’s amiss is that true beidou /da hong pao is not floral. It has a slightly medicinal character, but is prized for its balance. I like to think of it as a carrier of all the traits for which the individual Wuyi cultivars are known, but in a way that balances their various distinct notes (minerally, floral, rich, etc.).

JW: This conversation could go on, and I hope it does. We haven’t touched upon other potential points, like harvest time and processing factors contribute to authentic da hong pao character. My thanks to Peter and Timothy for contributing.

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Tea Review 419: Asha’s Shan Lin Xi Charcoal Roast Winter 2011

Jason — Sat, 12 May 2012 02:54:47 +0000

Comment: winter teas often have softer aromas / tastes. This one makes up for it with richness of texture and after-taste sweetness.

Origin: Shan Lin Xi, Nantou County, Taiwan
Harvest: Winter 2011
Score: 90
Price (as of post): 50 g = $24
.

Sample provided by Asha Tea House.
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Tea Origins: Darjeeling

Jason — Thu, 10 May 2012 19:31:28 +0000

Source: Darjeeling Tea Assn

Shopping for Darjeeling teas can feel like choosing a bottle of wine. This is on purpose. Darjeeling tea producers have gone to great pains to emphasize harvest time and estate. Differences between flushes can be fairly easily recognized. Color, intensity of aroma, and texture vary noticeably.

What remains is a question of distinctiveness among estates. Does Margaret’s Hope really differ from Okayti?

Here are things to consider when comparing darjeeling teas:

1. Location. There are approximately 86 different tea estates in the Darjeeling region. These are the gardens that can legally be called darjeeling teas according to the Darjeeling Planter’s Association. Approximately 47,000 acres of gardens annually produce about 22 million lbs of tea.

These gardens grow on slopes and hillsides; therefore they vary in terms of elevation. Some are close to 1,000 feet above sea level, but can be as much as 7,500. Most grow above 3,300 feet.

2. Types of tea bushes. The real key to distinctiveness among estates is the mix of plants they are growing. They can grow China bush clones. They can grow Assams, or China-Assam hybrids. These hybrids get designations like: AV2, B157, P312, T78, and TS378. Clones and hybrids carry their own strengths. Some are sweeter tasting. Some are hardier bushes. Some have longer or more productive lifespans. And any single estate can have a combination of hybrids growing on it. In effect, each estate can have its own recipe of leaves harvested from one or more clonal/hybrids. And this recipe can change over time. As some bushes approach the end of their lifespans they will be replaced by younger versions of themselves or a different hybrid. When you include the climatic variations that occur, you may be left wondering how different a darjeeling tea from the same estate may have tasted 50 years ago.

The true beauty of Darjeeling teas then, is both the static and the fluid. It is the combination that creates each distinct story. That makes it difficult to say which is better. But with a little digging and investigation, you can find which estates have greater populations of sweeter China bush or other characteristics you may seek.

Walker Tea Review- a tea blog with tea reviews and tea tastings.

Want to see a tea reviewed? Contact me: jason@walkerteareview.com

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Tea Review 418: Imperial Tea Court’s Bai Ji Guan

Jason — Sat, 05 May 2012 01:14:04 +0000

Comment: soft character.

Origin: WuYi, Fujian, China
Harvest: 2011
Score: 84
Price (as of post): 8 g = $9
.

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Tea Store Evaluation- Mark T. Wendell

Jason — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:10:37 +0000

Part of a series on evaluating online tea stores.

A look at Mark T. Wendell Tea Company in the areas of quality, selection, and tea community.

Quality: Wendell’s teas weave between quality and value. For the vast majority of their loose leaf teas, the minimum tin size is 4 ounces. This is a relatively large volume, considering several other retailers start packaging options as low as 25 grams (0.88 oz) or 2 ounces. With sizes options of up to 1 lb, Wendell’s model is great for when you find a tea you like and frequently return to that tea.

Wendell is generally stronger in sourcing black teas from India. Looking back at the scores for Chinese greens indicates these are safe but less remarkable teas.

One of the stand-outs of Wendell is their Hu-Kwa. This lapsang souchong takes its name from a Qing dynasty merchant who was one of the richest men in the world of his day. This particular lapsang souchong is described as coming from Taiwan (Formosa). The history of the tea’s name carries some wealth of tradition. Reaching far enough back, an ancestor of the family owning Wendell actually did business with Hu Kwa.

Selection: I counted: 13 black teas, 11 green, 6 wulong (oolong), 3 pu’er, 2 white, and 1 yellow teas, not counting flavored teas, flowering, teas, and teas offered under the Foojoy brand. The black tea selection also had the wider variety of sources, including India, China, Kenya, and Indonesia. Green teas were predominantly Chinese in origin, with a few Japanese greens.

Tea Community: Mark T. Wendell does have a blog, and can be found on Facebook. The interaction on the blog varies from weekly to monthly, but Facebook action is a more frequent. You could go there to send a “hello” to Hartley and the team. It may be worthwhile to look at some of the customer posts there to see what teas are popular.

Conclusion: Be specific when shopping at Wendell. Focus on the black teas, and only get the greens if you already know you like them. Get the Hu-Kwa if you like lapsang souchong, and want to experience the history.

See Mark T. Wendell tea reviews here.

Walker Tea Review- a tea blog with tea reviews and tea tastings. Operated by Jason Walker.

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Tea Review 417: Camellia Sinensis’ Bai Ye Huiming

Jason — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:00:33 +0000

Comment: an ancient, influential, but understated tea producing area creates a prize-winning tea.

Origin: Zhejiang Province, China
Harvest: 2011
Score: 91
Price (as of post): 25 g = $8.75
.

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Book Review- Culinary Tea

Jason — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:22:41 +0000

In 2011, I was able to talk with Cynthia Gold at World Tea Expo about this book.

The impression I got from Cynthia and Culinary Tea was that tea can and should be looked upon as more than a beverage. It is also a spice, an ingredient that we can experiment with in creating new delights.

A few details about the book:

over 100 recipes
Chapters with background on tea types, flavor profiles, and tea preparation
Recipe chapters on: starters, entrees, desserts, and beverages (including cocktails)
Excellent photography of tea locations and dishes. Not all dishes are photographed

In talking and reading the book, I was left wondering who this book is speaking to. Certainly not the Rachel Ray- type audience. Many of the more unique recipes require ingredients not found in every home kitchen. Following a recipe will require having things like lemon grass, star anise, or bonito flakes on hand. Only the more devoted tea drinkers will have the full collection of teas employed throughout the book. Several dishes also require pre-made elements, like tea-marinade, tea-smoked salt, or dry-rub made with tea leaves. A chef might take on a recipe daily, but I’m afraid the general reader will spend most time dreaming of preparing these meals more than once a month (if that).

Given the prep time and accumulation of unique ingredients needed, I have only personally tasted a handful of creations. Of those I did, I was not always able to distinguish a distinct tea flavor. I was left wondering- would I have missed the tea ingredient if it had been omitted?

The real treasure in this volume is not the recipes themselves, but the inspiration they spark. I had been putting matcha in my morning oatmeal before this book. But after reading and talking with others, I had personal success with an orange pu’erand duck soup. Culinary Tea contains nuggets of tea-wealth. Even a cook pressed for time can find ways to crumble a few leaves into a dish and see what happens. A little bit of leftover tea can replace plain water in some cases. Culinary Tea opens your eyes to those opportunities, and tips the balance away from error and more rewarding taste experiences.

Walker Tea Review- a tea blog with tea reviews and tea tastings.
Want to see a tea reviewed? Contact me: jason@walkerteareview.com

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Tea Review 416: JK Teashop Comparison of 2 Huang Zhi Xiang

Jason — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:32:10 +0000

Comment: a tea’s grade can be more than a marketing or pricing scheme. And appreciating the differences in grades moves beyond recognizing flavors.

Mt. Wudong Huang Zhi Xiang Phoenix Dancong 2011 Sp Premium

Origin: Guanshi Village, Mt. Wudong, Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, China
Harvest: Spring 2011
Score: 88
Price (as of post): 15 g = $2.10

Wudong Song Variety Haung Zhi Xiang Phoenix Dancong Nonpareil

Origin: Li Zai Ping Village, Mt. Wudong, Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, China
Harvest: Spring 2011
Score: 91
Price (as of post): 15 g = $5.40
.
Samples provided by JK Teashop.
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Dialog: Teas of Shizuoka, Japan

Jason — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:00:27 +0000

Shizuoka is one of the oldest tea producing regions in Japan. It is said that 12th Century Zen master Eisai helped bring tea production to the prefecture. Other sources credit Eisai’s student, Enni with introducing tea plants to the specific Shizuoka area. Current estimates put Shizuoka’s tea production at approximately 45% of Japan’s total tea production.

Source: Wikipedia

Tasting and distinguishing one Japanese tea from another is an exercise in discerning subtlety. Perhaps some background into the region’s conditions and processing traditions can give us a clearer picture of these teas.

I asked 2 Shizuoka tea families to help.

Masanori (Den) Shirakata is a third-generation Japanese tea merchant with over 30 years of hands-on experience in growing and manufacturing Japanese green tea (a.k.a. DS) Den is also President and CEO of his family’s tea business in Japan, Shirakata Denshiro Shoten, Inc and Den’s Tea in California. He has worked in nearly every position in the family company, including production and the tasting room.

The Kinezuka Family (a.k.a. KF) owns and operates NaturaliTea. Father, daughters, and other family members operate a farm of about 3 hectares (7.4 acres). As some answers underwent translation, thanks also goes to Ian Chun of Matcha Latte Media.

1. What characteristics distinguish Shizuoka tea from other Japanese teas?

DS: Generally, Shizuoka teas have natural fresh citrus and grassy notes, but even these characteristics can depend somewhat on how the tea is roasted and blended. Blending here refers to aracha sourced from multiple farms or producers and combined to create larger volumes of tea. Shizuoka tea companies may source their aracha from the tea market, via tea brokers, or directly from farms. As a result, slight variations can be noticed across Shizuoka tea labels. However, you can also find more focused teas like those sourced solely from the Hon Yama region.

KF: Shizuoka has been said since ancient times to be an ideal production area for tea due to the perfect amount of fog and sunlight/shade in the natural environment. The Zen master Myōan Eisai, the 12th century father of Japanese tea, has written about the area in his “Chronicles on the health benefits of tea” (喫茶養生記).

As an ideal environment for the cultivation of tea, Shizuoka’s teas boast excellent taste, aroma, and color, and is the most famous region in Japan for producing tea. Recently, in flat areas tea cultivation for fukamushi processing has increased.

2. What tea varietal is most associated with Shizuoka teas?

DS: 90% of Shizuoka tea and about 80% of all tea grown in Japan is the yabukita varietal. So with Japanese teas, including Shizuoka teas, the factors that create good tea can be prioritized as:

Harvest Season
Production Location
Varietal
Manufacturing/Roasting Process
Steeping parameters

KF: Yabukita is the most common cultivar (varietal) utilized in both Shizuoka as well as among our own partner farms. We have 26 partner farmers who work together to produce organic tea leaves. The cooperation over the last 36 years has also extended to co-development of organic cultivation techniques, compost creation, and development of a regional environment suitable for organic tea leaf cultivation.

3. What processing methods are preferred in Shizuoka? For example, is fukamushi preferred by customers, or better suited to the tea?

DS: Fukamushi (deep steamed) steamed teas, produced in the western and eastern parts of Shizuoka, have been the more preferred method for years for several reasons. Farmers often deep steam their aracha before taking it to market because Japanese consumers often prefer the fukamushi style. Fukamushi is relatively easier to steep, and better masks any undesirable flavors in city water supplies. Asamushi (lightly steamed) teas have been produced in central Shizuoka, and are well accepted among connoisseurs. Several top quality teas are made in the asamushi style. Considering popular consumer preferences, many farmers opt to deep steam their aracha.

KF: Processing methods are determined by the characteristics of the environment of any specific area. In the flat areas of Shizuoka, the leaves have longer exposure to sunlight during the day, and are therefore more suitable for fukamushi (long steaming time) processing. Tea fields in the mountains though, are more often processed with chumushi (medium steaming time). In the past, asamushi (light steaming) was the preferred method for mountain-grown tea leaves, but asamushi tea is very sensitive to the purity of water. Water that has calcium hypochlorite (often used to disinfect water) or water in big cities (that is often not as pure) ruins asamushi tea, so production has fallen recently.

4. How are the teas from the 3 seasonal harvests used differently?

DS: In the case of Den’s Tea, we only use the 1st flush for most of our teas.

KF:

Spring (ichibancha / first flush) used 100% for making green tea. We produce chumushi (medium-steamed) tea.

Summer (nibancha / second flush) is used for making our black tea. We have created a small black tea factory utilizing machinery imported from Sri Lanka, and Ayumi Kinezuka has visited Sri Lanka frequently over the last decade to study black tea processing. (Most processors in Japan making black tea utilize machinery used for green tea for production.) Producing black tea utilizing Yabukita cultivar leaves, originally meant for sencha, produces a black tea that is very mild to taste – perfect for drinking straight and ideal for consumption with shoyu-based Japanese cuisine.

Autumn-harvested leaves are used for making bancha tea leaves, which is in turn also roasted to create our houjicha.

JW: Many thanks to Den and the Kinezuka family (a la Ian Chun) for sharing their knowledge and experience.

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Tea Review 415: Camellia Sinensis’ Liu Bao 2008

Jason — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:49:09 +0000

Comment: soft, gentle, and faintly sweet character could make this an ideal first foray into dark tea (hei cha).

Origin: Guangxi Province, China
Harvest: 2008
Score: 90
Price (as of post): 25 g = $5.00
.

Sample provided by Camellia Sinensis.
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Walker Tea Review- a tea blog with tea reviews and tea tastings.
Want to see a tea reviewed? Contact me: jason@walkerteareview.com

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