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First two teaspring reviews: Bi Lo Chun and Huang Shan Mao Feng

I promised I'd post all of my reviews here as well as my re-found blog, so here goes:

Bi Lo Chun - teaspring.com (Sept. 10, 2007)

I've been under the weather lately but nothing was going to stop me from breaking into my new stash from teaspring.com. I started with the Bi Lo Chun. It is much lighter green than the photo on their site and it more closely resembles their photo of the Dong Ting Bi Lo Chun (I'll post a photo later). My taste buds aren't at their peak since I'm sick but I could tell that even teaspring's most inexpensive BLC was exceptional. It's taste is everything you think of with BLC: clear, sweet, and slightly vegetal with a tiny hint of nuttiness... I hate the term "nutty" as it is a turnoff for me with tea, but I guess it is the closest approximation to the flavor. In any event it is very subtle almost non-existent.

The tiny package weighs in at 50g of the dense little "snails" and is a bargain for under $5! This is has replaced all other BLC on my list and will be in constant supply both at home and work as a daily drinker. It's that good. I have had better, but at much more of a premium and truthfully this hits every base at a much more reasonable cost. My only regret is that I didn't bring some to work to enjoy here, that will be resolved tomorrow :)

Huang Shan Mao Feng - teaspring.com (Sept. 10, 2007)

OK, just so everyone doesn't think I only write glowing reviews or that I somehow never hit on a dud... I give you my view on Huang Shan Mao Feng. Also, I do realize I may be committing a massive sin by daring to disparage one of the 10 famous teas, but I've never been one to let other's opinions or awards to cloud my judgment. I will also say that I have much more experimentation in store before I render this verdict final. The jasmine oolong I got from Kam Man has worn out of my favor and I believe that over time I've found there to be some sort of chemical in there that has totally put me off, so I'm never afraid to revisit or go back on previous reviews. My now strange love of Kudingcha is another. I swore up and down that this bitter holly leaf was unfit for even my worst enemies... and now I get cravings for it every now and then, so Huang Shan Mao Feng may still win my favor yet.

I guess my main issue is the light flavor. I didn't find it overly complex or outstanding in any way that would wow me. It was thin, light, clear, very slightly sweet, and a bit nutty. I have been a bit sick so maybe my taste buds aren't at their peak. I tried the brewing suggestions on the teaspring site, and it didn't change much for me. I'm also left confused by the customer reviews of this tea. The site claims it is a "strong" flavor, yet most customer reviews use and reuse the term "delicate" and "light." Then there is the fact that almost every review is different, some claim it worthy of six stars, some say good, some say very good, some say bitter... it covers the spectrum almost as if each person was tasting a different tea. When I see this kind of disparity in a highly-rated tea I tend to believe what is actually happening is that many people bought into a supposed "top" tea and feel that it *has* to be good since it is one of China's top 10. I mean, it's sort of expensive, 4.6 out of 5 rating, one of the 10 famous Chinese teas, etc. how could someone dare to say otherwise?

I think I just did.

- Dominic

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Reply to
Dominic T.
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That's odd. All of the Maofeng that I have tasted has seemed to be pretty strongly fried; you can see it clearly in the dark liquor that it produces. That would also count for the strong taste that the website was boasting. Maybe you got some kind of Zhejiang green tea instead. With the variance of those reviews, maybe teaspring is just getting rid of their stock greens and calling it "maofeng". The best "maofeng" style tea that I have ever drank, came from Sichuan.

I am sorta wary of online vendors because you never know what they are going to ship you or where they get their stock from.

Reply to
Mydnight

UPDATE: After some more brewing and playing with temperature and amount of leaf, I have finally come across something a bit more noteworthy. Hotter water than I'd normally use for a green and more leaf in my gaiwan produces much more sweetness and the orchid notes. Now it's a strange creature in that to smell the leaf dry brings a ton of roasted and nutty notes, but the brew is anything but! Basically, it still follows with my first diagnosis but just intensified. The sweetness lingers for a very long time in the middle to back of the tongue after drinking, which is nice. I still do not see much more to it than sweet orchid water, but at least that is a step up from what I got during my first trials. It seems like a tea that could be good every now and then, but certainly not a steady diet of it. A nice novelty and the chameleon-like quality is about it for me.

- Dominic

Reply to
Dominic T.

Throw some in the bottom of a glass and pour water over it. See how that does for the tea. I've never really drank green gongfu style; always the "tall glass" brewing style. You can appreciate the visual aspect.

In Sichuan, we usually fill the glass halfway and let it brew a while before filling the rest of the glass up.

Reply to
Mydnight

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