Need some new teas, your favorites?

The last three lead me to believe that you like full-flavored stuff. Why don't you try to pick yourself up some "ren shen wu long" or ginseng oolong tea. It's got a nice sweet kick to it.

Dominic snipped-for-privacy@j33g2000cwa.googlegroups.com3/6/06

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Dominic, one approach that might help is to buy teas in season. Even lesser green teas, plucked at the right time and provided to you fresh, will be better than their counterparts off season. Then, later, Darjeelings. Taiwan Oolongs have two seasons: spring and winter. I buy relatively small quantities and try to follow the teas around the calendar, although I often jump the gun admittedly.

My favorites are Bao Zhong, Bai Hou, and....heck, they're all my favorates when I'm drinking them.

Michael

Michael

Hey Dominic. I would look for some Keemun Mao Feng, some Buddha Palm oolong, and ... can't help with the green. The best green I ever had was some Yame gyokuro. Quite "ya-me", but I got the impression it wasn't easy for my friend Bear to get a hold of. Oh yes, and Margaret's Hope 2nd Flush Muscatel Darjeeling. That last is the daily tea. The most inexpensive great tea I've found.

Ian

I do also buy tea in season, but this post was mainly for a good couple daily teas to drink at work. I have a whole different set of teas that I drink at home when I can properly brew and enjoy them... but at work I just want a small variety of quality teas to enjoy depending on my mood and tastes that day. I try to keep one green, oolong, black, and one or two random ones.

And Mydnight, I do like a fairly full-flavored tea at work while I tend to go for the more delicate and subtle teas while at home.. again, to properly enjoy them.

I really have grown tired of my work selection, and while I am low on most of them I thought it would be a good time to restock with all new teas to liven things up a bit.

And Ian, thanks for the suggestions I will be hunting for those for sure.

- Dominic

"My current daily favorites I'm looking to replace are Kukicha, Sencha,

Oriental Beauty Oolong, Ginger Peach Black, and Jasmine green pearls."

Hi Dominic,

With regards to some nice full flavoured black teas I'd like to suggest a couple of chinese blacks. I personally really like Yunnan's for their full bodied subtlely sweet flavour. Ying Ming Yunnan is a nice affordable one with Golden Heaven or Golden Monkey being your more high end ones. Most good tea vendor's will carry a variety of Yunnan's. As was suggested, you can never go wrong with a nice second flush Darjeeling. An Assam is a nice choice for a more full flavoured estate tea aswell. I personally really like a good Earl Grey and a good Vanilla Chai when I'm at work, mostly because it's pretty much impossible to mess them up.

You may consider a white tea for sipping at home. White Peony is a nice affordable one, and anything with the words "silver needle" in it is a good high end choice.

Just my opinion,

Robert Hanson

... schnipp

A man after my own heart. For those high end cravings let the second DJ be a muscatel.

Karsten / Darjeeling

Yunnan and a second flush DJ are on my list, Karsten since I know you are as close as humanly possible to this subject matter... what are some particular estates I should be looking for?

- Dominic

Dominic, for high end 2nd muscatels Castleton would be my number one choice - how bold. I found them to be the most consistent over the years and the

2005s I had the pleasure to sample were nothing short of terrific. Second choices would be the Margarets Hope Ian already mentioned (sampled 2 different invoices last year - not bad at all and a bit cheaper). Another real nice Musc I had the pleasure to drink (and to stock up on) was last years Soureni, comparatively cheap (1/4 of the Castleton) but my personal best value among 2005s DJs. I'm personally also partial to Autumnals (more so than to FFs), the Makhaibari Vintage I rambled about in another thread was my personal favorite DJ of 2005, and then there have been some nice (semi-)Oolongs (Gopaldhara !) and small batches of some private bio-organic projects, yadda yadda ... However, I guess the first non-DJ after my return in 2 weeks will be a tippy Yunnan, yeeessss ...

PS: Just two hrs ago I got another sample of a 2006 DJ FF. My friend Mr.R didn't tell me the estate, as always he'll name it only after I told him my impressions. So it's back to the hotel for another one of those guessing games. More FF (Sungma, Rohini ?, Puttabong) coming in tomorrow, I'll report back.

Karsten / Darjeeling

Great! Thanks, I'm not a big FF person, not just in tea but I'm never one to go for something just because it is the first. Second flush was mainly what I was looking for, but I knew 2005 wasn't the best year and I actually had stayed away totally because I didn't have any insight as to what was actually worthwhile. Castleton was at the top of my own list, so with you seconding that, I think I'll start there. I had already put the Margaret's Hope down too from Ian's suggestion, so that is a sure thing too. I will have to find the Soureni you mentioned, I'm unfamiliar with that one.

I guess the more I think about it, I am mainly just burnt out on green teas and oolongs. So, I've adjusted and Yunnan, DJ, Pu-Erh, and a few random greens are on my shopping list this time.

- Dominic Drinking: Bond Street Blend English Breakfast

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In that case, let me wholeheartedly second Ian's Keemun suggestion. Keemun improves with age -- we're not talking decades here -- and will therefore stand up beautifully in your office. WuYi Oolongs are also said to benefit from some months of aging and are therefore good office candidates, but only the more highly roasted, not the greener varieties. I drank an exquisite first flush Darjeeling Oolong yesterday. Modern Darjes are greener, so keep them well packed and sealed. My office pack is oft' visited. I've got lots of Yunnan red teas of various qualities here too for when the mood strikes, like for example now. Michael

Hi Dominic personal experience taught me that if you like full-flavored black you won't necessarily like full-flavored greens and vice versa. Still, if you like bold flavors, I'd go for Yunnan, Keemun or Assam. A Darjeeling is always a good way into blacks--try Castleton. Another idea would be to buy several sample sizes instead and have something different every day until you find a tea you really like. A number of online shops do sample sizes at very very reasonable prices. Hope this helps Carla

I really just never find the "right" black tea. I have tea from of all places AVON (yeah the cosmetic company) it is simply called Black and White. It is a blend of mostly black tea with some white mixed in. It is without a doubt the best black tea I have ever had... however there are absolutely no names or markings on the foil pouch. It has driven me nuts for years to try to find that particular black tea... and no luck so far. It was part of a "Feng Shui Tea Set" that came with two yin and Yang teacups, a teaball, and the small pouch of tea.

I've tried a few Keemun's and none have done it for me. Same with Assam. I don't add milk or sugar to my teas so the tea has to stand on its own merits. I will be trying some Yunnans as well as Castleton estate DJ as has been suggested a couple of times now. Other than that I have some Pu-Erh, and that's about all on my list so far for my new purchases.

- Dominic