My small treasure of a box arrived Wednesday from Teaspring.
Some more wonderful '93 loose Menghai, a Nai Xiang Oolong and a brand
new experience for me - an Oolong Wu Yi Cha Bing.
Firstly, the bing itself is quite beautiful - pressed with characters,
mountains, and stars and the aroma is intense - very, sweet and
"baking chocolate". The disk colour is deep and rich - teakwood brown
with tawny highlights.
Being quite new to this experience, I broke off a piece as I would a
pu-erh cha bing; although this disk is flat. Teaspring suggested using
1/2 small porcelain pot of leaves and doing a 1 minute infusion at
oolong temp.
This wonder of a tea held up strongly to multiple infusions becoming
toastier, more chocolate and sweeter.
The tea is a quite a bargain $9.90 and I'm assuming it will last for
quite a while.
I have to admit - this may just become my very favourite Autumn
indulgence!
Also, in this box, Nai Xiang Oolong. This one is probably with
smoothest of the "milk" oolongs I've tastes and the flavour, although
very delicate, more pristine and clear in the "milky/silky" tones.
A lovely soft green and very sweet with virtually no rough green
vegetal edges. Small leaves and a refreshing sweetness that did not
diminish with multiple infusions.
I've tried two "silk" Oolongs from red Blossom and the Taiwan version
was much more pronounced a flavour.
I had been particularly fond of the "Milk Oolong" from Holy Mountain
since the flavour was so pronounced. But, both Red Blossoms' "Taiwan
Silk" and Holy Mountain's "Milk" lack the complexities and nuances of
sweet "milkiness" that appear in the Nai Xiang from Teaspring.
Shen