Fine Tea

**Scotto** · 12-11-2006, 05:19 AM

I have several Chatsford teapots; relatively inexpensive, lots of room for leaves to unfurl, and all around great pot. If you are doing gung-fu preparation, you need a Yixing tea pot, but that is a different story.

**ouch** · 12-11-2006, 05:45 AM

I don't think you need to engage in full blown, ritualistic preparations to enjoy the benefits of yixing pots. Just use them to brew in your normal style, and they work great. Your are, however, sort of pidgeonholed into using oolongs.

The Chatsfords, and other porcelain pots, are great for almost all types of tea. They're beautiful, easy to maintain, easy to use, and make a great pot of tea. Really hard to go wrong with one of those.

**Ben** · 12-11-2006, 06:56 AM

I'm a big fan of Oolong and Pu-Erh. I also enjoy Chinese and Japanese green teas. My favorite vendor so far is Rishi Tea.

**ouch** · 12-11-2006, 07:12 AM

A lot of pu-erhs taste like dirt, but I hear some of the aged ones can be devine. They're hard to buy- I don't feel like getting stuck with a huge cake of something I can't stand.

Scotto- make with the pu-erh decants, already!

**moses** · 12-11-2006, 07:13 AM

What about the Japanese Iron teapots? My girlfriend's chinese roomate swore by them, in part to do with holding the heat very well, I think.

-Mo

**ouch** · 12-11-2006, 07:27 AM

The tetsubin teapots are nice, but they rust!

Had to give them up after I started stting off the metal detectors at airports.

**Scotto** · 12-11-2006, 07:29 AM

Most pu-erhs smell and taste like my wet basement. Nasty stuff.

**jnich67** · 12-11-2006, 07:35 AM

Hey there Scotto, I've been wanting to get into the whole tea thing lately. I understand that there are different "grades" of tea leaf - size? Can you comment on these? What would a novice look for.

Also, my sister-in-law is a tea fan and I'd like to get her a gift of good quality teas (she mainly drinks de-caf I think). Have you seen any gift sets that would be nice? Thanks.

Jordan

PS - Do you know of any good tea shops in the City? Thanks.

**ouch** · 12-11-2006, 07:44 AM

As far as "grades" of tea go, there are none. One man's "imperial" is another's "special" is anther's "reserve". Only one way to find out- bite the bullet and try 'em.

In the city, Ten Ren Tea, 75 Mott St, has a nice selection, and a helpful, if somewhat homely, staff.

Their teapots are not genuine yixing (and they make no pretense to the contrary), but they are nice, if ridiculously expensive. I'd suggest starting with a variety of 1/4lb. each of 3rd to 4th grade teas to see what you like. When you find a style you enjoy, you can try out the more expensive ones, or see how cheap you can go and still retain the taste you're looking for.

**Scotto** · 12-11-2006, 07:58 AM

Jordan, I know InPursuitofTea has a variety of samplers. I am sure other companies do as well.

One thing to be aware of is that price and lots of descriptors like "Imperial","Monkey-picked", etc. don't necessarily equate to more intense flavors. In fact the most expensive teas and winners of prestigious contests, especially when you are talking about Chinese teas, often are the most subtle teas out there. Very often the same varietal at half the price will have a stronger flavor profile.

**jnich67** · 12-11-2006, 08:38 AM

Thanks!

Jordan

**ouch** · 12-11-2006, 08:39 AM

Great to see this thread resurrected after 13 months!

**letterk** · 12-11-2006, 09:45 AM

Anyone care to offer a suggestion on one of the tea samplers from specialteas.com?

http://www.specialteas.com/Sample+Co.../category.html

Buying for my wife, but I will enjoy them as well. Of recent successful purchases, she really likes the Jasmine Silver Needle from Charles.

**Scotto** · 12-11-2006, 09:46 AM

Depends what you are looking for. Their blended teas (mostly breakfast-type offerings) are very good. So are the oolongs and greens. The flavored stuff I would avoid.

**Ben** · 12-11-2006, 09:49 AM

I'd hate to think that those who bash Pu-Erh aren't preparing it correctly. Oh well. More for me!

Also, I think it's a tad on the rude side to say what someone else likes essentially tastes like shit. "It's not for me" is a much nicer way to get the message across.

Originally Posted by Scotto

Most pu-erhs smell and taste like my wet basement. Nasty stuff.

Case in point.

I guess Pu-Erh is an acquired taste, or maybe it's a cultural barrier. In any case, I've acquired the taste and crossed the barrier. Or maybe you've just bought and sampled the worst of it. Whatever.

**fuerein** · 12-11-2006, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by Ben

I'd hate to think that those who bash Pu-Erh aren't preparing it correctly. Oh well. More for me!

Also, I think it's a tad on the rude side to say what someone else likes essentially tastes like shit. "It's not for me" is a much nicer way to get the message across.

Case in point.

I guess Pu-Erh is an acquired taste, or maybe it's a cultural barrier. In any case, I've acquired the taste and crossed the barrier. Or maybe you've just bought and sampled the worst of it. Whatever.

I've only tried one version of Pu-Erh (I forget who the distributor is though), and overall I found it to be good. One thing that I found with it is that is is far more earthy than any other tea and it reminds me more of coffee than what one typically thinks of when it comes to traditional teas.

**letterk** · 12-11-2006, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by Scotto

Depends what you are looking for. Their blended teas (mostly breakfast-type offerings) are very good. So are the oolongs and greens. The flavored stuff I would avoid.

Not exactly sure. Maybe something new and different. My wife has the gamut of the blended stuff, even multiple flavored items (I stay away from them as well). I recently bought her the two teas from Charles, and as I said, she really liked the Jasmine Silver Needel. In fact, I think she said it was her favorite. So I thought one of their sampler packs would be a nice way to try a few things. She's very open to trying most anything. But I wanted to make sure the specific teas on the packs are of good quality. No point in sampling something of poor representation.

**Ben** · 12-11-2006, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by fuerein

I've only tried one version of Pu-Erh (I forget who the distributor is though), and overall I found it to be good. One thing that I found with it is that is is far more earthy than any other tea and it reminds me more of coffee than what one typically thinks of when it comes to traditional teas.

Pu-Erh is not supposed to be a delicate, light-bodied experience. The fermented and aged leaf prevents such a profile. However, if you like bold, very earthy, and very rich, then it's worth a try. Like any tea (or anything else, for that matter), you can get a basic idea by starting with something affordable and readily available. If you like it, you can explore it further and, ultimately, reach a point where you reach diminishing returns on considerable investments. Then you back off until you hit equilibrium between flavor prefence and price point. Pu-Erh is a specialized tea.

**ouch** · 12-11-2006, 10:05 AM

I don't care what someone's comments are, as long as they are honest. I, too, have been less than successful with pu-erhs, and here's how it will affect my purchasing strategy:

When I try a tea (or anything else for that matter) that I find decent, I'm always willing to seek out and try better versions of them. I've had many pouchongs, pi lo chuns, lung chings, etc. that were okay, but lacking in depth of flavor. I basically liked them, and wanted to find better examples of the breed. Unfortunately, all of the pu-erhs that I have thusfar sampled have been downright offensive. That leaves me with very little impetus to seek out better versions.

I don't think anyone is saying that fine pu-erhs don't exist, but don't blame me for not trying every one until I'm happy. If I were a purveyor of pu-erh, I would be aghast at the products on the market, as it would make it very difficult for me to sell the real thing.

**Scotto** · 12-11-2006, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Ben

I'd hate to think that those who bash Pu-Erh aren't preparing it correctly. Oh well. More for me!

Also, I think it's a tad on the rude side to say what someone else likes essentially tastes like shit. "It's not for me" is a much nicer way to get the message across.

Case in point.

I guess Pu-Erh is an acquired taste, or maybe it's a cultural barrier. In any case, I've acquired the taste and crossed the barrier. Or maybe you've just bought and sampled the worst of it. Whatever.

Rude? I don't think so. I think the description is pretty apt, and gives people an impression of what it is like. Wet basement doesn't have to be a bad thing. If you like wines from the Rhone or Belgian beer (both of which I do), you'll regularly hear descriptive terms like "horse blanket", "musty", etc. which are quite telling. I have tried a dozen or so "fine" pu-erh specimens with some people who were really into this type , but it still isn't my cup of tea.