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Alex Zorach

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Member since Sep. 1st, 2009. Reviewed 1448 teas.

Reviews of Teas & Herbal Teas from Fujian, China

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Ben Shan Oolong King Grade from Life in Teacup

Style: Ben Shan Oolong – Region: Anxi, Fujian, China

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Aug. 25th, 2010

I received this oolong in a set of samples from Life in Teacup, but could not find it for sale on their website.

This one immediately got my attention from even smelling the dry leaf--so aromatic. I have rarely encountered such intense floral aromas outside of the most expensive Dong Ding or Tie Guan Yin oolongs.
...

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Picture of Tie Guan Yin Special Edition, traditional charcoal roast

Tie Guan Yin Special Edition, traditional charcoal roast from Life in Teacup

Style: Oolong Tea – Region: Fujian, China

73 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Aug. 18th, 2010

This tea got my attention with its unusual aroma, and I suspect it's the Mao Xie. There's like a familiar woody quality, typical for a roasted oolong, but with a peculiar quality suggestive of a savory soup containing celery root and other vegetables. The flavor is surprisingly savory for an oolong, with not much in ...

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Picture of Yongchun Fo Shou (Bergamot) Oolong Superior Grade

Yongchun Fo Shou (Bergamot) Oolong Superior Grade from Life in Teacup

Style: Fo Shou Oolong – Region: Yongchun, Fujian, China

88 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Aug. 16th, 2010

The dry leaf is strongly aromatic and has a strange, different aroma--considerably sharper than most greener oolongs.

After brewing the first cup, I notice a mildly soapy aroma, but this completely vanishes upon drinking it. The aroma is very complex, with spicy, herbaceous tones, reminiscent of a weedy thicket in ...

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Snow Buds 1st Flush from Rishi Tea

Style: Snow Buds – Region: Fujian, China

77 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Aug. 13th, 2010

This is very similar to the Xue Ya I tried from Adagio, but I prefer this tea as it is richer and more full-bodied.

I find this to be a very grassy tea, more like green tea than white. It has a sharpness, a bite to it. The cup is quite astringent and pleasingly bitter, but the finish is sweet and has depth to it. ...

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Picture of Tie Guan Yin modern green style Grade II

Tie Guan Yin modern green style Grade II from Life in Teacup

Style: Tie Guan Yin – Region: Anxi, Fujian, China

47 / 100 Aroma: 3/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
Aug. 3rd, 2010

I was actually quite disappointed with this Tie Guan Yin. It's pretty inexpensive for a green Tie Guan Yin, so I suppose I shouldn't be expecting that much, but compared to other greener oolongs, including ones from Life in Teacup, this was a letdown. Happily, I can say it is the first tea I've had from this company ...

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Royal Kuan Yin Tea from Foojoy

Style: Tie Guan Yin – Region: Fujian, China

57 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 5/5
Jul. 1st, 2010

Astonishing quality from such an inexpensive teabag!

With a single 5-minute infusion (shorter leaves a bland cup--the finely-broken leaves are packed tightly in the teabag and the flavor does not diffuse quickly) I found an amber colored cup with a mellow, subtle aroma and smooth flavor. In my experience, only good...

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Picture of Ben Shan Oolong

Ben Shan Oolong from Life in Teacup

Style: Ben Shan Oolong – Region: Anxi, Fujian, China

63 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 24th, 2010

I made two infusions of this tea. I found, using longer brewings, it's only really good for two and then most of the flavor is gone. I used 3 min. and 6 min.

For the first infusion, the aroma is floral and orchid-like, like many of the greener Anxi oolongs, but there's a depth and warmth to it that I've found is a...

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Picture of Tie Guan Yin traditional charcoal roast

Tie Guan Yin traditional charcoal roast from Life in Teacup

Style: Tie Guan Yin – Region: Anxi, Fujian, China

70 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 9th, 2010

A very aromatic tea, full of flavor, but light.

The aroma has a lot of different elements to it...the dominant tone is a woody quality...there is also a strong fruitiness, which I'd describe as most closely resembling apricots, and a lot of floral tones--most closely resembling the floral character of some black tea...

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Picture of Bai Ya Qi Lan Oolong traditional green style Superior Grade

Bai Ya Qi Lan Oolong traditional green style Superior Grade from Life in Teacup

Style: Qi Lan Oolong – Region: Anxi, Fujian, China

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Jun. 5th, 2010

I've only had dark Wuyi Qi Lan oolongs before, and I like them very much, so I was eager to try this greener one. I've heard that in general, more tightly rolled teas are higher quality, and this tea was rather loosely rolled, with the leaves taking up a lot of space. But the aroma suggests otherwise...the dry leaf h...

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Picture of Golden Osmanthus Oolong (Huang Jin Gui) traditional style

Golden Osmanthus Oolong (Huang Jin Gui) traditional style from Life in Teacup

Style: Golden Osmanthus – Region: Anxi, Fujian, China

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
May. 28th, 2010

Mostly floral fragrance. This is the first huang jin gui I've tried, and it really does resemble osmanthus flowers in aroma, but I find it has a very different overall character from osmanthus-scented tea. Also, unusual among light, aromatic, greener oolongs I've had. This tea has some interesting surprises.

I tr...

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Picture of Three Kingdoms Mao Feng Green Tea

Three Kingdoms Mao Feng Green Tea from Teavana

Style: Mao Feng Green Tea – Region: Fujian, China

63 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 2/5
May. 23rd, 2010

This is a very mild and sweet green tea, similar to Teavana's Pi Lo Chun but less aromatic and perhaps slightly grassier. Pleasing but bordering on bland and boring if brewed as instructed. I find that with a very long steep time (8+ min), however, it acquires nuances in the aroma that are absent otherwise...includin...

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Picture of Pure Oolong (Formerly China Oolong)

Pure Oolong (Formerly China Oolong) from Twinings

Style: Oolong Tea – Region: Fujian, China

50 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Apr. 28th, 2010

The first sip of this oolong was delightful, but upon drinking a whole cup of it I wasn't as much of a fan. Significantly lighter than a black tea, the aroma is very floral, bordering on perfumey. Upon drinking more than a few sips, however, a lot of unpleasant qualities develop...there's a sourness, and some off qua...

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Picture of 'Wu Yi' Water Fairy Oolong

'Wu Yi' Water Fairy Oolong from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Shui Hsien Oolong – Region: Fujian, China

80 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Apr. 9th, 2010

While I'm not normally a fan of "fake" teas, I'm eager to try ones that are honestly presented as imitating styles originating in other regions.

Aroma is very toasty, more like roasted Yerba Mate than other roasted teas. Nutty and earthy, with a sweet aftertaste that lingers. There is actually a lot of complexity ...

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Picture of Dragon Pearl Jasmine

Dragon Pearl Jasmine from Harney and Sons

Style: Jasmine Pearls – Region: Fujian, China

63 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Nov. 28th, 2009

Complex aroma, less floral than most Jasmines and than I had expected. I liked this tea but I'm not sure I perceived it the same way it is described...it tasted a little bit peppery to me...the base tea reminded me somewhat of a white peony and somewhat of a pouchong. This tea is gentle if you brew it briefly but can...

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Picture of White Peony (Bai Mu Dan)

White Peony (Bai Mu Dan) from Two Leaves and a Bud

Style: White Peony Tea – Region: Fujian, China

70 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Nov. 28th, 2009

A rich, full-bodied tea, brews a dark orange color and is fairly bitter. The aroma is fairly complex. There are some pleasant vegetal tones too. Pleasant aftertaste too.

I really like this tea; it's one of the few white peony teas that I've tried that has been bold and full-bodied enough for me. It's almost a li...

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Picture of First Grade Shou Mei White Tea

First Grade Shou Mei White Tea from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Shou Mei White Tea – Region: Fujian, China

60 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 14th, 2009

Brownish leaves with some silvery and green mixed in. Light aroma of fall leaves and honey with some vegetal tones. Some astringency and a noticeably unpleasant sourness, although no bitterness.

Of Upton's 3 Shou Mei teas of similar price (see ZW62, ZW23), this is the one I like least. This one is much more simil...

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Picture of Shou Mei Classic

Shou Mei Classic from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Shou Mei White Tea – Region: Fujian, China

80 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 5/5
Oct. 14th, 2009

Of Upton three Shou Mei's of similar price, this is my favorite. Leaves greener as Shou Mei goes. Aroma is fresh, clean and vegetal, perhaps even a bit grassy. Very rich aroma; this is the most aromatic of any Shou Mei that I've sampled. Less sweet than most white teas. My only complaint is a fair amount of astrin...

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Picture of Season's Pick Shou Mei

Season's Pick Shou Mei from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Shou Mei White Tea – Region: Fujian, China

73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Oct. 13th, 2009

This is one of the naturally sweetest teas I have ever tried, with an aroma of cinnamon, honey, caramel, and autumn leaves. Rich, warm, and very gentle. Absolutely no bitterness whatsoever...just a hint of astringency in the aftertaste.

This is one of 3 of Upton's Shou Mei teas of very similar price and I want to ...

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Picture of Asian Jasmine 100% White Tea

Asian Jasmine 100% White Tea from Republic of Tea

Style: Jasmine Tea – Region: Fujian, China

47 / 100 Aroma: 3/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 5th, 2009

This is a very simple tea...the aroma is un-jasmine-like...more fruity. The flavor is weak but very smooth and there is some body to this tea. Pleasant but unremarkable. Reasonably priced.

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Picture of Wuyi Oolong

Wuyi Oolong from Rishi Tea

Style: Oolong Tea – Region: Wuyi, Fujian, China

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 5/5
Sep. 21st, 2009

Darker among oolongs, but very mellow. The aroma is very warm, rich, and complex, with some roast, a hint of smokiness, and some tones of grain. It actually smells a bit like marijuana, and a bit like a fresh autumn day. I rather like the aroma and I can say I am constantly discovering new facets of it.

This tea ...

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Picture of White Tea

White Tea from Ten Ren Tea

Style: White Tea – Region: Fujian, China

63 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 5/5
Sep. 19th, 2009

Very dark for a white tea, but not bad for a teabag. This tea brews a rich brown color and has a predominately earthy aroma, but it's also clean and crisp tasting. There's a moderate amount of astringency and some bitterness.

Atypical for a white tea, and not terribly complex, but I found it quite enjoyable.

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Picture of White Peony

White Peony from Rishi Tea

Style: White Peony Tea – Region: Zhenghe, Fujian, China

33 / 100 Aroma: 3/10 Flavor: 1/5 Value: 3/5
Aug. 29th, 2009

A disappointment, especially compared to Rishi's other offerings. The brewed tea is amber in color. The aroma is bold and peppery without being sharp; it almost suggests celery, but without the fresh vegetal notes most white teas have. There's not much bitterness, but there's a fair amount of sourness. This tea is ...

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