Oolong Tea Reviews - Tea Talk

From John in the UK

The bamboo scoop and tweezers are great.
Here's a photo of the items about to be put into action!
For sure, I'd like to try some of your oolong offerings in the future.

From Nat in Newcastle, Australia

My wife and I have been enjoying High Mountain Oolong Tea for
some years now. It is an important part of our day. We have tried
several varieties and have enjoyed them all. Golden Lily is our
favoured variety but Li Shan is another tea that we really enjoy.

I feel that the benefits of the tea are many and we rely on the
daily ritual as we do with all, important aspects of living.

From Drew in Melbourne, Australia

Hi there,

I recently purchased a few items from your site.

Firstly I would like to say how wonderful the Golden Lily is. I have
never tasted a tea quite like it before and am very excited to try more
and more of your wonderful Oolongs.

I am also impressed with the Taiwanese teapot (#024) I received -
it's always quite a gamble purchasing teaware online but am very
happy with your site and will be passing it onto my 'tea people'
down under!

Thank you everyone at Oolong-Tea.Org, and once again I am very
much looking forward to trying more and more of your teas in future.

Regards,
Drew

From Lorant in Hungary

Dear Oolong Friends,

Hope to meet you one day soon and have some nice tea together.

Many Greetings,

Lorant

www.vorosphoto.com
www.circosentido.com

June 2012

From K Jaffe

Good Morning from Boulder, Colorado.

I have learned that life is too short for a bad cup of tea. I am
looking for a great Bao Jung, both for for myself and for a
very good customer originally from Taiwan.

Would I be safe with your current grade of Bao Jung?

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Answer from David:
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Yes we feel you will be more than comfortably safe with our
teas and in particular our current grade of Bao Jung Cha.

Love your motto: " life is too short for a bad cup of tea" :)

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UPDATE

From Mr Jaffe, after receiving hs order of Four Seasons
and Bao Jung Cha.

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I am drinking the 1st pot of Bao Jung - - absolutely
delightful. I'm anxious to try the "Four Seasons".

Looking forward to being a loyal customer,

K

From J. Daniels, Calgary, Canada

I can hardly wait to get my tea kettle and tea! A friend gave me a
gift a few months back, of a lava style tea pitcher and 2 matching
lava tea cups, along with some tea from her order to try. I love
them! But now I need to boil my tea water in a non stainless steel
kettle . . . .

From Janice Goebel in Byron Bay, Australia

Hi Oolong-Tea.Organic

I'm a mother of 3 beautiful children with a thirst for gaining enlightening
knowledge & now of course the best oolong tea I can get my hands on.

Our next supply of tea from you has just been delivered.

Inside we also found a little clay turtle that we've embraced onto
our tea tray.

Thank you so much for providing us with the access to order the
most incredibly beneficial tea.

Having read Dan Reid's "The Art and Alchemy of Chinese Tea"
has given me the understanding of what it actually does for not
only me but my partner, our 3 kids and even their Grandma who
has just been introduced to the tea.

It has honestly changed our lives in a way we used to only dream
of, not knowing it would come from a little cup of tea.

Many blessings to you all!

From Karl in Colarado

David, Jolene, and Luke

I'm drinking it now (Four Seasons Organic Oolong) and it tastes
great! U.S. Customs must have thought it was ganja because they
opened the bag and cut into the tea. My tax dollars at work.

Karl

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Answer from David:
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Man, that's classic! Thanks for seeing the humorous side of this.
I wonder if they took a sample and brewed some up!

Who knows, we might get an order from the DEA soon - a new
convert to high mountain oolong :)

From Amanda Bechara in Australia

have my oriental beauty and all i can say is this is true love,

thank you so much for your beautiful tea!


Amanda's Website: the cake + the knife

From Rob M in California

Just wondering what is the best to way to safely and conveniently
store pot, cup, tea and tray whilst travelling?

Would Daniel Reid like to share with us how he does it?

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Answer from Daniel Reid:
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Hi Rob,

   I pack my travel tea set in a small box, with each item carefully
wrapped in thick cloth, and ALWAYS carry it with you, never
put in a check-in suitcase. I carry the box, plus a small tray, in
my carry-on bag, plus a few bags of my favorite tea.

Cheers,

Daniel

From Chantni in NSW, Australia

Over the years we have tried various contacts for tea and I would
like to say that not everyone delivers what they say they will in
regards to quality and freshness, and that I am very happy with
my last order.

[The] tea is very nice and satisfying first thing in the morning.

The small, delicate leaves and the floral flavour/after taste is what
I look for in a tea.

So thank you once again. I will be trying out your other teas.

Do you recommend any tea that you have available now or in
the near future?

Regards,,

Chantni

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Answer
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Dear Chantni,

We recommend:

1. Our "Four Seasons" Oolong.

2. Our Li Shan (Pear Mountain) Oolong.

You're going to love the floral fragrance and flavour.

Regards,

David, Jolene & Luke

From PM in Adelaide, Australia

Hi Daniel,

I have enjoyed your musings and jottings for a few years since
subscribing to Tea Tidings. Congratulations on completing the
book, which I look forward to reading when it has been published.

I have found ... a preference for the more lightly oxidised oolongs
- I like them distinctly flowery, fresh and clean tasting. In this
regard, I would appreciate your advice as to which of your teas
conform broadly to that style?

I look forward to expanding my horizons beyond the random
(but always interesting and occasionally, astonishingly good)
selection of teas that has fallen into my lap (thanks to the Gods
who favoured me in this way!)

Best wishes,

PM From Adelaide 

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Answer from Daniel Reid:
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Dear PM,

Four Seasons and Kingfisher Jade are the most floral.

Regards,

Daniel

From Matthew Scott (China)

The GABA tea has arrived, just brewed my first one...very nice indeed.

Could you recommend how many bags/day and is the best way to brew
by making multiple brews in a small pot as per gong fu style? 

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Answer from Daniel Reid:
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Drink as much of the GABA as you wish, there is no limit. Best to
steep it in a lidded mug for about 5 minutes, then pour the tea out into
another cup, & refill the cup with the tea bag, you can do this 3-4 times.

Cheers,

Daniel

From Lorant (Mexico/Hungary)

I have been reading Daniel Reid's books and what I read and learn
there just feels so naturally true and good. I found your website through
his site and lately I am drinking a lot of oolong tea. My friends and I are
just about to order some tea from you guys as well.

I have a question about drinking oolong tea:

Can I drink different kinds of oolong tea in the same session or the mix
would not be beneficial?

Thank you and many greetings to all of you.

Lorant

www.vorosphoto.com
www.circosentido.com

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Answer from Daniel Reid:
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No problem, Lorant, we drink at least
two varietals each time, and often
three or four, all of them High Mountain
Oolong from Taiwan. They are all
completely compatible.

Cheers,

Daniel

From K.K. in Washington State, USA

Good Day,

I received my teapot and accessories today and just wanted to thank
you for the well packaged items.

The tea samples and cloth were very welcome additions.

Having ordered from various stores online, it seems quite a few don't
consider the post purchase, "receiving new teaware" experience from
the buyer's point of view.

Very well done and the tea samples were quite nice! Good overall
shopping experience and I will certainly purchase again.

Thank you again for the great delivery!

K.K.

From Joel in USA

Just finished enjoying some of my new tea. It arrived yesterday.

Very quick shipping!

Thanks again to all of you who helped make this special shipment happen.

The tea is delightful and the tea ware is a great joy.

Thanks also for the extras!

All the best to my Taiwanese cha ren friends,

Joel

From Alethea Gurabardhi:

Dear Oolong-Tea.Org,

I was born and grew up in Taiwan. I used to buy my Dad, a true tea
conneisseur, a tea set for his birthdays (he collected them). Are they
made with the same specifications today that they were back then?
The expression of "Cha bu duo jiu hao" was quite common.

Alethea

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Alethea,

Yes, tea pots and cups and tools are made with the same specifications
as before, and even better, especially in Taiwan. For example, the
"great leap forward" in teapots represented by our "lao ye hi" (Lava Clay)
pots and tea ware.

Best Regards,

Daniel and Snow

From Charles in Montana:

Hi Guys,

Wanted to let you know that the first order was received
yesterday.

Amazing kettles! Is it me, psychosomatic or something, but the tea
I prepared this morning (the tea I have been drinking for a many
weeks) tasted so much better. Another layer of flavor sprung
forth that was not there yesterday. Our property is blessed with
an artesian well at 9.8 alkalinity, so can't get much better
water than that. So it must have been the kettles. WOW!
The old stainless steel kettle is now in the donation pile!

One question I do have for you. When refilling the
kettles when they are still hot to the touch, is it OK filling them
with cold water? Just wondering if the major temperature
shock to the stoneware is OK. Please let me know.

Best regards

Charles

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charles,

you can add room temperature water to the kettles
when they are hot, as long as there is still a bit of
hot water on the bottom...

the tea tastes better from water boiled in the kettles
because the crystalized minerals in the stone/clay
has energetic properties on the water molecules.

this causes the the molecules to "microcluster"
also known as "restructure," which means the
water clusters in clumps of 3-5 molecules rather
than the usual 12-15, which makes it "finer" and
"softer," and this brings out deeper layers of the
tea taste while also allowing deeper penetration
of the flavors on the palate....

daniel

From Moon in Singapore:

Hello,

I am your fairly new member, I landed at your web by chance while
sourcing for some Chinese tea information.

I just want to say a big "Thank you" for putting me on your Tea Tidings
newsletter list. I am a tea lover and your articles on tea culture are s
enlightening that I find myself glued to your website everyday during
my lunch break, reading the back issues, with the so relaxing tea music
you uploaded for your readers. So thoughtful, I actually open up a link
to play the music in the background, minimise it, and open another link
to read your interesting articles. Then finish my lunch with a hot cuppa
Chinese tea.

Such an enjoyment! Have a Great day!

Moon

PS I read an article by Daniel and understand that he did a translation
for My Journey in Mystic China: Old Pu's Travel Diary, so I am pleased
to let you know that I have placed an order from Amazon for the book
and it is on the way to me now. Really looking forward to it!

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Tea Moon,

Welcome to our tea clan, happy to have you aboard...
What do you mean "by chance?"

No such thing! It was predestined! No doubt your tea karma homed
you in while cruising the net.

We now have more music on our Tea Tunes music player,
(see the Tea Culture Section) ... some lovely Ancient Chinese Lute,
my all time favorite tea music.

Yes, it's true, "a hundred thousand mantras on a mala /
don't sing the truth as well / as a single taste of tea..."

Cheers from Dali, Yunnan, Tea Country

Daniel and Snow

From Noah in Cornwall, England:

Hi Guys,

Just a quick question regarding the lava-clay pots (and pitchers/jugs)

Do they need to be seasoned in the same way a traditional yi-shing
teapot is seasoned?

And likewise is it also preferred to use only one type of tea in the lava
pots like it is in the yi-xing pots?

Thanks for your help,

Noah

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Hi Noah,

The lava-clay pots (and pitchers/jugs) need less seasoning than the
Yixing clay, but the more any pot is seasoned, the better it gets.
To cultivate the exterior of a lava pot, use an old toothbrush,
wet, rather than a towel...

Regarding your other question, lava clay absorb less tea oils than the
Yixing clay, so you can use different teas in the same lava pot without
residues influencing the taste of a different tea type.

Nevertheless, a purist like Snow still reserves particular pots for
particular teas, whereas I use my favorite pots for all good oolongs.

This is a matter of individual taste, there is no iron-clad rule
in this department.

Lava pots and pitchers/jugs also make great "holding pots" for tea
steeped in other pots, including regular clay. The mineral crystals in
the lava act on the tea in the pot by microstructuring the water
molecule clusters.

Back to my tea table,

Daniel