Review: Mi Lan Xiang (Phoenix Dan Cong)

I wandered into TheTeaTee determined I didnt need any new tea. I failed. I saw the leaves and aroma of this tea and thought I had to give it a try. 

Mi Lan Xiang [China, green, oolong] *** $$   by TheTeaTee, Lausanne, CH

Other names: 米蘭香,Honey Orchid, Phoenix Dan Cong
Origin: Phoenix Mountains, Guandong province, China

Almost a citrus notes to dry leaves of this tea but it doesn't get picked up once the tea is brewed, as there is definite floral smell to this tea in the cup. I didn't pick up the orchid at first smell but after having seen the translation of its chinese name I would agree its noticeable. 

This is a semi oxidised oolong as evidenced by nature of its leaves and the brownish colour when brewed, although taste-wise I found it an interesting mix of the strongly oxidised oolongs (such as Wu Yi, Dan Cong) and the less oxidised varieties such as Guan Yin. It has a distinctly green oolong after taste, although the first flavours are like typical woody oolongs. 

Very interesting little tea and a good price!

See Also:  Rui Gui, Guan Yin

Review: Shui Xian Oolong at Chi Asian Bistro, Ireland

One cold christmas night, an old friend and I went to try and find the famous fish and chips at McDonaghs only to have our efforts thwarted by missing last orders by a nose. My friend Brian didn't appear to have sufficient coats on for the evening so we quickly replanned and after a christmas of meat and potatoes with our respective families an authentic noodle soup seemed like just the thing.

Imagine my surprise on finding an oolong on the menu that I had never heard of....I think Brian liked it too.


Shui Xian Tea [Green, woody] **** $$ at Chi Asian Bistro, Galway, Ireland

Other Names: 水仙茶 , Shu Hsien, Sacred Lilly, Water Sprite

This tea has leaves that look more green (small leaves like white teas) than usual WuYi oolongs, intially had more woodiness on the nose than in the taste but the colour was unmistakably the brown-red of a semi oxidised oolong. It has a taste that is neither floral, like Guan Yin, grassy like Longjing or strongly woody like most of the other Wuyi oolongs but is a distinctive mellow taste that incorporates elements of all three. Me likey!

Similar teas: Semi Oxidised Oolongs, WuYi teas, Da Hong Pao, Fancy Oolong, Zui Jia Ren

Review: DaHongPao

My first exposure was at a workshop in London and I loved it so much I had a friend hunt for it while on her holidays in China. This is a fantastic little tea that holds you in its arms and makes you feel that life is just fine.

I became so addicted to this tea that I recently found myself on holidays in northern Mozambique skulking around chinese stores and accosting anyone vaguely east asian looking to see where I could get some chinese teas....I found my bonheur eventually at the flagship chinese store in Maputo!

DaHongPao, China [Blue-Green] ***** $$$

Other Names: Buddha Hand tea. 

First Brew: Great aroma, floral and slightly spicy, Take care not to brew too long.

Second Brew: The taste deepend and I find 2nd and 3rd brew to be the most comforting

Subsequent brews: This tea will loose flavour before it looses colour, I often try to do one brew over the line and have to throw out cause the leaves are too used

Similiar teas: Buddha Hand (Fo Shou), Wu Yi

Review: Zui Jia Ren by TheTeaTee.ch

Having been tempted by a Sencha from Thé Tea Tee, which I had found at a local workshop, I set out to find the teashop. As well as a little Sencha, I came away with Zui Jia Ren and the knowledge that semi fermented oolongs are sometimes called bleu-vert in French (literally blue-green). I like this blue-green appellation as it makes these oolongs more easily distinguishable from green oolongs or other green teas.

Confusingly, for us Swiss based folks, the Germans seem to call semi fermented tea Roter Tee, literally red teas. This is not only confusing for trans rosti-graben shopping but also because the Chinese name for what we call black teas translates as red teas. (The chinese use the term black tea only for Pu'erhs). As Chinese teas increase in popularity in Europe, expect more confusion.

Zui Jia Ren [Blue-Green, woody, China] *** $$$  by The Tea Tee, Switzerland

Other Names: ??
I found a comment on a post of another tea blog which suggests Zui Jia Ren is a new varietal of Dan Cong Oolongs (单枞) . These normally have a Xiang somewhere in the name. 

This is in the style of my favorite oolongs, dark and woody. I liked this tea but prefer Da Hong Pao or Tie Luo Han, as this one has a slightly harsher taste. It occurred to me that those who like Lapshong Souchong tea might like this harsh possibly slight smokey character to the Zui Jia Ren.


Similar teas: Oolong teas, Da Hong Pao, Tie Luo Han, Fancy Oolong

Review: Tie Luo Han

I found this treasure in Langassetee and it was love at first....bite...or something. There are no words for my obsession for this tea. Well, maybe there are some words....

Tie Luo Han, Taiwan [Blue-Green Oolong, woody] ***** $$$

Other names: Wu Yi Rock Tea

Fresh, fragrant like a garden after the spring rain...this tea is like the more charming younger brother of DaHongPao. The small packet I bought as a special treat practically drank itself, its woodyness is typical of this kind of oolong but there are dark chocolate notes in the fragrance that are just marvelous.

Similar teas: DaHongPao, Thyiolo Oolong, Fancy Oolong

Review: Buddha Hand

Buddha Hand, China [Blue-Green, Floral] *** $$

Other Names: Fo shou

I'm sure this is a close relative of DaHongPao and I just love this family! Sweet to the taste with an ever so slightly woody finish. Gimme More!

Simliar teas: DaHongPao, WuYi

Review: Reserve de Sichuan by TEKOE

The tea guy in Lausanne train station asked if I wanted sugar with this, and when I told him 

"certainly not"!  To which he replied, he would not have given it to me anyway! 

Ahh...I love tea dictators, especially when its for the benefit of the consumer.

Reserve de Sichaun [Green, Grassy]  *****  $$$$$          by Tekoe, CH 




This a high quality harvest which I can assume comes from Sichuan.

The leaf looks and smells like LongJing (Dragonswell) and smells also not unlike

pure Sencha. The tea really lives up to its quality and is a joy to drink...something

like LongJing in its taste but without any of its sharpness and instead is quite silky. Colour looked pale straw/brown, it was a bit difficult to judge in a lime green cup, similar to the colour of later brews of Silver Needle.




Similar teas: Dragonswell, Sencha