Tag: yancha
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Rou Gui’s Revenge
I think I’ve mentioned this before, but Rou Gui was the first Wuyi oolong (or Yancha) that I ever liked. Before a certain Da Hong Pao back-flipped my palate, I never really took a liking to Wuyi rock oolongs. They always tasted like . . . well . . . roasted rocks. In leaf form.…
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Tie Luo Han: The Iron Monk Oolong
Seven Days of Seven Cups, Day 4 – “Tie Luo Han: The Iron Monk Oolong” This interesting oolong derives its name—Tie Luo Han, which means “Iron Monk”—from old legends linked to a particular cave. I couldn’t even find a picture of this legendary cave, and—believe me—I looked. All that came up were Mindcraft photos. So,…
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Bai Ji Guan or White Rooster Crest
Seven Days of Seven Cups, Day 2 – “Bai Ji Guan or White Rooster Crest” Bai Ji Guan—translated as “White Rooster Crest”— earns its name from the color and shape of its leaves. They’re rather yellow and crest-like. According to legend, an old rooster died near a place called Hui Yan Rock. The locals buried…
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An Original Da Hong Pao Oolong Awakening
Da Hong Pao literally means “Big Red Robe” in Chinese, and it has a very big history. There are no less than five origin stories for this particular kind of tea. The most famous, exported legend deals with an emperor (or imperial official) whose mother was ill, and teas produced from Da Hong Pao trees…
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My Love/Hate Relationship with Wuyi Oolongs
NaNoTeaMo, Day 23: “My Love/Hate Relationship with Wuyi Oolongs” I remember the first time I heard the word “yancha”. In an unlikely move, I was attending a local gathering of fellow tea folks. I was nowhere near as knowledgeable as I am now (which – admittedly – still isn’t much). In order to be social,…
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A Baby Half-Heaven Goblin’s Flying Tea Couch Adventure
NaNoTeaMo, Day 15: “A Baby Half-Heaven Golbin’s Flying Tea Couch Adventure” A couple of days ago, I may have mentioned I went to Seattle. While there I visited The Phoenix Tea Shop. That . . . was only part of the story. This is the rest. Earlier in the week, my brother sent me a…