27 August, 2010

2005 Changtai - Yichanghao, Junlin Tianxia "Chazhong Wangcha"

Yichanghao, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

1. You taste good.
2. You are typically priced reasonably.

So, two ways. However, they are important ways, as I'm sure you'll agree.


2005 Yichanghao JunlinTianxia
"Chazhong Wangcha"

In my continuing quest to taste every Yichanghao cake ever made (I jest), it is with a feeling of gratitude that I plump myself down at the tea-table to enjoy this latest provision from the seemingly endless shelves of Keng, our tea-chum from Singapore. 


2005 Yichanghao JunlinTianxia


This is a "special production" Yichanghao, and some indication of this status may be gleaned from the fact that the characters for "Yichanghao" have been displaced into a small font, to make way for the rather poncy "Junlin Tianxia" [joon-lin tian-shee'a, the Emperor rules all under heaven].  The bing name, across the top of the wrapper, is "chazhong wangcha" [tea-centre king-tea].  These are not subtle, self-depreciatingly humble names.  These are pompous, grandiloquent phrases designed to provide "face".  It is not beyond the bounds of reasoning to assume that these have been produced for a tea merchant of the usual Chinese taste for ostentation.


2005 Yichanghao JunlinTianxia


Grand though the name may be, this cake does at least look the part.  What say you?  Those leaves are long and luxurious.


2005 Yichanghao JunlinTianxia


I use plenty of leaves and the result is a highly cooling, sweet, and woody brew.  It has a wide range of characteristics, from candy sweetness to a drawn-out finish of tight, sweet woodiness.  The body is smooth; the soup is orange, but clean.


2005 Yichanghao JunlinTianxia


Seemingly impossible to overbrew (and I tried), it requires longer and longer infusions in order to maintain the charm of earlier rounds of brewing.  It is a lovely cake, but too reticent to give me much hope for the future.  After five infusions, it is a conflict of man vs. bing to get a solid brew out of the pot.


2005 Yichanghao JunlinTianxia


The spent leaves, pictured above, are not excessively red, but what colour there is present in the blend is not uniformly distributed: some laeves are wholly tinged orange, while some are green.  This clear blending corresponds with my prior expectation for "made-for-vendor" teas, which need to be grand and instantly appealing, and which therefore lack endurance and the ability to provide much hope for storage.

It is elegant and well-produced.  At approximately 250 RMB (around $35) from various Taobao sellers, it is nicely priced.  As it stands, this tea would make an excellent gift, but probably isn't something one would wish to buy in any quantity.

5 comments:

五行雲子 said...

You weren't kidding about the length of the leaves! I did a double take thinking the bing was of the xiao variety until I saw it in your tray.

I am looking forward to your reviews of Nada's new tea, you really must visit his place in Falmouth.

Hobbes said...

Lei and I would both love to get down there - childbirth comes first. :)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

MarshalN said...

I would be cautious about the provenance of the ones on Taobao -- this was an expensive cake back in the day. Someone selling it at 250RMB is selling it at a steep discount.

Hobbes said...

Interestingly enough, Keng's local vendor sells it for a price similar to 250 RMB, which is the cake I tried (and which tastes like the real thing). So, while your advice is sound, I can imagine Taobao vendors selling it for a similar price.

I even found one Taobao vendor selling samples of this particular tea, if memory serves!


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

MarshalN said...

Sounds like prices collapsed for this tea then!