tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post5970855481128473196..comments2023-07-05T09:38:23.624+01:00Comments on The Half-Dipper: 1997 Henglichang "Bulang"Hobbeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-1000249796078485322012-01-31T22:52:58.670+00:002012-01-31T22:52:58.670+00:00Hello Hobbes,
I just finished my first session wi...Hello Hobbes,<br /><br />I just finished my first session with this tea. What an interesting cake!<br /><br />I think I might have oversteeped the first few infusions quite a bit, but I'll adjust it next time. :)<br /><br />The wet leaves have an interesting scent of wet earth mixed with old dusty books; it's a strange but pleasant smell that gives me the sensation of opening an old chestJoãohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12319459869560690144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-30582023178075196912012-01-03T14:06:28.426+00:002012-01-03T14:06:28.426+00:00Good news! I bought a cake for my birthday, last ...Good news! I bought a cake for my birthday, last year. It's one of my favourite gifts of all time.<br /><br /><br />Toodlepip,<br /><br />HobbesHobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-66575664480749072772011-12-30T15:43:55.842+00:002011-12-30T15:43:55.842+00:00EOT has just restocked this tea (12/2011). After t...EOT has just restocked this tea (12/2011). After tasting a sample I ordered two bings. This is a prefect tea with the base of a young pu but with great hints at aging.iweargreenshoeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11478099248491015229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-6733423010259931942011-03-07T20:09:37.884+00:002011-03-07T20:09:37.884+00:00Gosh, has it really? Well, I hope you'll enjo...Gosh, has it really? Well, I hope you'll enjoy it nonetheless!<br /><br />I also find that Essence of Tea's range is trustworthy. <br /><br /><br />Toodlepip,<br /><br />HobbesHobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-58200333441037965112011-03-07T16:34:00.909+00:002011-03-07T16:34:00.909+00:00No, I'm afraid I broke the cardinal rule in th...No, I'm afraid I broke the cardinal rule in this case, knowing that a blessing from Hobbes would mean this one would be gone very soon (and it was -- only samples left now). Had it been any other vendor I would have balked, but I've come to trust the quality of EoT's teas and have yet to find one of their offerings not to my liking.LTPRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10754182842876404262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-23569897934679142142011-03-07T08:10:26.572+00:002011-03-07T08:10:26.572+00:00I hope that you like it! I would feel particularl...I hope that you like it! I would feel particularly bad if you spent what is a very significant sum of money only to find it's not your cup of tea. I assume that you have tried a sample. :)<br /><br /><br />Toodlepip,<br /><br />HobbesHobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-80546990048252699962011-03-07T06:02:47.994+00:002011-03-07T06:02:47.994+00:00... Did you hear that? It's the sound of my w...... Did you hear that? It's the sound of my wallet cursing you ;) But I can't wait to try this one out. Thank you for the updated post.LTPRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10754182842876404262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-47197604547824551262010-06-18T07:14:48.897+01:002010-06-18T07:14:48.897+01:00Dear Maitre-Tea,
I imagine that the two gentlem...Dear Maitre-Tea,<br /><br /> I imagine that the two gentlemen are referring to the bulbous, fat young leaves rather than the furry yinzhen tips as I initially thought you meant. <br /><br /> In terms of complexity, I rather like mixtures - plenty of bulbous younger basis leaves, plenty of heavier lower leaves, some stems, some huangpian... This Henglichang Bulang, for example, has all manner Hobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-74850341731673760242010-06-17T22:22:16.165+01:002010-06-17T22:22:16.165+01:00I'm not too certain, but I believe there's...I'm not too certain, but I believe there's a difference between buds and silver tips. I bring up the bud-heaviness as a reason for the bitterness because:<br /><br />a. I had asked Jason (BBB) this before and that's what he said, and<br /><br />b. In the pre-order email Nada sent out he wrote of the Bu Lang, "The maocha isn't quite as bud-heavy this year though, which has Maitre_Teahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09949659223396025930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-38213119534435239942010-06-17T21:47:18.069+01:002010-06-17T21:47:18.069+01:00(I suspect that the potency of this cake is due to...(I suspect that the potency of this cake is due to its proper rawness, and its original Bulang power. There is, as I wrote in the article, cause for hope for our own teas!)Hobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-23183308159793198352010-06-17T21:46:29.675+01:002010-06-17T21:46:29.675+01:00Dear Maitre-Tea,
You raise a point that I have ...Dear Maitre-Tea,<br /><br /> You raise a point that I have not heard before - bitterness and tips. For me, and this is just my own observation and limited to being exactly that, bitterness comes from the "basis" leaves. In my estimation, tips can provide a silkiness, some smooth texture (when young), but their effect on the character is to reduce the overall bitterness of the cake, Hobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-87006190323178049292010-06-17T21:17:22.440+01:002010-06-17T21:17:22.440+01:00To be a little more specific the bitterness defini...To be a little more specific the bitterness definitely wasn't the bitterness of a young tea...it was more of a "hey, shouldn't 13 years of slightly wetter storage take care of this" sort of bitterness.<br /><br />I've only encountered this sort of strength in a few very special teas, so I guess I should consider myself very lucky to have this one. <br /><br />I believe the Maitre_Teahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09949659223396025930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-63946928328699337502010-06-17T15:21:21.641+01:002010-06-17T15:21:21.641+01:00I'm going to have another crack at this and ke...I'm going to have another crack at this and keep an eye out for maple syrup :)<br /><br /><br />Toodlepip,<br /><br />HobbesHobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-50367642449398812512010-06-16T15:39:50.876+01:002010-06-16T15:39:50.876+01:00The taste of this tea reminded me of maple syrup. ...The taste of this tea reminded me of maple syrup. By the fourth infusion I was overcome by the power of the tea. Time will mellow this cake nicely.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-19232801245086267672010-06-16T11:53:39.058+01:002010-06-16T11:53:39.058+01:00I'm sure there are much more qualified observe...I'm sure there are much more qualified observers of the production practices of Yunnan producers than me, but such "neutering" could be achieved by allowing the leaves to oxidise to varying degrees prior to shaqing, or by cooking longer, or, some say, applying a roaster afterwards rather than allowing the results to sun-dry. I suspect the former is the most common practice - you Hobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-12962615675974245162010-06-16T11:50:30.594+01:002010-06-16T11:50:30.594+01:00Regarding your reference to "orange, processe...Regarding your reference to "orange, processed, constrained, drink-it-now teas", have you any ideas how such teas are "processed"?<br /><br />Are we talking about a process during production or after production for eg? what do "they" do to young sheng to make it more "drink now"?<br /><br />And I agree - that Bulang is super tea.<br />So many questions!drumhumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17558608533551558844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-12278087778449210722010-06-16T11:44:12.004+01:002010-06-16T11:44:12.004+01:00Dear Maitre_Tea,
Thanks for the note; this articl...Dear Maitre_Tea,<br /><br />Thanks for the note; this article was written a week or so ago, as you have noticed!<br /><br />I didn't get tons of bitterness, but perhaps I'm becoming too accustomed to taming wild young teas via short brews. It is bitter, but perhaps not quite the bitterness of Nada's <a href="http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2009/06/2009-nadachayuan-bulang.html" rel="Hobbeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10719619695211038389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-753589427119541238.post-38680921955428259592010-06-16T06:28:15.413+01:002010-06-16T06:28:15.413+01:00unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) Nada has up...unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) Nada has updated his site with more of these...<br /><br />When I tried this a month or so ago I got so excited that I quickly snatched up the last cake, and sent Nada constant emails pleading to get more of this...and I will have *at least* two cakes of this in my possession<br /><br />anyway, my strongest impression of this tea was its unbridled bitternessMaitre_Teahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09949659223396025930noreply@blogger.com