MattCha's Blog

Snowball Tea Jar By Shin Hyun Churl

2009-12-21T20:09:00.002-06:00

This soft, hazy white, wood fired tea jar sits staunchly like a newly formed snowman. Its shape harmonizes nicely with its colour. Its texture is soft and smooth inside and out.

Peace

2008 Lao Mountain Fair Trade Organic Phongsali 'Lao Mao Cha' ('Puerh Green Tea')

2009-12-20T23:57:00.002-06:00

Picked this one up last year during ones journey in the Northern Laos Province of Phongsali. The producer, Lao Mountain, sells two types of tea- a 'Golden Green Tea' and 'Puerh Green Tea'.
One posted about the 'Golden Green Tea' from this company a while back and found it quite interesting. This one promises to be just as entertaining.

The dry leaf smell of faint fruity tones mingle with light,spicy raisin depth. These leaves are rinsed before the first infusion is prepared.

A sour, juicy, vegital tea with backnotes of something spicy is the first result. The mouthfeel fills the sides of the tongue and roof of the mouth.

In the next infusion those spicy tones dance within a slightly juicy, pungent, faintly fruity taste. The flavour evolves into a predominantly dry pungent taste that makes its way to ones breath.

The tea in the third infusion targets the front of the mouth leaving a fuzzy sensation behind. The flavour is much the same as before but slightly more pungent. The aftertaste remains dry. The orangy-yellow of the liquor watches that of the chrysanthemum that blooms behind it.

A sweet caramel tobacco creaminess starts to develop ever so slightly under the pungent notes that get deeper and deeper as the session progresses. The movement from infusion to infusion is quite notable and makes this tea fun to drink.

In later infusions, sour grainy tones start to appear first followed by the core pungent flavours. The almost malty caramel tones that are noticed suggest age.

The interplay between caramel and pungent notes continues from infusion to infusion until, later in the session, it waters out.

The chaqi is covert in nature. It sneaks around almost unnoticed until later in the session where it makes ones mind shine bright and clear.

Peace

The Carbon Footprint of Tea: How Green is Green Tea?

2009-12-12T17:10:00.002-06:00

In Asia drinking tea is often seen as a way to harmonize with nature. Drinking green tea in the spring and chrysanthemum in the fall is a way to harmonize your energies with the energies of nature. Often the tea that is the most popular in a particular region is the tea that grows nearby, or is at least produced in the same country. Drinking local teas that share the energies of that geographical area is not only more healthy for the individual but also more healthy for the environment. Drinking local tea creates less pollution because the tea isn't shipped long distances.

Tea drinking in the west is a different story.

Unlike most foods and beverages that one consumes, tea cannot be grown locally. Because tea can't be grown locally it must be shipped long distances. Shipping long distances displaces more pollutants into the atmosphere through longer transport. Longer shipping also requires extra packaging. As far as tea goes, excessive packaging seems to be the norm. The production of this packaging requires more energy and therefore more pollutants produced. When this packaging is disposed of it goes back to the earth. The shipping of tea pollutes the earth.

When drinking tea one never takes a sip for granted. The tea that touches ones lips, however minute, is at the cost of the earth. And as such, much reverence should be afforded to it.

Peace

A Winter Pot By Master Sel Young Jin

2009-12-11T22:02:00.002-06:00

Sel Young Jin's works harmonize with winter.

This rustic pot exudes the feeling of early winter/ late fall- winter's first snowfall. Thick white glaze barely covering the rocky earth beneath. A light snowfall, a veil over the land. It hints at more snow to come.

Peace

2009 Handong Green Tea- Picked In The Spring, Oxidized Through the Summer, Roasted In the Fall

2009-12-05T22:47:00.007-06:00

This tea was shipped with others from Korea a few months ago. It gives no hints as to what kind of tea it is other than the generic 'Hadong Green Tea' package that is used by the producers in the area.

Tearing open the top of the bag then opening the zip lock reveals a surprise- the smell of roasted nutty chocolate and cherry notes that transform into a more common nutty cereal odour. This doesn't smell like your typical Handong green tea. Perhaps its a yellow tea, or an autumnal green, maybe a roasted green?

The leaves are scooped out and examined- small, faded, dusty brown leaves. The dry leaves look too dark to be a green tea yet too faded, dusty, and light to be a yellow. The leaves are rolled like a green tea, not tightly wound like a yellow. These clues and the predominately toasty cereal scent of the leaves suggests a roasted green tea. A tea not all that common in Korea.

These leaves are guided into the pot and after the water has cooled, it to is added. The tea pours out a turbid yellow-brown.

The first infusion carries a strong taste of hay, nuts, and strong cereal notes that almost drown out all of the sweetness and actual tea tastes. This first infusion is pondy and roasty. The lips numb, the tongue and mouth are sparsely coated. Its body is thin in the mouth.

The second infusion brings more of that hollow roasted cereal which is still felt mainly on the lips, tingling them. The flavour becomes more tart. Hay notes linger just a short while on the breath.

In the third infusion a rubbery mouthfeel and aftertaste develops. More hollow graininess. It doesn't move much from here. The later infusions are more of the same with the taste becoming thinner, lighter, and more grassy. In the end one attempts to over steep this tea, attempting to pull something interesting from it. One is only greeted with thin, bitter, astringent graininess.

The faint qi of this tea is quite mixed up and impure. It leaves one feeling somewhat more energetic but more hazy and lethargic than one should feel from a green tea. The overall presentation of this tea leads one to believe that it was improperly produced. The production did not harmonize with the tea resulting in a product that doesn't flow throughout the body and mind but instead clouds it.

When the wet leaves are examined there are little flecks of ash deposited in the small, still curled up, leaves. This could be evidence of a wood burning roast. Roasting tea using a wood burning method is much more difficult to achieve good results compared to the easily controlled setting of gas roasting.

One has learned from this tea. One hopes the producer learns from this tea too, correcting mistakes and improving production next year.

Peace

Note: The comments clear up which type of tea this is.

2009 Jookro Hwagae Valley Yellow Tea

2009-12-01T23:01:00.006-06:00

Jookro is one of the oldest commercial tea companies in Korea and has been producing great wild, hand picked, Hwagae Valley tea since 1962. The Korean name of this tea 'Oo Re Cha' means 'Our Tea' and is a proud statement of confidence and pride for the often overlooked Korean teas which have historically had been influence by its tea superpower neighbours, Japan and China. This tea made using traditional methods, in an area from ansestors of 1000 year old trees, stands in oppostion to those who think that Korean teas are simply, more expensive or inferior Japanese or Chinese tea.

Despite having many small farm and monk-made yellow teas year in and year out, this offering from Jookro is always one of the best. Let's stuff the pot and see what makes this yellow tea so damn good...

The dry leaves, the dry leaves, the dry leaves.

Have you ever smelt better dry leaf smell? Honestly, these purplish-green tinged leaves smell like heaven- nutty and deep chocolate.

When warm water and tea merge it first leaves smooth-juicy, roasted- nutty chocolate tastes. The mouth follows suite with excessive salivation. A tasty undercurrent of sour citrus jazzes things up.

As more water meets leaves the mouthfeel becomes more obvious and starts to cover the mouth in roasted very nutty tones, strong nutty aftertaste, and strong chocolate aroma.

The next infusion brings a soft dry feeling in the mouth, the chocolate flavor is the strongest at this third infusion. One takes time with this infusion, enjoying every sip.

More water, more tea. Nutty tones predominate but a woodiness starts to lie underneath.

In this fifth infusion a spiciness develops. This time the flavour seems more chocolate and less nutty. Although all sessions with this tea are a bit different, they all seem to have one thing in common which is a sort of tug-a-war between nut and chocolate tones. One loves to sit back and let ones tastebuds enjoy the spectacle of this event.

The next few infusions becomes more woody and dry in the mouth. The initial flavours fade under a full dry wood coating. The qi at this point comforts and warms the stomach, a very good, pure, yellow tea feel.

The infusions go on for a while. Light, dry in the mouth- one sips at these flat wood tones and feels cozy and content.

Peace

Yixing Zen: The Story of That Yixing Pot

2009-11-28T19:31:00.008-06:00

Ten thousand Dharmas return to one.

What does one return to?

A couple of years ago, a Korean teamaster had brought back three pots that were almost identical. All three pots had an image of bamboo grass on the side. One of the three which had “Tea and Zen are not two but one” inscribed on the other side in classical Chinese calligraphy broke during use. One of the pots which had some famous Taoist saying inscribed on it is still in use by the teamaster. The last was gifted as one was about to depart from Korea, it is the pot pictured in this blog.

This pot is a real piece of Zen. It was produced a few years ago by a popular yixing company called “Gum Sa Do Yae”. In 2007 the company stopped production after two of its now-famous potters, Yu Ji Mung and Yang Lim Beup, left to open their own kilns. Since that time both of these artists have gained fame and notoriety for their marvelous yixing pots produced from their independent kilns. Their works are stunning in their simplicity and wondrous in their form. They often fetch prices in the thousands of dollar range.

Undoubtedly, these potters have skill. Some, such as the teamaster who gave one this pot, attributes their abilities to their indirect training in Zen.

When Yu Ji Mung and Yang Lim Beup were working for Gum Sa Do Yae they were hand-making hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands and thousands, of pots. These pots were virtually all the same and looked almost identical as the one pictured above. They were pumping out so many of the same pots day in and day out that they developed a sort of mindlessness, a true spontaneity about it. This repetitious, joyfully mindless state of work is said to embody the precepts of zen.

This is the way of tea, the way that Korean potters mindlessly toiled hundreds of years before in the mountain kilns- alone with the rhythms of nature and an abundance of repetitious work. As a result of such conditions, works that were detached from conceptual deliberate thought were produced- pieces of zen.

Often the pottery created in this state was finished in a flash of zen, a gye yal (Eng:brushmark, Jap: Hakeme) or spontaneous calligraphy quoting a famous Zen phrase or Taoist quote. When the Japanese first caught sight of the work of these Korean potters they attempted to re-create their style, but were unsuccessful because their actions were too deliberate and steeped in conceptual thought. As a result they kidnapped many of these Korean potters and forced them to produce such works in Japan.

Just like the Koreans hundreds of years before, Yu Ji Mung & Yang Lim Beup also left a spontaneous mark on their Gum Sa Do Yae pots. On the side of the pot that faced the guest an image of bamboo was engraved. On the side that faced the tea maker was a spontaneous quote, likely just whatever came to mind, their empty mind, when finishing the pot.

This pot is a wonderful example of such zen...

Its size, like all of its identical siblings, is medium-largish for a yixing but can still fit in ones palm nicely. Although a touch large, it stands staunch and strong, as if in seating mediation.

The layout of its calligraphy attempts of minimize its enormity and harmonizes the piece. The calligraphy and engraving stretches the pot horizontally. The engraving of bamboo is centered more towards the spout. It looks as if it is blowing slowly in the wind and fills up as it moves more toward the short spout- creating a perfect balance with the handle on the opposite side. The placement of the calligraphy on the other side is placed closer to the handle side. It still manages to harmonize with the handle though by the use of vertical calligraphy near the spout side- absolutely brilliant. The placement of the engraving and calligraphy suggest that these pots should be placed with the spout at 10-11 o'clock. This is part of common tea etiquette as a spout pointed directly at the guest is seen as a rude act. Besides this, the natural placement of the pot at 10-11 o'clock reduces the length of this pot went viewed from directly in front or behind, adding even more balance.

The bamboo engraving is natural and beautiful. Bamboo often represents simplicity. Besides that, it is so common, it bears neither fruit not flower yet stands strong due to its empty form inside. In this way bamboo represents the zen mind- strong in its emptiness and simplicity.

The calligraphy on the other side is read right to left. The larger horizontal section translates to “Ten thousand Dharmas return to one”. Where “ten thousand” refers to an infinite number, “Dharmas” refer to all phenomena or all things, and “one” refers to the nature of all things.

The whole phrase is a famous Zen Koan from case 45 of the Blue Cliff Record . This record chronicles seemlying nonsensical dialogues and exchanges among famous Chan monks that often starled zen practitioners into achieving enlightenment- breaking thought their meditation and attaining “no-mind'.

The vertical calligraphy is the date this pot was made using the traditional Chinese astrological calendar. A statement on presence. A mark of spontaneity. (If anyone can translate the date, please let us know).

A pot of this size must be sturdy and solid. This is achieved by wonderful, thick clay that shines with the essence of tea in its pores. It is fairly sturdy when pouring and pours fast and strong.

Its flat lid, like the layout of the engraving, attempts of minimize its enormity. Lifting it off the top one can sense its sturdiness.

The chops on the underside of the pot, lid and handle also nicely balance this pot.

When steam rises from this pot one is at peace.

A novice monk asked Zen Master Zhao Zhou, “Ten thousand Dharmas return to one. What does one return to?”

Zhao Zhou immediately responds, “I was once in Qing Province and made a piece of clothing: a hemp jacket weighing seven pounds.”

Peace

2009 Fall (mid Sept) Teamasters Luanze Oolong, Feng Huang, Taiwan

2009-11-22T11:43:00.003-06:00

If this tea sample didn't say “Fall (mid Sept)” on its wrapper one would swear it a Spring oolong.

The dry leaves smell a faint, sweet raspberry muddled in soft, creamy deep mountain tones. One meditates deeply on the smell and can sense the mountain air where these leaves must have lavished in.

These leaves unfurl in yixing with the urging of slightly cooled hot water.

The first infusion reveals the typical milky, creamy sweetness of Taiwanese oolong. This one is nice and sweet accompanied with a bland taste which thinly coats the mouth and covers the lips. A ghostly, juicy raspberry taste adds additional freshness.

The second infusion has more bitter notes which play well with bland and sweet. Milky, fresh, light, slightly fruity, berry sweetness is divided by bitter notes. A flowery summer and roasted almond scent adds to the light, spring feel of this oolong.

In the third infusion, hidden within the wonderful depth of this tea, the flowery notes blossom in the mouth. This taste climbs into the sinuses where it lingers for quite sometime, a nice reminder of what was, what still is.

The fourth brings sweet, light,grainy, fruity honey notes. It has a bitter sharpness about it that keeps the lighter flavours in check. The aftertaste is more cereal-honey.

The next few infusions the flavour shortens, thins, as it is backed by bitter and bland. The aftertaste is a faint floral reminder of what it once was. The chaqi is a touch warming, bright, clean, clear.

The last infusions last hours not minutes and still manage to push out sweet, thick-honey taste with hints of creamy floral over a nice viscus mouthfeel. This thick, buttery floral honey taste is enjoyed all day long.

Stephane are you sure you didn't put some spring oolong in this fall package?

Peace

Three Levels of Tea Drinking: The Flavour Level, The Sense Level, and The Qi Level

2009-11-18T19:02:00.004-06:00

There are three different levels of drinking and appreciating tea.

The most superficial and probably the most common way of drinking tea is by simply enjoying the taste of tea. Tea is a beverage, people drink beverages for their taste. This level can be enjoyed without too much thought or energy- tea for what it is, a delicious beverage. Thousands of people around the world enjoy tea in this way everyday without much thought. This is the first level of tea- the enjoyment of its taste.

The secondary level of drinking and appreciating tea is through the use of all senses. At this level people rely on their sense of smell more robustly. They also rely on their sense of hearing, seeing, touch, and of course taste, to enhance their experience with tea. Tea is enjoyed as a result of the interplay of all these senses. Besides the taste of the tea, those who drink tea with all their senses generally value the smell of the dry leaves, the smell of the liquor, the smell left behind in the cup (or the aroma cup), the mouthfeel of the tea, the look of the dry leaf, the colour of the liquor, the look of the wet leaves, and, although not directly connected with the tea itself- the sound of the boiling water, and the pouring of tea and water. Those who drink tea at this sensory level often wish to enhance their sensory experience with the use of specific teaware and techniques which allow for the honing of the full sensory experience with tea. This is the way that most bloggers, connoisseurs, and experts of tea drink it. This is the second level of tea appreciation, the sum of our sensory experience with it.

The deepest and least common way of drinking tea is by sensing it energetic qi level. At this level people go beyond their five senses and touch the deep level of the tea's qi, the chaqi. At this level tea is enjoyed as a result of its vibration within the body and mind, and the affects it imposes on them. Those who drink tea at this level often meditate with it to better sense its nature, movement, and affect on the body and mind. Because not everyone has sharpened such abilities, most people don't drink tea at this level, but everyone is capable at doing so.

Peace

2009 Fall (mid Sept) Teamasters Hung Shui Oolong, Feng Huang, Taiwan

2009-11-14T18:43:00.004-06:00

Stephane kindly sent this sample, this wonderful sample...

Directing them into yixing, the dry leaves smell a roasted sweet grain- first suggestion of roasting. Boiling water is left to cool just for a bit before it awakens these roasted pearls.

The first infusion is a touch chalky with notes of light creamy hay sweetness- honey sweetness. Immediately this first light brew feels very harmonious in the mouth, in the soul.

The second infusion brings with it bitter but smooth flavours of roasted honey with the softest faint fleeting floral taste that brightens the nose.

The roast of this tea is what harmonizes it, makes it feel so whole, so complete. It brings out the flavour without drawing attention to its 'roasted' character.

The third infusion has a smooth un-offending bland nuance to it which plays with sweet tones of sweet grainy honey. Soft roasted barley lingers on the breath.

The cha qi is warm and soothing as it reassures ones active mind. The roasting of autumnal oolong does much to harmonize its energy. If an optimal roast is achieved, this tea being a prime example, the energy of the tea becomes more complete. Ascending and descending energies complement not only the flavour but also the qi.

In the fourth infusion this tea's flavour starts to become sneakier, its thick, viscus feel in the mouth is still quite satisfying.

The fifth and sixth infusion bring only grainy, rough, earthy tones with very little sweet notes to be found. A few faint, gritty honey tastes break through.

The seventh infusion is left overnight. One awakes to thick, oily, yummy, honey water. An earthy floral taste makes its last attempt in this cool cup of tea.

One enjoys the cool tea in this way, admiring the brilliantly roasted wet leaves so early in the morning.

Peace

The Crane Ib Hak Style Tea Bowl: An Example By Kim Jeong Oak

2009-11-11T22:10:00.004-06:00

The crane is an auspicious bird. The crane is a symbol of immortality. Taoists believe that cranes are the vehicles that morals take to heaven, transporting them to the realm of immortality.

The characteristics that make up Ib Hak style bowls capture and transform this feeling into clay.
Into a bowl for which tea is drank.
Into a feeling of ascending into heaven.
Into the crane.

The most obvious features of these bowls is the image of a crane found on the side wall. The cranes on Ib Hak style bowls all look extremely familiar- white tip beak, black neck and head, white body and legs, black tail feathers, black feet.

The less obvious imagery of the crane is found in other characteristics of Ib Hak style bowls. If we look at the 'tong hyeong' style body of the bowl it too, represents the crane.

The bottom of the bowl bulges out a bit. This bulge is found in many bowls as the inside bulges outward conforming to the bulbous shape of the tea whisks fine bamboo thines. This shape is said to be conducive to making the best matcha as it allows for the smooth motion of the whisk when the tea is whipped up. It causes the tea to be exposed to the right amount of oxygen as it splashes up against the lower sides of the bowl.

Besides this of topic technical aspect, the bottom bulge looks like the body of the crane, the concave sides resemble the crane's neck, and the 'eui ban' style protruding lip looks like the crane's beak.

If we turn a Ib Hak style bowl over we can see its 'ja ren' style foot. This foot has 3 wide protrusions (the number 3 is also auspicious) that give the feeling of hooking in and anchoring down. A crane's foot has three pronounced toes. When hunting and walking the crane stands on only one foot, yet is completely in balance. In this way the foot of Ib Hak style bowls is the foot of the crane standing in balance.

Overall, the shape of bowl exudes a feeling of upward movement or ascending. Specifically how the sides of the bowl curve out ascending gently towards the 'eui ban' style lip which gracefully slopes toward the heavens.

Unlike most styles of Korean tea bowls, it stands quite tall. The height of the bowls 'tong hyeong' shape creates a feeling of ascending, of swooping upwards- a crane in flight.

This bowl is the crane.
As frothy matcha slopes over the lip sliding tea over our tongue, we too, perhaps just for a while, are carried away to a heavenly place.
Transcending time, transcending mortality.

Peace

Disambiguation of Jiri Mountain (Chiri Mountain, Jirisan, Chirisan) Tea

2009-11-09T00:24:00.003-06:00

Please check out this link (here) for a wonderful map of Jiri Mountain.

As you can see Jiri Mountain is not one peak but several in an area considered 'Jiri Mountain'.
Ssangyaesa (Ssangyae Temple) is located in Hwagae Valley.
Hadong is the county that includes Southern slopes of Jiri Mountain, Ssangyaesa, and Hwagae Valley.
Hadong is also the name of the town in Hadong County that is the hub of the tea business here.

Therefore tea from this area can be referred to as:

Jiri Mountain Tea- tea grown on the mountain
Hwagae Valley Tea- tea grown in Hwagae Valley
Hadong Tea- tea that is produced anywhere in Hadong's tea producing area (including Hwagae Valley and the Southern Jiri Mountians) and often shares a generic Hadong tea bag or box

Peace

Three Main Tea Producing Areas In Korea: Jiri Mountain

2009-11-06T22:49:00.006-06:00

No matter where you go in Korea you will see mountains. You simply can't escape their omnipresent gaze. Out of the thousands of peaks that litter the landscape there are few holier and more, revered than the Jiri Mountains.

The Jiri mountains were deemed important feng shui points at which auspicious Buddist Temples and Pagodas were built. When Chan (Zen) Buddhism migrated from China, it found its home on the secluded slopes of Jiri Mountain. Some of these famous temples are still standing in the same spot they have stood for over a thousand years before.

As long as Zen temples have covered the lush mountain side, so has tea. If you wander the mountain peaks of Jiri Mountain you may just find tea trees that were born from the seeds of ancestors planted over 1200 years ago.

Historical Records of The Three Kingdoms (Samguk Sagi) documents how Kim Daeryum (Dae-Ryeom) smuggled some tea seeds from China. This Korean government official had sewn them into the seam of this garments. A daring attempt, considering the export of China's tea seed was illegal at that time. In 828 A.D., after careful consideration, King Heungdeok of the Shilla Dynasty ordered the tea seeds planted on the Southern slopes of Jiri Mountain.

The tea bushes thrived under the care of the prolific zen monk and teaist, Jingam (774-850) at Ssanggyesa Temple. During Jingam's time, the tea fields around the temple grew and many villages around the Ssanggyesa Temple began planting and producing tea all the way through Hwagae Valley. At that time, and for hundreds of years later, tea became used in all sorts of Religious and Royal ceremonies.

Over the last 500 hundred years, as hard times hit Korea, tea slowly slid into decline. As its use declined, tea plantations were abandoned for other crops, tea slowly continued to spread almost unnoticed, growing wild all over Jiri Mountain.

It wasn't until after the Korean war that tea on Jiri Mountain was "rediscovered". From that time on tea in Korea has experienced a renaissance. Its popularity has gone through the roof in the last few decades. The seeds from the wild plants, are now used to populate much of Handong county with tea plantations.

Most Korean teaists claim that the tea grown here is the only 'true' Korean tea. Most of it is organic and very little, if any, sprays are used. Almost all of the tea made here is done the traditional way, all by hand. Some even produce tea using the completely traditional wood burning method, which takes years of skill and intuition to prefect.

Every year in April and May, Confucian ceremonies are held for 'the Spirit of the Tea' in a spot where three stone monuments mark the area believed to be the place where Kim Daeryum planted seeds back in 828 A.D. Hadong county also hosts an annual Wild Green Tea Festival in May. During these times, these rolling tea hills speak of times long ago. If you listen close enough, you can hear them even in there silence.

Peace

Click on these links for:

Three Main Tea Producing Areas in Korea: Boseong

Three Main Tea Producing Areas in Korea: Jeju Island

One of Those Obscure, Mystery Farmer Teas: '2009 (No Label) Jiri Mountain Yellow Tea'

2009-10-27T21:46:00.004-06:00

This is one of those mystery teas that tea lovers so appreciate. Some obscure, small scale production. No glits, nor glamor. No fancy packaging (which is pretty much a must in Korea). This tea simply came in an common tube, inside the tube a simple foil pack. Completely writing on either- no indications on the packaging as to what when it was picked and produced or who produced it. There is something about these teas that makes drinking it more intimate. Knowing that is was probably make perhaps with more care than say, a large production tea.

Considering the current tea market in Korea as discussed in a post a few days ago, one is thankful to have a try at some of this small production stuff. The friend who sent the tea simply referred to it as “2009 Jiri Mountain Yellow Tea”.

Its small, wiry, jet black leaves smell of rich deep pungent cherry. They fill much of the pot until warm water is added.

The first infusion pours a clear bold yellow. The taste is very juicy, salivatingly sweet with buttery, peppery, and spicy notes that follow. The mouth is left feeling very slippery and full of saliva. Upon first sip it is apparent that this tea is light and uplifting, nice cheer on this cloudy, rainy fall afternoon. The light body of this tea and bright yellow soup suggest less oxidization during production.

As the next few infusions pass on by, the mouth feel becomes more satisfying as it fills out a bit more but still largely remains slippery, juicy- a touch incomplete. Delicious, soft, sour vegital notes arrive within a deep interesting pool of light, juicy, sweet, spicy flavour. Even chocolate notes sometimes make a brief appearance in the complexity of these early infusions. One suspects possible, old, wild growth from the strong, pure qi that relaxes as well as alerts.

This tea is quite flavourful and is a good example of a tea containing the six flavours of Korean tea- sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, bland, and salty. It noticeably has all these in varying proportions.

Although the complex depth of this tea creeps away after the first few infusions, the mouthfeel and aftertaste pick up a bit of the slack. A balance of juicy sweet and sour notes hold on and finish in the mouth with a light dry sensation.

This fun yellow tea is stretched until mainly dry, woody, citrus, earthy tones are all that is left to savor. Even further along, the citrus and dryness drop off.

One drinks this tea in this way as it glows throughout- gently energizing ones soul.

Peace

2009 'Dan Seok' Emperor's Jiri Mountain Yellow Tea

2009-10-25T22:26:00.005-06:00

This is a fall tradition.

The dry leaves smell of frosty mountain pines. Sweet, sour, citric almost like marmalade.

Although these leaves can handle hot water, one instead uses more leaf and lets the water temperature drop before pouring it into the pot.

The result is a smooth creamy, subtle chocolate soup, that is quite nutty. The mouth is covered in light silk, the breath is witness to its hidden chocolate and more overt nutty tones.

More infusions take place to round out its flavour. Making it fuller in the mouth, more nutty.

The energy of this tea is comforting as it warms the stomach and innards as one sits cross-legged in meditation on the floor. One is coated in the relaxing blanket of this tea, as cool autumn winds blow yellow leaves from the trees outside.

As infusions resume, hotter water is used which brings out more of the nutty profile. Faint chocolate is now long gone. The taste becomes more roasted.

Late into the session ones alert mind senses more woody, earthy tones. The finish in the mouth becomes more dry and more citric. This tea lightens up.

One lightens up.

Peace

Another Beautiful Autumnal Buncheong Style Tea Bowl By Uh Sang Myung

2009-10-21T19:42:00.004-06:00

This bowl glows an earthy red- an autumn leaf about to change colour.
Its colour is its beauty. Dry, gritty, brownish red.

The outside wall of the bowl is darker and more vibrant on one side then the other. It is marked at the extreme by a burn blotch reaching over the lip of the bowl- an unpredictable scar from the fire in the kiln. Inside the bowl also reflects this imbalance- one side is darker, more colourful than the other. This is also the case as ones eyes move from the rim down on both the inside and outside of the bowl.

This effect is profound. It creates a feeling of fleeting warmth. A hazy red sunset that throws the most profound colours in the other end of the sky. Beautiful.

This feeling of calm is challenged slightly by the rough, exposed clay around the foot. A foot that exudes simplicity, and gentle ruggedness.

The globs of cloudy white gaze drip down the side and suggest slowness. They seem as if they are still slowly creeping down the sides of the bowl. They remind us to slow down.

If we cannot take the opportunity to slow down when drinking tea,
when else will we?
When watching the sun set?
When watching the seasons change?
When watching the autumn leaves turn?

Peace

Economics & Green Tea: Premium Green Tea In Korea This Year and The Story of the Small Scale Producer

2009-10-20T19:24:00.003-06:00

Loose leaf Korean green tea is expensive. There are many things that result in the high price of Korean tea.

Firstly, there is not so many tea producing areas in Korea. Not so much tea is produced. Almost everything that is produced is consumed in Korea. In fact, most tea consumed in Korea, isn't even Korean tea but comes from China, Vietnam, or other neighbouring nations that can produce tea much more cost effectively.

Secondly, the labour cost of producing tea in Korea isn't cheap. Remember Korea is a G-20 nation, one of the most developed countries in the world. The cost of production is therefore much higher then that of neighbouring nations like China and Vietnam.

Thirdly, most loose leaf tea is produced by hand in Korea- a very labour intensive way to produce tea. The only tea in Korea that is produced almost entirely by machine is from O'sulloc Tea Company on Jeju Island. All other tea that is produced in Korea have some stage that requires human labour.

The tea produced from Jiri Mountain and surrounding area, is thought of as the best tea in Korea and is produced entirely by hand from the picking of the leaves to the bagging of the leaves. Except for those who live in that area, tea of this quality is a luxury.

This year one has gotten some signals of how tight economic times are effecting the market for premium Korean tea...

There is only one tea producing season in Korea- it is in the Spring, starting in early April and pretty much ending in early summer (although there are sometimes rare autumnal teas produced in the fall). Because the timing of the 'global economic crises', being that things really fell apart in the fall of 2008, the spring 2008 tea production went on as usual. As the crisis loomed, Koreans cut back. This resulted in less loose leaf tea being purchased and less high end tea being bought up.

With tea from the 2008 season still available for sale and with indicators that the demand for high end Korea tea just wasn't there, many small scale producers simply didn't produce tea this year. The ones that did perhaps chose to produce more Saejak (2nd flush) than the more labour intensive, expensive Ujeon (first flush) grades.

For instance, small producer 'Nok Ya Won' was planing on making a Seajak grade instead of Ujeon this year but instead decided to just sell off the remaining Ujeon from the 2008 production year and just produce a more cost effective semi-oxidized tea this spring.

Even one of the oldest companies in Korea, Jookro, is offering 80g boxes of Saejak grade as opposed to the 100g boxes offered last year.

The selection of teas this year just seems to lack the local farmers batches that are always interesting to have a spin at.

One is grateful to have, at least, a few of these teas to try out this year.

Note: check out this link to an older post on Economics and Ceramics in Korea.

Peace

2008 100% Lao Ban Zhang (Nada)

2009-10-17T23:11:00.002-06:00

With a long haul of young puerh consumed over the last few weeks from the Yunnan Sourcing Tasting Event, one thought it a good time to try another. The label in this sample says simply, "100% Lao Ban Zhang".

This sample was sent a while back but was not forgotten. Its very dark brown dry leaves present sweet pungently deep odours. One sniffs away until water boils. A few light coloured furry tips induce curiosity.

Mmm... Creamy notes are suspended on the tongue for a while, a strong tobacco melts into a slight sweetness leaving a full feeling on tongue, roof, and cheeks. Qi swings through ones body. This tea is strong. Tobacco undertones become stronger when more leaf is added.

The next few infusions tingle on the lips, the throat is stimulated, the feel of this tea covers all bases. There is a subtle fruity taste that blips in only in some sessions. The tea finishes very cool. The tobacco notes infringe upon sweet during these infusions, pushing them into the aftertaste. The yellow of the liquid mirrors the tinny chrysanthemum next to it. The qi moves briskly- energizing, stimulating , then sedating.

As the sessions pushes onward the qi becomes stronger as the flavour becomes more gentle. The harsher tobacco edges smooth out and this tea becomes a lot lighter and enjoyable. The aftertaste, now shares most of the grit. The compounded affect of many back to back infusions can push the mouthfeel over the top, almost choaking one as one chokes back this delicious tea.

Because of such power this tea can be enjoyed through many, many, many infusions. Even when other teas would have turned into water this tea still gives birth to lively, light, sweet tea. The mouthfeel and qi push this one through.

Ones body surges with energy, almost making one ill. It's time to call it quits.

Peace

A Beautiful Autumnal Buncheong Style Tea Bowl By Uh Sang Myung

2009-10-12T20:18:00.006-06:00

This bowl is autumn.
Everything about it seems in harmony with the goings on outside ones window these days.

Its traditional blotchy buncheong style holds ones attention. Most bowls of this style seem to emulate the onset of spring, the colourful blotches representing the blossoming spring flowers outside. This bowl is not your ordinary buncheong bowl.

The dry look-gloss sets the overall mood of the bowl- the feel of autumn. The dry feel is especially apparent as one cradles this bowl in attentive palms. It feels soft but rough, dry but not abrasive.

The muted, neutral, lighter blue hued grey of the bowls sides provides a perfect backdrop for the colourful spots. Like the changing leaves outside, these spots have a center that is being infringed upon by encroaching colour.

The pattering on the inside of the bowl captures the movement of falling leaves. The sparse blotches near the wood-brown rim of the bowl seem to act like leaves blown from tree branches, accumulating in piles on the shallow of the bowl.

This movement is made more profound as frothy green matcha is sipped away from its insides.

Vibrant green changing to autumnal reds.
Summer to Autumn.
This is the movement of now.

Peace

2009 Margaret's Hope Estate Oolong 2nd Flush Darjeeling

2009-10-08T22:58:00.002-06:00

This is something one has never tried before- an oolong from India. Let's tear open the foil pack and see what it's all about...

The dry leaves are a mix of colour from distinct whites, greens, and browns. They smell very light with a touch of that infamous musketel mixed with faint cloudy chocolate raisin.

The leaves embrace ceramic and water fills the pot. The lid covers the transformation inside. When the time is right the resulting infusion leaves the pot and makes its way into cracked ceramic cups. Cups to lips.

This tea is very smooth. It is light with a juicy feel- a mild stimulation that takes a while to develop in the mouth. It is full of flavour as soft sour tones approach sweet. Soft raisin is left in the mouth.

Another infusion allows the raisin tones to become more pronounced. The juiciness evolves into manageable bitterness that cloaks the flavour and drys out the tongue. This tea is light and cheery but lacks a deep bottom.

As more water is put through, a flowery taste becomes prominent especially in the aftertaste. The tea loses taste but still has that bitter bite and fullish dry feel.

This tea becomes thinner and thinner as the session rolls along. It gets a bit chalky in the mouth, choosing to stay mostly in the front of the mouth. Some noticeable fruity and flower tones still hang on.

The energy found in this tea is a lot smoother than most Darjeeling. Smoother. More Gentle.

The wet leaves reveal small leaves and lots of buds that are mainly torn. Not ideal leaves for an oolong but even the smell of the wet leaves make one ponder another pot.

Peace

A Rounder Shaped Tea Jar By Kim Kyong Soo

2009-10-03T16:07:00.002-06:00

This is a more typical shape for a Korean tea jar. It is more rounded, soft, and subtle than the cube jar. This gritty, oxidized finish is a signature of Kim Kyoung Soo works.

Peace

A Cubic Shaped Tea Jar By Kim Kyong Soo: A Discussion On Cube Vs. Cylindrical Tea Jars

2009-09-27T16:44:00.003-06:00

You don't see many cubic shaped tea jars around. For energetic purposes tea is primarily kept in a cylindrical jar for storage. The cylindrical shape helps maintain the strength of the tea's qi. It also creates general harmony as these jars are usually placed on a square shaped table or shelf. On top of that, it is simply easier and more natural to produce cylindrical jars.

A cubic jar such as this could be used for a different purpose. Instead of energizing the tea, cubic jars subtly mellow the qi of the tea. This could be beneficial if you wish to age an especially rough, over-the-top tea. It could also create harmony on a circular surface.

This jar by master Kim Kyong Soo is beautifully crafted to mellow without exhausting the qi of the leaves within.

Its base is smaller than its top which acts to channel energy down. The wide pyrmid-shaped knob atop the lid also channels energy downward. The top of the jar where the lid rests has a defined ledge that holds the energy within.

If you look closely at the jar you will notice that each side is actually curved not straight. These curved lines create harmony within this piece and remove the harshness that could be created by hard lines. This smoothness prevents the harsh straight lines of this jar from depleting the qi of the tea that rests inside.

Beautiful work.

Peace

Yunnan Sourcing Mystery Sample 'Epsilon' ( Later Found To Be: 2009 Ban Zhang Chun Qing)

2009-09-26T16:50:00.005-06:00

On a cloudy morning one tares open this foil pack marked 'Epsilon'.

The dry leaves are a pungent, earthy roasted, almost musty smokey smell. The look of the dry leaves also confirm the smell, the leaves all have a greenish hue but present a true diversity of colour- reddish, whitish, brownish, and yellowy tones.

These leaves are piled into yixing then hot water is added. Rinse. The deliciously pungent odour of these leaves are thickened by the steam that carries them upwards into ones nose, into ones mind, into ones soul.

More hot water is added. As this tea hits ones mouth things start watery, pungent mushroom and vegital roastiness evolves to cream before becoming brisk and spicy. The finish on the breath is soft, dry, and retreats into blandness. There is a back note of things to come, some kind of pungent spice. The tip of the tongue turns chalky as the tea is swallowed.

More hot water is put through these leaves, and more delicious tea is born. The lips and front of the tongue numb before coating the mouth in bland silk as the sensation just barely dips into the throat. Interesting depth of flavour is coxed out of each sip. Tree bark tones elapse with creamy notes. There is fruity underpinnings of spicy persimmon.

This tea rolls through infusions with deep flavour hidden amongst a wonderful, bland, chalky mouthfeel and tingling lips. Soft, deep forested pungency breaks for sweetness. It slowly turns during many infusions becoming more grainy and sweet and less bland and pungent. The tea in someways feels more rounded and complete when this transformation happens. Also the flavour seems to lengthen a bit with each infusion until breaking off.

It doesn't take too long before this tea wares down. When it does, it reveals very simple, slightly creamy, licorice puerh notes. The aftertaste is bland and discloses little. The mouthfeel is still considerably full.

One meditates with this tea as bright patches of sun and blue sky finally break through dispersing late afternoon cloud. The chaqi is smooth, gentle, considerate, and compassionate. The the slow breaking of the sun though layers of cloud, the slow microscopic turning of a rheostat, this tea slowly illuminates ones soul.

Note: Please follow this link to the tea tasting disscussion on the Half-Dipper.

Peace

Yunnan Sourcing Mystery Sample 'Gamma' (2009 Bu Lang Shan Yun)

2009-09-23T18:27:00.006-06:00

There is a pungent deep forest sweetness then depth in these dark brown, slightly more mature, loosely pressed, dry leaves. Yummy.

These leaves are widdled into the pot, flash rinsed, and before not to long the first infusion is ready for tasting.

The liquor pours out orangey-gold. The syrupy thick, silky smooth tea glides over ones tongue leaving behind a remnant of caramel and plumb. This tea feels so good in the mouth. A nice sweetness is left on the breath.

More hot water is put through the pot and this tea develops somewhat of an edge, although quite a kind edge. Sweet caramel, and faint plumb tones dominate mainly at the start of the flavour profile. Sometimes one can even sense a roasty-chocolate taste that is mixed into rough dirty flavours- the showings of age starting to develop around the corners of this tea.

After more infusions the sweetness picks up malty metallic undertones. The mouthfeel seems to thin with each resulting infusion but is still velvety in character. A bitterness also develops somewhere along the middle of ones session. The bitterness eclipses some of the sweetness and some of the malty tones which this tea has now developed. It cuts short the length of flavour and sweetness leaving a bitter aftertaste in the mouth.

In the last pots of this session the thick, syrupy character of this tea is long gone. Malty and fruity flavours skate on thin bitter viscosity. Nevertheless, some enjoyment can still be had by such taste so one drinks this tea for quite some time.

Although one drinks and drinks, the chaqi of this tea never seems to flourish. Instead it fumbles around in the background. Unnoticeable, unbothered.

And so this is the way one drinks this tea.

Note: Please follow this link to the tea tasting disscussion on the Half-Dipper.

Peace

Yunnan Sourcing Mystery Sample 'Delta' (Later Found To Be: 2009 Wu Liang Lan Xiang)

2009-09-22T00:09:00.010-06:00

These darkish brown dry leaves reveal a musty, pungent bittersweet depth. They flake into ones pot and succumb to the hot water that follows.
The tea which tumbles from the spout is a vibrant-electric yellow. This yellow embraces ones lips, ones soul. This tea first flashes an interesting, unrecognizable deep taste which is sensed after a strange micro-delay. Then comes sweet, creamy depth with a very unique salty vegital finish. A nice full mouthfeel is immediately apparent. The chaqi is very upward moving, lifting, alerting. One can feel it almost immediately.

More of this tea is pushed out of the pot. It develops an initial spice in the mouth which turns sweet before the sharp edge of astringency chokes what is left away. The mouthfeel becomes stronger and resonates even in the throat. The qi develops a downward push to couple the upward pull.

When more water is added the bitter-dry astringency becomes even more prevalent. The sweetness almost becomes 'a blast of sweetness' before the muscle of bitter astringency represses it. The true depth of this tea is hidden beneath. The qi can't be hidden like this, it moves quickly through ones body- making ones senses sharper, ones mind more free.

Throughout infusions the initial 'blast of sweetness' carries with it some flavour. Banana, then ginger, and later into the session, a woodiness. With the woodiness comes a bit of grainy cereal. These tones are merely a quick flash in the mouth before the onset of bitter dryness. Far into the session the dryness becomes interestingly tangy. Truly, there is an overall lack of full taste with this tea.

The chaqi of this tea peaks in the middle of the session pushing one into a bit of a tea euphoria. Later as things wind down, the qi becomes turbid making ones head feel stuffy and on the brink of a headache. This is how one feels while drinking this tea as its flavour diminishes into fruity, flat, cereal tones.

Note: Please follow this link to the tea tasting discussion on the Half-Dipper.

Peace