Fong Mong Tea, Organic High Mt. Oolong

This is the fifth and final of my samples provided by Fong Mong Tea Shop. I have mentioned in every review how much I like their packaging. The sample comes in a heavy duty pouch that is vacuum packed and includes an oxygen absorber in the envelope to further protect the freshness of the leaf. The one shortcoming on their samples is the label. It does not include steeping directions.

This was a two day tasting. The first day was disastrous because I used too hot of water. I am going to record my thoughts here to make a point. Steeping time and temperature does make a difference. If a tea does not suit you the first time you try it, change how you are preparing it and have another go at it.

Day One
I chose to use my own steeping parameters rather than look theirs up online. 3 grams of the oolong nuggets and 12oz of boiling water for 2 1/2 minutes in my press. The leaf is partially unfurled with some of it dancing on the surface and some remaining on the bottom. The coloring was very light. I pour and sniff the leaf. It is dark and roasted. Then I sniff the cup. It is highly floral. I love the sweet smell of Taiwan oolongs. There is such a contrast between the brew and the leaf.

Taking a sip - I think I messed this up. I should have used cooler water. The taste is just off. There are some floral notes and some roasted but then there is this whole other thing going on that I am not liking. It is sour and a bit like gym socks meets pool chemicals. On the plus side it is quite milky and has a long lasting floral aftertaste.

On the second cup I used cooler water (heavy steam) and a 4 minute steep. The leaf is mostly unfurled and dark green. While steeping it stood up on the bottom like plants growing in an aquarium. That always amuses me. The taste is much improved. Lighter, more flavorful, and more importantly more balanced. The roasted taste, while light, is a bit too ash like for me. The flavor definitely makes me think flowers. At first I was thinking orchid. Then I started picturing globe amaranth. The problem is I am not a globe amaranth fan.

Day two
I used the remainder of the sample – approximately 3 grams – in my press with just steaming water and only used a two minute steep. I wanted to make sure I hadn’t scorched the leaf yesterday using boiling water or simply over steeped. The liquor is golden amber with a green tint and is clear – no floating dust or debris. The wet leaf smells of ash. The cup, which has taken on an orange tint is floral scented.

Ok, the moment of truth. The sip is a bit mineral tasting and milky up front which gives way roasted notes late in the sip. The aftertaste is floral leaving a cooling sensation on the breath. The overall taste is a bit thin but not offensive. As this cools the smoky roasted taste comes out more and fattens up the flavor. Now it is a nice cup.

The second cup at three minutes is the best cup yet. It is like toasted rice along a floral taste that reminds me of the rind of watermelon.

I am really glad I pursued this tea a second day. Yesterday my attitude was sorry Fong Mong. I loved the other samples I reviewed, especially the Sun Moon Lake, and the Blue Jade., but this one just isn’t for me. Today I am thinking, this is a pleasant cup of tea. Thank you Fong Mong Tea for allowing me to sample and review your teas.

Fong Mong Tea, Charcoal-baked Dong Ding Tea

Fong Mong Tea Shop is a Taiwan based distributor that sells on Ebay with a 100% rating! Their offerings are often a bit higher priced than what is normally reviewed on the Everyday Tea Blog. This one is $30.99/150g (about 5 1/2 ounces).  Using 3g of leaf per steep that works out to about $0.62/mug. If you steep the same leaf three times the price is about $0.20/mug.

This tasting was from a sample provided by Fong Mong. It arrived in a heavy duty vacuum sealed packaging with an air absorber inside. I used half the six gram sample for my tasting. The leaf is rolled tight but not as tiny as the blue jade. It has a light smoked aroma. I got a little mixed up on my temperature as I was trying to decide between two different teas this morning. I used boiling water. I held the first steep to 3 minutes. Fong Mong recommends 85-90C water and a 6 minute steep. The leaf began to unfurl and rise in the water. The liquid is clear and dark yellow. The wet leaf is dark green and smells ominously charcoal smoked.

Fong Mong asked me if I liked dark oolongs before they sent this. I told them sure (I didn’t really know). Right now I am hoping it was not a mistake. I do love Yamamotoyama  and Foo Joy Wuyi oolongs in bag form so I am not really too concerned.

The sip – interesting! Not nearly as roasted as it smells. It actually impressed me as more green than smoked. The taste has almost a honey like quality about it. The aftertaste has a neat cooling thing going on like mint or menthol but it is not in the taste. It is just a sensation. As the cup cools the sip becomes to a bit creamy.

On cup two, also at 3 minutes, the leaf has relaxed enough to reveal some stems. I did some research and it appears this is normal for this type tea.  The stems do not prevent the leaf from rising up and doing a happy dance in my press. What I find amazing is that they were able to roll 2” long stems into those tiny little pellets. Boiling water and shorter steeps seems to work fine with this tea. Similar to the first cup except I am noticing the oolong floral notes coming through especially in the aftertaste.

The third cup @ 4 minutes is milder as the flavor is fading. The cooling sensation is actually more noticeable at this point. This cup is still very good but I am calling it quits here.

There is some resemblance between this and the bagged Wuyi oolongs I have enjoyed in the past. Of course they are darker oolongs, where as this is more green. Really, they are only a shadow of what is going on in this tea. It is as if you took the flavor knife and lopped off the ends, then cut what was left in half and discarded the bright happy side of the flavor. I say that, all the while admitting I like those bagged teas. Now that I know what I am missing, I am not as likely to rush into restocking them. I have no idea if this is a good quality example of this type tea. What I do know is I think it is really good.

It brings up a question in my mind. Why do I like the roasted/smoked taste in greens and oolongs but not so much in black teas? I have no answer other than preconceived ideas of how I expect a tea to taste.

Fong Mong Tea, Floral (Blue Jade) Oolong Tea

Fong Mong Tea Shop is a Taiwan based distributor that sells on Ebay with a 100% rating! Their offerings are often a bit higher priced than what is normally reviewed on the Everyday Tea Blog. This one is surprisingly affordable at $28.99 for 300g. That is less than $10 for 100g.

This sample was generously provided by Fong Mong Tea Shop. As noted in other reviews of this company, I am impressed with the packaging. The pouch is heavy duty, the sample is vacuum packed, and inside is an oxygen absorber to help maintain freshness. There is 6 grams of tea inside. It all fit in one spoon. I was tempted to use all of it but just in case I mess up something I decided to save half for a later steep. Turns out, 3g is a lot of tea. The leaf is rolled into very tight tiny dark green balls that really expand. The dry leaf did not have much aroma to me.

I brought my water up to temperature and poured over the leaf. Immediately an amazing floral scent began to fill the room. Fong Mong recommends a six minute steep. I could not bring myself to steep it that long and went only three. The liquor is extremely clear and a pale yellow.

I should state up front that I added sweetener at this point. I usually wait until I have at least tasted the tea straight. Today, I knew I was going to add it eventually, so I just got it over with.

The first sip is electric, with a lot going on all at once. When I say electric I mean it literally. There was a numbness and a feeling of shock at the very beginning that I have never experienced before and it was not in later sips. The sip was very floral and sweet. At the same time it struck me as salty. Again this was only an initial reaction. The press and cup were both cleaned and well rinsed just prior to the tasting so it was not something left over from a previous brew. This has the lingering aftertaste typical of green oolongs. One reviewer on Steepster described this as a latex glove taste. I can make that connection but it is far more pleasant and green than it sounds. To me it is more like the taste of the white part of a watermelon rind.

As the cup cools I am getting a better sense of the flavors. It remains intensely floral at the front of the sip. Mid sip there is an underlying earthy quality. The floral notes pick back up towards the end and this dissolves into the lingering aftertaste. I am not sure this qualifies as milky but it does flow smoothly across the tongue. Another thing I am noticing is a dusty sensation on the throat and a tingling in the checks. I would normally associate this with astringency but it does taste astringent.

As the cup reaches near room temperature I get a mineral taste. I hear that description used often but this is the first time I have felt compelled to use the term myself. Interesting.

With the second cup the leaf is still not completely unfurled, yet it hangs in the press making it look full of leaf. It looses the earthy note and the dusty feel on this cup, and settles in at smooth and lingering. By the third cup, the leaf has completely unfurled. It makes for a lot of leaf. I stopped with the fourth steep (making 48oz). It still has a lot of sweet flavor. At $30/300g, using 3g to steep one mug, it works out to $0.30/mug. If you carry it out to the max @4steeps/session, that is $007.5/mug. Fun with math!

I am glad I had the time to spend with this one. It is quite complex. It is also quite tasty. This is a very good tea.

Fong Mong Tea, Lishsan High Mt. Oolong Tea

Fong Mong Tea Shop is a Taiwan based distributor that sells on Ebay with a 100% rating! Their offerings are a bit higher priced than what is normally reviewed on the Everyday Tea Blog. This one is $48/150g (roughly 5.3 oz).

From their webstore:
Lishan High Mountain Oolong Tea is one of the most unique and highest quality Oolong. Grown in the Li Mountains of Taiwan, this tea is harvested at the elevation of 1200 meters in an isolated area. Due to the cold weather and relatively harsh environments, the plants grow at a very slow rate and in small quantity. The tea is either harvested during the winter or summer and sometimes only once during the entire year. After the harvest, the leaves are carefully handled and aerated during the long ride to the nearest tea maker. Despite the difficult growing conditions, the leaves are selected as the highest quality of Oolong.

This is the first oolong I have tried that I know is from Taiwan. The sample pouch is heavy aluminum/mylar. The tea is vacuum packed and there is an oxygen absorber packet in the pouch. I like this attempt at maintaining freshness. The label lists tea type, weight, manufacturer, and origin, but does not give steeping directions. I looked up the company provided information on Steepster.

The sample size is 6g. I decided to split the sample in half for a 3g steep rather than dividing it into three 2g batches. The tea is rolled into very tight nuggets. It looks and smells similar to tiguanyin. I steeped this between 5-6 minutes in 12oz of water at about 90C. The leaf expanded dramatically from the tiny nuggets. After the first steep it still isn’t completely relaxed but appears to be some whole leaf and large pieces.

The color of the brew in the French press is green tinted amber. The smell of the wet leaf is vegetal like steamed broccoli. The liquor in the cup is more orange yellow in color. The taste is a bit sweet and floral. This tea is grown along with pear trees so it will absorb the sweet fragrance of the fruit. This is a lightly oxidized tea with no hint of smoke or roastiness. It is slightly astringent but not bitter. I notice it is leaving my lips feeling numb and tingly. The aftertaste is very fresh and green. As I continue to sip I notice the mouth feel has a light milky quality and the taste is mildly buttery.

For the second steep I went 4 minutes. The flavor did suffer a bit with the shorter steep. It was very similar to the first but less intense and no numbing qualities. The third steep I went 6 minutes. Still flavorful however it is starting to drop off. I think the proper method on this tea would be 4 minutes on the first steep, 5m, & 6m while increasing the temperature slightly each time.

I can certainly find nothing negative to say about this tea, other than the price is higher than I normally feel comfortable paying. If you use 3g as I did that is roughly $1 a mug. If you steep it 3 times it brings the per mug price down to about $0.32. Compared to restauraunt tea that is actually pretty inexpensive.

Sample provided by Fong Mong Tea Shop

Fong Mong Tea Shop, Sun Moon Lake Black Tea

Fong Mong Tea Shop is a seller of high quality Taiwan Formosa teas, specializing in oolongs (though today’s review is a black tea). Recently, they offered for a limited time to send samples to reviewers. I grabbed at the chance to try their tea. On the Everyday Tea Blog, I tend to concentrate on teas I consider to be frugal choices. That means I look for the best quality for the money. That generally means teas that are priced at $2-5/oz or roughly $6-14 for 100g (3.5oz). Fong Mong teas are higher, running $30 for 100g. Now before you let that scare you away consider that with multiple steeps and using 3g/cup that brings the cost to a reasonable $0.30/cup.

This is the first sample I grabbed out of box. It is also my first black tea from Taiwan, at least that I am aware. I want to mention the packaging. The samples are vacuum packed in very heavy silver pouches. Once cut open, the first thing I notice is an oxygen absorber in the pouch. That’s different. The tea type is listed on the label but there are no steeping instructions. I had to go online to locate this information from their web store.

The leaf is dark and thick. The smell is similar to a Yunnan Dian Hong but more wine like. Kind of like a chocolate wine would smell. Very nice. I brewed for 3 minutes with just below boiling water in my French Press. The resulting liquor is a beautiful clear dark caramel. Fong Mong calls the color carmine, which is a vivid red. Scent is the same as the dry leaf.

With the first sip the sensation was instantly caramel, then grapes, and then Yunnan black. There is a healthy dose of malt in the smell and in the taste. While I don’t detect it in the scent, I noticed the cooling sensation of mint in mid sip and can taste it on my breath. This tea has a natural sweetness to it that tastes like honey on the lips. Strangely, considering the sweetness, it seems slightly drying like a red wine. There is not even a hint of bitterness in this cup. This is so good.

I find I have been programmed by years of English breakfast teas to expect a black tea to taste strong with a heavy bite that verges on and often surpasses bitterness. Not even close to what you’ll get from this tea. The China blacks and now this from Taiwan have shown me I have been missing an entire delicious side of black tea. This is excellent. I know reviews often read like propaganda written by an advertisement department, but this tea really is as amazingly good as it sounds. I am honored to have experienced it.