Green Terrace Teas, Ali Shan High Mountain Oolong

Vacuum Sealed Sample

Green Terrace Teas Description:
Ali Shan is one of Taiwan’s most famous tea growing areas due to its high elevation and rich soil.  The cool and moist climate allows the tea leaves to grow more slowly, developing a higher level of complexity and flavor.  Our premium grade Ali Shan High Mountain Tea, or “gao shan cha” in Chinese, is grown at elevations of 1,300 meters (4,265 ft) and above.  It has a sweet buttery taste with a creamy body and mild floral undertones.  The tea becomes more vegetal after a few steepings, bringing a pleasant variation of tastes among each infusion.  Overall, this is an exquisite and savory oolong that can be enjoyed at any time of day.

Origin:  Alishan, Chiayi County, Taiwan

Harvest:  Spring 2014

Sample provided by Green Terrace Teas

My Review:

Best laid plans and all aside, my intention was to review this one immediately after sipping the Li Shan for more of a side by side comparison. Instead sandwiched between the two oolongs three days have passed. Two of which were filled with all day shopping sprees, and Sunday was church and family. Normally I would complain about the shopping, but this time we were looking for patio furniture and a new grill, so I kind of got into it. Who am I kidding, it was totally my idea!

Dry Leaf

So, back to tea. I have had both Li Shan and Ali Shan high mountain teas before, but never together. I wasn't sure if I could tell them apart. So I love that I have this opportunity to sample them both this close together. The samples come in identical vacuum sealed packaging. It is a good thing they are clearly labeled.

The open 10 g bag reveals very little of what is to come, only faint scent traces that smell like... light green oolong.  Using my bamboo scoop, I examined the pellets. Again, the two teas appear very similar. The leaves are rolled tightly with the stem exposed.

Steeping Leaves

My intention was to steep both the same way to keep the playing floor even. So once again the mighty crystal teapot sees action. The leaf in the pot, I added 190 F water and steeped 1 1/2 minutes for the first cup.

At this point, I realized I am brewing more tea than would fit in the 5 oz cup that I used last time. I quickly had to shift gears and pull out my clear glass mug.

I can only hope I haven't thrown off the comparison greatly.

The result is a very light manila colored liquor that is bright and clear. The leaf has largely relaxed, but not nearly as much as the Li Shan first cup. The wet leaf has a marine or seaweed aroma.

A strainer was used when pouring to catch the leaf that hasn't fully unfurled. Only one leaf escaped through the narrow spout of the teapot.

The tea in the mug turned slightly more honey colored as I waited for it to cool enough for me to start sipping.

High Mountain Oolong

The sip is immediately different from the Li Shan. While both are creamy, the Li Shan tasted like corn to me. This one has a floral bite or tingle to it that dances towards orchid with slight hints similar to lavender. None of the floral elements are overpowering.

This is a beautiful cup.

As it cools, a more typical green oolong taste is drawn out and mingles with the previous more unique floral tastes. There is also a nice cooling sensation that is highlighted between sips.

Below I have a picture of the wet leaf for those who like a better idea what they are getting. The leaf is already quite bulky and it hasn't even fully relaxed yet. I did not dig through the pile, however I did not notice and small broken pieces in the leaf.

While the Li Shan was quite enjoyable, I have to admit I am much more fascinated by the first cup of this Ali Shan. We must investigate with further cups before drawing any firm conclusions. Oh, the sacrifices I am willing to make for this blog.

Wet Leaf

On cup two I was more observant of how much water was used. I poured this pot without the strainer and had no leaf in my mug. As I poured, the brew had a green tint that quickly changed to white grape in the mug.

With this cup I am noticing a light butteriness and a hint of mint, in addition to the previous floral aspects. This cup is better than the already wonderful first cup. It seems very sweet.

I am going to keep steeping this leaf a while longer but from what I am tasting I can confidently say I prefer this Ali Shan over the Li Shan. Both are very good, so this is a personal preference. Get a sample of both and see for yourself.

You can find this and a nice variety of teas and teaware here.












   

Green Terrace Teas, Li Shan High Mountain Oolong

Vacuum Sealed Sample

Green Terrace Teas Description:
Li Shan, or “Pear Mountain”, is named after the abundant pear orchards that originally occupied the region. In addition to its rich soil, Li Shan’s high altitude maintains a cool and moist climate that is ideal for creating superior quality tea. Our spring harvest was grown at an elevation of about 2,000 meters, or over 6,500 ft! Tea from Li Shan has a very high demand due to its limited supply and superior quality. Floral and fruity in character, this tea also has a very clean, soft mouth feel and evokes exotic flavors such as mango and tropical fruit. Can be steeped multiple times without losing flavor.

Origin: Lishan, Heping District, Taichong City, Taiwan

Harvest: Spring 2014

Sample provided by Green Terrace Teas

My Review:
I am super excited about my next couple reviews. I have both a Li Shan and an Ali Shan high mountain oolong to review. I have had only a few of each, but enough to believe I am in for something special. It will also be the first time I can compare the two back to back.

Green Terrace Teas is a small tea shop located in Taiwan. Most companies located in Taiwan seem to have very high shipping rates to the US. Green Terrace Teas has free shipping over $49 and a flat $5 shipping rate for smaller orders. Their teas are currently well priced making this a real opportunity to try out what Taiwan has to offer.

Dry Leaf

The golden foil vacuum sealed sample (say that 5 times fast) is 10 g. Cutting the top and removing some of the leaf for examination reveals rolled nuggets with partial stems of varying shades of green and some yellow tones. The scent is of fresh and clean green oolong and a sweet aroma that to me is kind of creamed corn scented.

I used 1/3 of the sample which appears about a level tsp (somewhere between what is in the bamboo scoop and what is on the plate). Once again I rolled out my new favorite glass teapot for the minute and a half steep with 190 F water. The steep was intended to be one minute but I got drawn into the dance of the leaf, and well, as they say, time flies when you are having fun.

The leaf relaxed and expanded quickly!

It is always interesting to see such large leaves appear, almost magically, from those tiny dry pellets. The liquor is clear and a very light cream or manila colored.

Steeping

I poured it into a 5 oz Corelle stoneware cup that is coincidentally made in Taiwan. The brew turned a little more honey colored in the cup. Had I poured when I intended I think the brew would have been nearly clear.

The taste is not what I was expecting based on Steepster reviews. They all seemed to have fruit and floral flavors flying everywhere. I did not have the same result. To me this has a corn like taste. It is smooth and creamy but not overly so. Despite the smoothness this also has a bite. They play off each other and it is interesting.

Now as the cup cools I do begin to detect a fruitiness that is kind of pineapple and coconut? I read one review that said Pina Colada. Yeah, I can see that. It does not jump out and scream it, but it is there.

The aftertaste is slightly drying. In it, I catch the floral element I have been expecting. I have always called it geranium. Those who don't like green oolongs sometimes call it latex. No matter how you feel about green oolong, that flavor is mild and well behaved here.

Sunshine in a cup

The wet leaf, as you can see in the picture below, contains large leaves. Some joined together by the stems. There are some smaller broken pieces but not enough to cause me any concern.

I am looking forward to several more steeps from this leaf so back in the teapot it goes.

The second cup was steeped at one minute. As the water hit the leaf I noticed a spicy fragrance similar to cinnamon. The leaf is now pretty much filling the water in the teapot. The liquor has more of a floral bouquet.  The sip has a nice cooling freshness like mint without the mint taste. I must be starving for vegetables as this taste similar to potato to me. I really do not understand why I am not getting the same results as others recorded, but yeah, potato. Behind it I am getting a green kind of floral, kind of vine like notes. I know it sounds a bit odd but this is really good.

Wet Leaf

Cup three was prepared on day 2 with the same leaf and a one minute steep. This cup is much lighter than yesterday's cups but is nicely floral. When I first sipped this cup while hot I noticed a kind of earthy or maybe even cave flavor. It was gentle, well mannered, and pleasant. As the cup cooled the earthy note fades and this becomes a gentle bouquet of floral notes.

The fourth, and final cup, was steeped for two minutes. It is a little darker than cup three and has the same floral scent. The taste is also quite similar to the third cup with the addition of a spicy note.

You can find this and a nice variety of teas and teaware here.

Green Terrace Teas, Li Shan Black Tea

Li Shan Black Tea Leaf

Green Terrace Teas Description:
Our founder's favorite tea - this is a rare and unique cultivar available only in Taiwan. Grown at elevations of over 2,000 meters, our spring harvest is both exquisite and complex in character. Non-astringent and mildly sweet, this black tea has floral and fruity undertones with notes of peach and honey. Its aroma of sweet, ripe fruit is strong and noticeable instantly after the leaves come in contact with hot water. If you've never had a quality black tea before, this variety is a must try. Best brewed with multiple, short infusions.

Sample provided by Green Terrace Teas

My Review:
This is my second tea from Green Terrace Teas. The first Honey Black was everything I hoped it would be, so I am excited to try this Li Shan Black Tea. I received this through an offer on Steepster to trade samples for reviews. As always, that does not sway me. I'll give you my honest opinion, but based on my previous review this one is most likely going to be a good one.

This one is hand picked from a local farm in Lishan, Heping District, Taichong City, Taiwan. It is then vacuum sealed for freshness. I like the vacuum sealing. I have only seen it done with oolongs previously. I cut the top and allowed the contents to puff up a bit. Inhaling this is sweet and makes me think of some of the better Chinese greens I've reviewed. The leaf is dark with some milk chocolate colored tips.

Li Shan Black Tea Steeping

I used 3.5 g of leaf (about one third of the sample), 10 oz of 195 F water and a 2 minute steep. That seemed a good compromise between Eastern and Western methods. The result is a light caramel colored brew that turns root beer in the mug. The nose of the wet leaf is sweet and malty with a fruity element that to me images grapes. Not like a Darjeeling muscatel but good old regular grapes. Terrace Green Teas says its peach. Maybe it is the way I prepared it but I get grape. Either way the aroma is really fine. The leaf relaxed and expanded nicely.

Waiting for this to cool left me impatient. The aroma of the cup is cinnamon raisin whole wheat bagel. Get in my belly! First sip is very smooth with a slightly spicy feel around the tongue. The taste is malt and wheat, with cinnamon and raisin. It is wonderfully sweet like honey. As I continue to sip I notice a neat cooling sensation on my breath and in my lungs. That is always a welcome tasting element from me.

At this point I added sweetener to see how it changed the cup. My advice is it is really unnecessary. In fact it detracts from the cup as the sweetness is a little too intense. If you must use additions, go very lightly and taste before adding more. This is really one of the few black teas that I honestly advise no sugar - and I am addicted to the stuff.

I steeped the same leaf three times for a total of 30 oz. The second was at 2 minutes and was similar in taste but lighter than the first. The third I went in the neighborhood of 5 minutes as I didn't time it. The brew was darker than the second but still light in taste. It was similar to the previous cups with the addition of a slight mineral element.

This is definitely a worthy tea.

You can find Li Shan Black Tea here.

Green Terrace Teas, Honey Black Tea

Honey Black Dry Leaf

Green Terrace Teas Description:
This all-natural, handcrafted black tea is a deliciously sweet and smooth delight.  It has a wonderful natural honey flavor and light nutty caramel aftertaste that lingers pleasantly in the back of your throat.  This tea is sweet, rich and complex, with notes of peach and plum and almost no bitterness or astringency.  Like all other black teas, Honey Black is a fully oxidized tea which gives it a bit more caffeine than its green and oolong counterparts.  Drink pure - your friends will be amazed that no honey was added to their cup.

Sample provided by Green Terrace Teas

My Review:
I am excited about today's review. Green Terrace Teas is a new to me company. They recently offered Steepster members the opportunity to try their tea in exchange for reviews. I am to the point now that I don't jump on every offer but I grabbed this one in a hurry.

This tea has its origins in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. It came vacuum sealed in a sample envelope. When I cut the top, the bag literally breathed in and felt alive in my hand. The leaf is what they call strip style. Long dark slender strips that smell of oats and honey.

Honey Black Steeping

I used my crystal teapot because I was curious how this leaf would respond to the water. I used 6 oz of water heated to 190 F along with about 3.5 g of leaf (about 1/3 of the sample). I steeped for around 1 minute. This is a little different from either their eastern or western directions listed on the website. Picture taking used a few seconds more time than I intended.

The leaf expanded nicely but did not dance in the water. The liquor is caramel/orange in color, and lighter than expected, but quite fragrant. It smells of honey drenched raisin wheat bread. Yeah, seriously good. It turned more root beer brown as it cooled. I did not use a filter when pouring the tea as the leaf is large enough that only a few particles made it into the cup.

The taste continues the liquor scent but adds a touch of malt and a wine like fruitiness. I detect no bitterness. Some mild dryness. There is just a touch of bite, yet it is barely noticeable compared to an Assam or Ceylon. Not 100% smooth. It has just enough fight to speak to me.

Honey Black Wet Leaf

In some Yunnan teas the flavor would lean towards sweet potato. This Taiwan tea moves more toward bread and fruit.  Oh wow, as it cools the aftertaste really does bring out peach and plum flavors.

Cup two was steeped for 1 minute. This cup is stronger in flavor. It is super honey flavored with a spicy note towards the end. The light bite is gone as well as the wine note but I don't miss them as the malt and caramel notes have picked up. The peach and plum are also stronger in the aftertaste. Just Wow!

Cup three continues the 1 minute theme. I should have let it steep longer as this cup has very little flavor. I added sweetener in an attempt to bring the cup to life. It helped. What flavors I detected besides a much lighter honey and caramel, are mineral and earthy. Both of these come as a surprise as I did not catch either previously.

Cup four I let steep for 3 minutes. It is a golden orange in color. I felt the need to sweeten it once again as the taste is pretty light. It is stronger than cup three. The honey is still present like the first cup, along with the spicy note I can't identify from the second. It also has the mineral and earthy notes of the third. The earthy might be better classified as nutty. Though I had to coax this one a little it is an interesting cup.

This tea more than lived up to my expectations. I'm very pleased with this one. Green Terrace Teas claims 12 cups are possible from the sample packet and I can verify that claim, just be aware of the need to pamper cups 2 and 3. That works out to about $0.26/cup based on the sample price. If you don't want to work at it, you might try two western style steeps for a bolder less complex but still tasty cup at about $0.52/cup.

You can find Honey Black Tea here.