2004 YQH Tejipin
Aug 2, 2016 6g/80ml gaiwan (70ml liquid) [8.3]
Dry leaf has some smoke in addition to YQH house smell. Some gasoline background. Reminds me immediately of Wistaria Zipin and that continues through session.
Wet leaf: Wood, mushroom, a bit of peat moss
Wash: medium thickness and a distinct black tea taste, like normal tea. getting a tad of smoke but well integrated with other flavours, and some salivation. The aroma of the dry cup is just like the Chawangshu, pungent floral honey.
- Aroma more aged than 06 Chawangshu, taste significantly more umami savoury. Clearing to the sinuses and juiciness on the tongue.
- Some bitterness apears, aroma is very strong, excellent pungent florals
- (Flash) Medium-high thickness now. Mint arrival, holy basil, heat starting on the back, arms and shoulders. 6g was too much, remove some leaf temporarily. Intense warming, neck is numbing.
- Sweetness starting to emerge. Major heating. Oily, gasoline, again very similar to Zipin. Waves of energy going up, strong sallivation, some tannins, very long aftertaste. Cooling sensation on skin while very heating on the inner body. Feeling a bit loopy. Super strong.
- Arrival is not sweet. HIGH thickness. Feeling of the void, expansion of space, long aftertaste, super cooling on skin after a major heat inside. Feeling dazed and suspense feeling, goosebumps and localized heat to lower back andchest.
- Camphor on the wet leaf, long aftertaste. Significantly less sweet. Like QiZhong.
- Milky, perhaps water not hot enough.
- Too much power. Take a break.
9+10: Very active on tongue, heat chest + face
11+12 Perhaps not as long-lived as Chawangshu, decline in experience
15: cooling again, expansive feeling, with some uplifting energy. Power again.
Tricky to brew in the late brews, as it loses a lot in the taste and aroma but has a lot of strength.
This doesn’t appeal to me as much as the 06 Chawangshu because it is kind of overpowering. I am sure that in subsequent sessions I will grow to appreciate it more.
May 7, 2017 @ 7:27 am
Dear tea enthusiast,
I can see this tea reminds you Wistaria Zipin, which I already enjoyed before.
I will come to Taipei in 3 weeks, and I wonder the following: if you had to choose 1 of those 2 cakes, which one would you take?
You can answer directly to my mail without leaving comment on your website (I do not want to influence anyone else through your answer).
Thanks in advance
May 7, 2017 @ 11:52 am
Now that I have more experience with these two teas, I would say that they have become more different in my mind. The Wistaria zipin still has some smokiness in it, and has a bit more punchiness and raw power behind it. The Tejipin is also quite powerful but in a slightly more subtle way. Because I really like both teas, for someone who has only had one of them I would definitely recommend trying the other. They are both Yiwu teas from the same era but with different processing style.
May 7, 2017 @ 11:56 am
But if you are going to Wistaria you should get a few cakes from them; I believe you can request a taste for free if you are going to buy a cake or two. All the Wistaria teas have unique charms and if you have the chance to try some you should take advantage of it. Also don’t feel you need to buy their most expensive cakes; all are beautiful works of art.
May 8, 2017 @ 12:24 pm
Many thanks for your answer 😉