Photos

Recent photos I’ve posted to Instagram.

chacrusade

#AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ChangeTheDate

#AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe
#ChangeTheDate

Some old XG tuocha to break in the new pot 😋 #

Some old XG tuocha to break in the new pot 😋
#rawpuer #xiaguanbaoyan

Vector #rawpuer from @kuuracorp to cure the Monday

Vector #rawpuer from @kuuracorp to cure the Mondays 💊

Four seasons oolong from @mountain_stream_teas. Br

Four seasons oolong from @mountain_stream_teas.
Brothy and lightly vegetal with floral and spice hints. Flavours are understated but balanced and pleasant overall.

Some @farmer.leaf Jingmai shengtai (2019) to get m

Some @farmer.leaf Jingmai shengtai (2019) to get me through the week.
#rawpuer

Turns out my next chance for a #white2tea order wa

Turns out my next chance for a #white2tea order was the #nogrinch2020 sale, where I helped myself to some more of that snowflake dancong ❄️ and some other samples.

Managed to get one of these @teaswelike sample set

Managed to get one of these @teaswelike sample sets before they ran out, thanks to the quick thinking of @spacepirate1!
It features (from the top going clockwise):
- Naked Yiwu 001
- 2006 Rustic Zhongcha
- 2010 Youle Gushu
- 2020 Biyunhao Daniantang
Reminds me of a pizza box 🍕but much more exciting!

A stunningly beautiful koi cup from @topotea that

A stunningly beautiful koi cup from @topotea that I was very fortunate to receive from my better half 😍
Handmade #玉白瓷

Old Master Dong Ding from @mountain_stream_teas. A

Old Master Dong Ding from @mountain_stream_teas. A comforting roast on a rainy day 🌧

Aged white peony 2013 from @teaangle. Received thi

Aged white peony 2013 from @teaangle. Received this as a gift – I think it was the last one 🤭
Excited to try it!

Happy new year, everyone! One of the silver lining

Happy new year, everyone! One of the silver linings of 2020 was being able to drink way more tea than ever before 😬 Thanks for continuing to keep me company online and sharing such great tea content 🍵
#2020bestnine

Delicate yellow tea (#mengdinghuangya) from @ms.ca

Delicate yellow tea (#mengdinghuangya) from @ms.cattea. Somehow mellow and crisp at the same time 😋

I've been on a bit of a #dancong kick lately so I

I've been on a bit of a #dancong kick lately so I thought I'd throw in some of this relatively cheap "snowflake dancong" from #white2tea into my Black Friday order just for comparison to other (more expensive) stuff I've been drinking recently.
I was pleasantly surprised that it really hit the spot for me: Decent thickness, florals that are deep and complex but not too sweet, and lingering aftertaste. It also re-steeps quite well. I've been reaching for this almost every day this week.
Next time I do another W2T order but I'll be sure to throw in more of this if it's still around.

I don't always feel like #ripepuer with #chenpi bu

I don't always feel like #ripepuer with #chenpi but when I did yesterday I really enjoyed Big O (v2) from #white2tea.
The bright citrus flavours are a great complement to the darkness of the tea and it felt very comforting on the stomach.

Trying some "tie guan yin type A" from #white2tea.

Trying some "tie guan yin type A" from #white2tea.
I've struggled with my appreciation of TGY in general, I think due to having quite a lot of low quality ones in the past (both greener and more roasted).
My hope was that trying a high quality one from a vendor I trust would show me how to appreciate this revered type of oolong.
There was a lovely creamy fragrance off the gaiwan lid once the pungent "leaf smell" had subsided. It had good body and the roast was well-balanced. It also left a cooling sensation and prolonged pleasant aftertaste in the throat.
This "leaf smell" and related "leaf taste", which I find hard to describe (but makes me think of cardboard), I've found to be overwhelming and off-putting in past roasted TGYs I've had. This one also definitely had these present but in a more palatable form, particularly in later steeps.
Despite being a high quality tea and me generally enjoying the session, I don't think it's turned things around for me with TGY. Curious if anyone else has had similar experiences!
#tieguanyin

Diving into the @bitterleafteas 2020 spring dancon

Diving into the @bitterleafteas 2020 spring dancong selection again, this time with "Babel", made from charcoal roasted old bush material.
It's claimed to have a milky scent and texture throughout + light fruitiness, so I was very pleased to find this description completely accurate. I've never had a dancong like this before, and if I had to describe its defining taste I would say "apricot milk".

Last of this cake into the tin. Farewell, old frie

Last of this cake into the tin. Farewell, old friend!
#ripepuer #kuuracorp

My first order from @theteacatcher with a great bo

My first order from @theteacatcher with a great bottle for cold brew (plus some aged oolong samples that sounded interesting).
I've already been putting it through its paces as the weather heats up here. I've found it's a nice way to get through some older teas that I might not have come around to drinking normally.

First time trying "So far, so good" spring 2020 da

First time trying "So far, so good" spring 2020 dancong from @bitterleafteas; part of their "taste the rainbow" dancong sample set that I picked up during their 5 year anniversary sale.
I've been getting into dancong oolongs more lately so I'm hoping I can start to appreciate some of the differences between these. This particular one has a very nice depth of flavour and persistent aftertaste without getting astringent.
(I also grabbed a "Nightcap" 2004 Anhua fuzhuan brick that I'm hoping to try soon too.)

Received this beautiful fully-handmade duànní zǐshā pot from my better half, procured from @topotea.
The inscription reads:
"仰观山，俯听泉"
"Look up to see the mountain, bow to hear the spring"
The other side has an asparagus fern carving (commonly used in bonsai).
So beautiful!
#duanni #zisha #wenzhu

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