White Orchid Oolong - Bai Ya Qi Lan

Good Mingnan Oolong Tea from Pinghe, Fujian, China. Mid grade quality. Very good for entering the Oolong world.

White Orchid - Bai Ya Qi Lan - Mingnan Oolong

• Art: Oolong
• harvest time: Spring 2021
• Terroir: Da Qin Shan
• Altitude: 1500 m
• Cultivar/Baum: Bai Ya Qi Lan
• Roasting/Oxidation: Middle
• Further information:  it is not a rock tea, but a Mingnan Oolong

Bai Ya Qi Lan (Baiya Qilan) belongs to the Oolong tea category and is produced in Pinghe County, Fujian Province. According to legend, during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1735-1795), a special tea tree grew at the "water fountain" at the foot of Da Qin Shan Mountain in Pinghe County. The newly sprouted buds and leaves were white and green. This is how the fresh leaves were picked to prepare oolong tea. The tea was found to have a special orchid scent, so the tea tree was named "Bai Ya Qi Lan (white buds Qilan)" and the oolong tea produced was also named "Bai Ya Qi Lan". It has been cultivated by asexual reproduction for over 250 years.

This Bai Ya Qi Lan was picked and made in Da Qin Shan, Pinghe County. It was medium oxidized and burned with charcoal at low heat. , which explains the warm and creamy smell like roasted chestnuts (in a warm gaiwan/mug). The tea tastes sweet, juicy and mineral. 

Aroma of the dry leaves: nutty like chestnuts, roasted and slightly smoky like roasted chestnut skin.

Aroma of wet leaves: very fruity like peach, pomelo and some other citrus fruits, roasted like chestnuts, floral like some tropical flowers

If you 8g for 150ml water with a temperature of 95°C used and the tea 30 seconds long brew, it has no bitterness and medium astringency. In the mouth it is soft to the touch, but the liquid is a little thin or medium thin.

Taste: very sweet of tropical fruits, subtle citrus note in the back of the tongue, very mineral, especially after the third infusion

In summary, the benefits of this tea are that it tastes very fruity, sweet and mineral. The downside of this tea is that after drinking it, one feels the dryness on the tongue and a slight tingling, like after drinking a tea made from the peel of some citrus fruits.

Tasting notes from a tea lover trying White Orchid or a Rock tea for the first time:

AROMA
“The dry tea leaves smell smoky and roasted, reminiscent of coffee, but there is also a slight freshness like moss. The overall aroma is nutty and very round and smooth.”

TASTE
"Dry and tart. The toasted note is much more subtle than the mere smell, but the nutty accent is much stronger. Truly “golden” and clear. In retrospect, a very slight sweet note remains on the tongue.”

How long should this tea steep?

• For example, if you brew a liter of oolong, you should drink the tea about 3-4 minutes to let go. If it draws even longer, it becomes correspondingly more intense. It is best to use 2-3 teaspoons of tea leaves for this amount of water.

• Do you decide for the preparation Gong Fu style in a gaiwan or a small clay pot (yixing) you should steep the tea for a much shorter time. As is well known, you throw away the first infusion. For the second infusion, a guide value of about 20 - 30 seconds. However, the amount of tea you add is much higher! Use about 8g for about 150ml of tea! Due to the short brewing time, the tea does not become too strong. The aroma and the intensity of the taste is overwhelming. Can you spot the different nuances?