1999 Aged Hong Oolong Mao Xie

£45.00

1999 Aged Hong Oolong Mao Xie is a rare finding and one-off batch of aged oolong tea. This tea was made into almost like a black tea with the highest oxidised of all oolong teas, though following oolong processing techniques. It's also known as Hong Oolong. The tea was produced in a very traditional methods, fully hand-processed and wood-charcoal baked at very low heat for several days. It has been naturally stored since 1999.

Mao Xie (毛蟹茶), translated as "Hairy Crab", is one of famous cultivar for making oolong teas in Anxi County of the Chinese province Fujian. The name is due to the fine downy hair that can be found on the young leaves, the deep serrations and neat edge of the leaves, like the shell of a Chinese mitten crab.

ORIGIN: Anxi County, Fujian Province, China.

TASTING NOTES:

This gorgeous tea has a powerful energy with an uplifting and warming vibrancy. The taste is complex and a thick rich liquor and bright, hints of wild honey, chocolate, berries and medicinal herbs, and occasionally flowers.

BREWING TIPS

We think this is a very versatile tea, but we recommend brewing this tea in gong fu approach for its rich and full-bodied flavour.

Normal Approach:

Boiling water | 2 – 3g leave for 350ml | infuse for about 2-3 mins | refill as needed

Gong Fu Approach:

Water temperature: boiling water

Tea leaves to water ratio: 5g for 120ml

Warm all the tea vessel with boiling water

1^st infuse for 20 secs

2^nd – 3^rd infuse for about 20 secs

4^th – 6^th infuse for about 50 secs

7^th - 8^th infuse for about 1 -2 mins