Tost day 4
Continuing from the previous post. Day 4 we were back in Taipei to visit a few tea shops with an extensive tea evaluation at Chenpion Teahouse.
Sunday 9/17
Visit teahouses in Taipei
Chenpion Teahouse with Arno Tsai
Visit teahouses in Taipei
I had to include Da Zhi, the hotel turtle. He was so cute! After bidding Da Zhi farewell for the day, we went to SOGO for breakfast. There was a cute little cafe called Come True Coffee that had amazing food and a good houjicha latte. I got to eat soufflé pancakes for the first time. We tried boba and brown sugar that came with ice cream.
Our main stop that afternoon was Chengpion Teahouse. Mr. Arno was a very knowledgeable and gracious host. We tried and discussed 13 teas during our four-hour stay.
All the teas we tried were brewed 5 grams at 180cc (6.09oz) boiling water. We did a comparison cupping, two to three teas each, and started light (Jade) to dark (FB and baked). This was a more standardized way of tea evaluation, which will require a future post of its own to explain. I’ll list the teas with a little information about each.
Jade Oolong, Sijichun cultivar from Nantou. Harvested between winter and spring 2022.
Jade Oolong, Jin Xuan cultivar from Alishan. Harvested summer 2023.
Jade Oolong, Qing Xin (Ching-Shin) cultivar from Alishan. 3 different processing styles and harvest seasons. An Autumn 2022 harvest at altitude 1,200m, A Spring 2023 harvest from the same farm, also at altitude 1,200m, and a Summer 2023 harvest at 1,400m with medium oxidation.
Yushan, Qing Xin cultivar. Harvested Spring 2022 at 1,700m.
Dayuling, Qing Xin cultivar. Harvested Spring 2022 at 2,300m.
Lishan, Qing Xin cultivar. Harvested Autumn 2023 at 2,000m.
FB-74, Qing Xin cultivar from Alishan. Harvested early Summer 2023.
FB-18, Hong Yu cultivar from Sun Moon Lake. Harvested early Summer 2023.
FB-21, Hong Yun cultivar from Sun Moon Lake. Harvested early Summer 2023.
Oriental Beauty, Shin Zhu cultivar.
Taitung Oolong, Jin Xuan cultivar that was slow baked.
We did some light shopping and stopped for a quick break at Sin Hong Choon; an old tea manufactory turned museum in Datong District, Taipei. Next, we spent the evening at Incense Tea shop before heading back to SOGO for dinner.
This was a very educational day and one of the most study intensive on the trip.
All images are © Golden Monarch Tea LLC. Please do not use.