>>9336800>What's the point of talking about tea when it doesn't get better than Earl Grey?Since the thread is dead I will personally educate you on how great tea from Asain countries can really be. First I will begin with China.
Starting with Oolong. They are many different types of Oolong such as
>Tie guan yin from the Anxi province in chinaTie guan yin is popular type of Oolong that when brewed produce a sweet, grassier less roasted taste as other on this list. There is a type of tie gaun yin called "Hairy crab" which has tiny hairs on the leaf and produces a nice grassy brew.
>Dan congThis type of oolong is harvested from tea plants grown in volcanic soil, grown at a higher elevation. They differ in oxidation levels, varying from light to heavy. Some have a very thick sweetness, similar to that of licorice, while others don a lighter sweetness.
>Wuyi rock oolongGrown in mineral rich soil at high elevations. Has varying tastes from some tasting like black coffee, while others have a more floral taste.
They are a lot more oolong's such as the popular Taiwanese bug bitten oolong.
>Next type: White teaWhite teas contain tons of antioxidants make it a real healthy tea to drink. Their taste is heavily dependent on water temperature. The higher the water temp, the more bitter and gripping soup it will produce. Mostly floral and fruity in taste. These teas are also usually compressed, so a tea pick will be necessary.
>Next type: PuerhArguably the most complex type of Chinese tea, and explaining it would take way too long. Basically they are 2 main types of puerh, Raw and Ripe, or Sheng and Shou respectively. These teas are usually compressed so a tea pick will be necessary. You will find 3 types of Puerh within these 2 types. Aged raw's, young raw's and ripes. They are many ways to brew this tea, may different temperatures to experiment with and ways to store and age your own. When brewed, ripes usually produce a thick dark soup while raws a more yellow, lighter soup.
Ripe Flavors usually include: Tobacco, Wood, Wet basement, Dark chocolate, Cherries/stone fruits. Some puerh (cheaper ones) smell like fish. Ripes are usually seen as a cheaper more time effective way of copying the flavor profile of an aged raw.
Young Raw flavors: Grass, bitter.
Aged Raw's: Earthy, sweet, creamy, basically tastes like fermentation. Some an age into very complex flavors that are similar to that of a ripe.
>Next type: Chinese green tea or LongjingAdmittedly I don't drink much Chinese green teas as I much rather prefer Japanese one's. These teas are light and grassy in taste. I like to brew these grandpa style. They are usually pan fried. Make sure you buy the freshest harvest.
>Next type: Chinese black teasUsually made up of smaller leaves of the Sinensis plant, they are robust and generally pleasurable to drink. Some flavor notes include, Dark chocolate, cream, black coffee, licorice,
I haven't tried that much tea yet and there some many types of teas produced in china such as purple teas, hei cha, silver needle tea, dragon ball teas, that i can't describe them all. I really hope Fauna is this autistic about teas as well to be honest...
I'll post about Japanese teas next. maybe.