Hidden Peak Teahouse

Desperately needed a real weekend but had too much work to do, so I just squeezed in an hour or so at the teahouse for a quick escape and reading break. I try to make a point to try something different when I go, and this was the pick this trip.

It’s a really wonderful tea. Clean and sweet, super-drinkable with nothing that might turn you away. I guess there was sort of a date thing going on, but mostly just brown sugar sweetness. Uncomplicated but not boring, which made it a good tea to sip while reading a somewhat attention-demanding book. Admittedly the very soothing teahouse atmosphere tends to amplify the effects of anything consumed there, but definitely felt more energized/calm (and not slightly spacey like sometimes happens to me with too much tea in too little time) when I left than when I arrived. It’s the kind of thing I wish I had for late night creative endeavors, or long days reading.

A small bag of this might have followed me home. So much for not buying more tea this month.

I had this at Hidden Peak Teahouse.

First Steep: The smell reminded me a little of houjicha. It was very vegetal and tasted of artichokes. very smooth.

Second Steep: The oolong really opened up and filled the steeping cup. There was a strong smell of artichoke. There was still vegetal/artichoke flavor, with a slight hint of floral flavor and roasted toastiness. The flavors came together in a nice balance.

Third Steep: There was a lighter flavor like black tea mixed with green tea, with a vegetal note at the end.

Fourth Steep: Lighter still. It was more thirst quenching this time, with a slight citrus note.

Fifth through Seventh Steeps: Continued to get lighter in flavor, less complex.

I don’t like shou and I’ve tried a bunch. Actually I find it to taste boring and one dimensional but the best cha qi I ever got was from the first shou I had. Well, this is fantastic.

Dry leaf smell is leather and dirt. Wet smell is compost, wood and something alluring but faint (I think melon). I just know it smells great. I don’t have a problem with the “dirtiness” of shou but this one is so dang clean.

Taste is clean, creamy, dates, melon with a very noticeable lasting cooling.

Energy is strong but very relaxing at the same time. Perfect for nature and meditation.

I really can’t express enough how fantastic this is…I rush back to the gaiwan

This tea is a fantastically balanced pu-erh, with powerful and clean energy. I drink this regularly, and I would say it’s my favorite shou pu-erh by a fair margin. If you’re in the U.S. and you haven’t any of these teas from Hidden Peak, there’s a good chance you don’t know how good pu-erh can actually be.

A very sumptuous dragonwell. Holds up really well to temperature variation.

Has that classical mineral-y taste that I often associate with Dragonwell. This is my favorite daily drinker.

Typically I brew it just after second boil and let it steep for a good four minutes. One of the reasons I like this tea so much is that I can let it brew longer and develop that heavy green flavor (without getting much bitterness).

Woke up early and groggy this morning and poured my water. Turned up the heat and began to wait

Pulled out my YiXing teapot (I keep this one specifically for green tea), and poured some water that was somewhere between first boil and second boil. It was about 2 minutes of patient anticipation before I pulled the leaves and prepared the first cup. When dry the leaves exhibit a pretty classic smell, with a bit more richness than most greens.

First cup had a sweet fragrance to the broth, but the flavor was more vegetal with a hint of smokiness. I haven’t yet done a second steeping… so more info to come!

Very translucent light green liquor with a sublime aroma. Roasted taste and mellow notes.