Zensation Tea House

I mistakenly pressed the ‘oolong’ button on my fancy tea kettle so ended up brewing this at a higher temperature than usual for green tea (90C) but it didn’t suffer for it, I actually found it increased the vegetal elements and gave the tea more character than my previous tastings.

The thing I like most about Mao Feng is it tastes refreshing without having a real top note. The tone of the tea is grassy without being ‘freshly mowed lawn’ grassy; it simply sits pleasantly on the palate like a good little green tea. I would recommend this with soy-based Asian food as I think it would complement well.

I’ve not had any other loose leaf Mao Feng (my only comparison is the Teapigs version in the UK) but I found this was a little too delicate in standard measures; I recommend more tea than usual and a slightly higher brewing temperature than usual for green to maximise the flavour.

Milky oolong from Zenstation was my first foray into the low oxidation level oolongs. I believe this one was around 10-15% – which, combining with the terroire of its plantation gives it the intense creaminess for which it is named. It is best brewed following gong fu cha and with nose and tasting cups you can experience its true magic. Very generous with the loose tea, shorter brew time will allow you to mimick the Zensation brewing. Unlike any other oolong I have tasted. At a stretch, it is similar to Dong Ding, but note – at a stretch. It really is unique.

Pulled out my little yixing for a quiet and restorative series of infusions of this after an insanely busy morning of baking and baby disruption (slightly more of the former than the latter fortunately). Cinnamon, honey and peach notes were, well, noted. Only had the time for 3 infusions so far but will see if I can get a couple more out of it later.

I’ve been drinking this all morning – think I’ve had about 5 infusions so far, of variable length and temperature (cos I’m also working) and the flavour is still good. The scent of the leaves is just so creamy, peachy, flowery… I love it!

Drinking this again this afternoon, the last of the batch. Shall have to get my friend to bring me some more from Sydney when she comes down at Easter time, I think.

Peachy, buttery, sweet… this is just a delicious tea. You can get 3-4 infusions out of it easily. It also cold-brews beautifully if – as I sometimes do with oolongs – you don’t have time to keep going gong-fu the whole day long. Going to make myself another pot of it now, don’t have much left though!