2007 Xiaquan "Xiao Fa" Tuocha

As I didn't find this tea to be deserving of a glamour shot I,m giving you the above photo. No set up, no mood lighting, just reali-tea.
I read a couple of blogs about these tuocha today and they both were pretty much of the same opinion in that they found these tuocha to be boring. I don't really think of them as boring I think these little 100 gm tuo,s are alright. At $4.00 each, what do you expect? A complex, multifaceted cup? Not gonna happen! Originally made for export to France in the 1960,s they have been a Xiaquan mainstay ever since. Given the price range these tuo are in, the only thing I expect from them is that they brew a cup with good clarity with no offensive odors or flavors. If they can pass those two tests then I think Ive gotten my moneys worth. The maocha used for these is from the Lincang area and some of the smallest leaf size Ive seen. I don't think these will ever improve with time, their a drink now shu. Admittedly these are not the shu,s I reach for when I got a hankering rather when I don't really want to be bothered with having to think about tea is when I drink this shu. Why the French supposedly love these I cant imagine. Nothing to love here, nothing to complain about either.

These are the only Xiaquan shu Ive ever had. I cant see myself buying any more of them but no regrets as their so cheap. I tell ya, these things are a lot better than anything from Rishi or any of those kinds of tea vendors but not interesting enough for the serious pu-heads. A little woodsy, slightly sweet and that,s about it. Their alright.

Afterthought: after just explaining how ordinary this tea is I noticed while brewing some the distinct smell of maple syrup, I ****you not. How bizzare! This doesnt change my opinion though.







Taken from http://teadork.blogspot.com/

No comments:

Post a Comment