I just got back from a visit to a small sort of "out of the way"
shop/restaurant in my hometown, and I wanted to attempt a review.

Please keep in mind that I am pretty new to tea (2 years) and still
developing tea "taste buds" and they are far from developed!

With those caveats in place, I have to say that I just had a GREAT
experience in this shop. I had a Spring Oolong tea (this years, I was
specific about asking that), and it was absolutely amazing. My only
real Oolong experience in the past has been fairly generic blended and
probably machine harvested, and I could not believe the difference
between those teas and this one.

The tea is High Mountain Tea From Taiwan. I did not catch the estate
name, but from what I could gather, the owner of the shop was actually
part of the family that ownes the estate, which I believe when she
explained to me that she was going home to help with the harvest
shortly.

Mike Morton webtraxx.com> writes:

Sorry, I don't understand this. The water level went down? After
evaporating for a long time? That couldn't be it! Could you please
elaborate?

/Lew

On 2008-07-23 14:47:54 -0400, Lewis Perin panix.com> said:

Mike Morton gmail.com> writes:

I'm from the GTA, except I'm in China now, but I will get back
eventually, sometime.
One thing I find weird about tea stores in Toronto is that recently -
looking at their websites - they got photos of old tea!
That's really scary. Are they really selling old tea?

On 2008-07-23 17:40:03 -0400, Lewis Perin panix.com> said:

On 2008-07-23 20:32:00 -0400, niisonge yahoo.com> said:

What sites are you referring to? How do you tell if a tea is old from
the picture? I am curious....?

Mike Morton webtraxx.com> writes:

Then why not get yourself a gaiwan? 100 ml or so is probably a good
size if you only use one. A decent porcelain one will quickly repay
you, I think. (Heavy stoneware is cheaper but not nearly as good in
terms of heat management and the pleasure your hand takes in wielding
a good tool.)

/Lew

If you know your teas, then you can tell - just by looking at a
picture of the dry leaf or the infusion color.

Here's an example (and don't tell me it was the lighting that made it
look like this):
http://www.theteaemporium.com/customer/product.php?productid=849&cat=55&page=1

And here's one that looks a little fresher:
http://www.teaopia.ca/products2.cfm/ID/30/c/Loose-Leaf-Green-Tea

Here's another pic of fresh longjing:
http://www.nipic.com/show/1/58/19a4ab832c240337.html

Now do you know?

Ok, maybe I should elaborate further:

http://www.nipic.com/show/1/58/19a4ab832c240337.html
Notice how in the above pic, the leaves are bright green and shiny.
That's a fresh longjing.

http://www.theteaemporium.com/customer/product.php?productid=849&cat=55&page=1
Now in The Tea Emporium pic, above, notice how the leaves are dark and
dull. That's an old tea.

If you see yellow longjing leaves - that's also an old tea.