Top fall 2010 Oriental Beauty in 2 Chaxi

The leaves smell of dark, bitter chocolate, but the brew tastes very sweet! This is the 'magic' and complexity of aged Oolong. The taste becomes more and more round, deep and mellow, while the aromas slowly evolve and shed their fresh production smells.

 In this golden Chaxi setting, the color of the brew shines bright. It reflects the perfume like scents and silky taste of this excellent Oriental Beauty. I made this Chaxi a month ago, with artificial lights for crisp and warm colors.

 Today, I brewed the same top OB of fall 2010 again. I know this, because the Chaxi features the same qinghua jar (in which I've stored my share of this tea). And that's also why I'm brewing it again in the same Yixing teapot, because it worked well in it.

This time the light is natural, indirect and the Chabu has a darker mood. It reflects better the colors of mid March as the northern hemisphere makes its transition from darkness to light. In a month or so, I'll receive direct sunshine at this spot in the afternoon and the feeling will be transformed again.

So, even if we are brewing the same tea, it won't be/feel exactly the same, because you brew it in different settings, different light, different seasons, at different outside temperatures...

Today, the OB felt richer, deeper, darker. And it brought a lot of warmth to my hands in particular! Not just because of the changes of light and chabu, but also because of the way brewed it (a little bit longer, more concentrated, in harmony with the mood, the season...) Complex teas like Oolongs have more than one face, one character. That's why it's possible to express different moods and aromas with them! The harmonious match between tea, feeling and chabu is key to meaningful and beautiful tasting.