Tai Ping Hou Kui Version 19153CTV Harvest: 30.04.2023
Origin: China / Anhui / Huangshan / Sanhe / Houkeng
Height: 400 m.a.s.l
Tea plant varietal: Shi Da Cha
A genuine and original Taiping Houkui from Huogang, produced using a semi-traditional method. A (successful) attempt to recreate the Tea from the World Exhibition of 1915, hence the name. Very carefully and consciously crafted from old tea-bushes of different types of the Shidacha. The leaves are smaller and less heavily pressed, one can recognise the leaves and the buds more distinctly. The taste is very different to the modern version of this tea.Tai Ping Hou Kui, Ape King from the Taiping Lake, is a very beautifully crafted flat form tea (Bianxingcha) with very large leaves that were hammered into shape. They are considered to be one of the classic Chinese green teas, although the first mention of them appears only after 1900, when the improved techniques made more beautiful and better qualities possible. The very long leaves of the Shidacha variety are fired in the wok and carefully pressed by hand and hammered. Nowadays, they are also produced by machine, resulting in very flat and long, light green leaves.
Character:
A subtle beauty: it reminds of elderflowers, it's soft, citric and fresh, mineral and quite incredible.Greater quantities starting from 50g can be ordered upon request.
Category:
Bian Xing Cha (incl. Long Jing) Bian Xing Cha, literally flat form tea, are green teas with pressed, flat leaves. Usually the bud and two leaves are plucked for this tea. The leaves' typical flat form comes from pressing the tea leaves against the hot wok's wall by hand, or by machine. For the most part, Bian Xing Cha are being sold as Long Jing. Genuine Long Jing come from the region around the Xi Hu (West-lake), in the west of Hangzhou (Zhejiang province) and are called Xi Hu Long Jing. Great quality teas come from the three villages Wengjiashan, Longjing and Meijiawu and are called Long Jing Shi Feng, Dragon well from the lion's summit. The Long Jing type of tea is also being produced in other regions of China and unfortunately sold as original Long Jing. Other well known Bian Xing Cha are the simpler Ding Gu Da Fang, and the excellent Tai Ping Hou Kui. Bian Xing Cha are light and sweet with a nutty aroma and the very clear and typical slightly bitter notes of green tea.