Zhiji: Zen (Chan) Buddhist priest who raised the orphan Lu Yu and would never thereafter drink tea made by anybody else’s hand If you want to read more about James Norwood Pratt’s Tea Dictionary or to pick up a copy, click here.
read more »Nei Pio: Literally, “description tickets.” In use since 1972, this white piece of paper is packed inside Pu-Er wrapping. It lists benefits of drinking Pu-Er and instructions for preparing it. If you want to read more about James Norwood Pratt’s Tea Dictionary or to pick up a copy, click here.
read more »Jin Xuan Oolong: Properly called “milk oolong,” this is a tea cultivar developed in the 1990s. It yields a lighter Jade oolong-type tea, mildly astringent and very aromatic with a milky character of its own. Jin Xuan is popularly marketed as “milk oolong” because of its remarkable cream like flavour and aroma. If you want [...]
read more »Rize: One of the smallest provinces of Turkey. It is located 75km. east of Trabizon, on the border of Georgia, overlooking the Black Sea coast and climbs a mountain slope covered with tea bushes. Since the 1940s, it has been important as the Turkish tea industry capital. If you want to read more about James [...]
read more »Baghjan Pruning: Old method of pruning mature tea bushes, named for Assam estate where it originated. This method is aimed at restricting bush height and delaying medium pruning, but later it results in formation of knots on the pruned “frame” or trunks of bush. If you want to read more about James Norwood Pratt’s Tea Dictionary [...]
read more »Fukusa: A square silk cloth used in cha-no-yu for the ritual cleaning of the tea scoop and the natsume or cha-ire, and for handling hot kettle or pot lids. Fukusa are sometimes used by guests for protecting the tea implements when they are examining them. When not in use the fukusa is tucked into the [...]
read more »Jade Oolong: Contemporary trade term like Amber oolong coined by Thomas Shu in 1996 to describe Taiwan’s greenish type of oolongs. It is also sometimes called “fragrant” oolong because it is so aromatic. Jade oolongs may be made from several different varietals but never from Tieguanyin or Wuyi types used for Amber oolongs. The oxidation [...]
read more »Rengong Fajiao: Chinese manufacturing term in Pu-Er production for the controlled fermentation (not oxidation) essential to production of Pu-Er teas. This accelerated process of Houfajiao uses heat, moisture and microorganisms to achieve Pu-Er and other Heicha teas. If you want to read more about James Norwood Pratt’s Tea Dictionary or to pick up a copy, click here.
read more »James Norwood Pratt is best known for his book, New Tea Lover’s Treasury. Considered an authority on tea and tea lore, he has spent much of his life disseminating the way of tea to America and the West. His latest book, the Tea Dictionary includes terminology for the cultivation, manufacture, tasting, trading, marketing, and classification of [...]
read more »The long delicate, hand-processed leaves of Mauna Kea’s 2010 First Flush Oolong are something to behold. Taka is getting better and better at replicating China’s Oolong process of olde. The dry leaves have the familiar floral scent of a Chinese or Taiwanese Oolong, but with a wisp of something more fresh, like the smell of [...]
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