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The Tea Lover Tea Club is a passage to the beautiful world of tea seeking to inspire, surprise and delight with every selection.
Members get a taste of exciting, new and rare teas, learning to differentiate between the different tea types white, green, oolong, yellow, black, pu-erh and herbal infusions and to appreciate what makes each type special.
Two teas are mailed out on a monthly basis complete with tasting notes and brewing instructions.
Example of past selections:
May Selection – From the Cloud and Mist of Huang Shan Mountain
Huang Shan Mountain (Yellow Mountain) in Anhui province is home to some of my favourite teas including Tai Ping Hou Kui, which is recognised as one of China’s Top 10 teas and forms the essence of May’s tea club selection. Just like E Mei Shan, which you may remember from March’s tea club, Huang Shan is a sacred Buddhist Mountain and a UNESCO heritage site. It is an awe-inspiring sight of cloud and mist, which I always aim to include in my tea sourcing trips. This year is no exception.
May’s other selection, the fragrant green tea Shanghai Blossom is one of our most popular teas. This tea never seizes to delight with its perfect balance of green sencha, vanilla, rose and orange. Try it in the morning for breakfast or bring it into the garden in the afternoon.
Tai Ping Hou Kui
One of the ten most famous teas in China and one of the oldest, Tai Ping Hou Kui is an extraordinary green tea that should not be missed. It is characterised by long leaves, which can be up to 15cm long, with a unique grid pattern created by meticulous hand-rolling. The flavour is pure and fruity with undertones of smoke and pepper.
There is a beautiful legend about Tai Ping Hou Kui, which is connected to the name. Tai Ping is the name of the village where it is grown and Hou Kui means Monkey King. According to the legend, once upon a time the villagers in Tai Ping were having a lot of trouble with monkeys. They were damaging the village so the villagers decided to chase the monkeys away. However, one monkey remained. An old man discovered the monkey and took him under his care. To show its gratitude, the monkey started harvesting rare and wild tea leaves for the old man, who used the leaves to create Tai Ping Hou Kui.
Tai Ping Hou Kui has received several recognitions for its unique taste and style. For instance, it won gold medal in Panama Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco, in 1915, and has been listed in top-ten Chinese teas since 1955. This is also the tea that President Nixon was served on his first trip to China.
Brewing Instructions:
Teacup: Use 2 teaspoons per cup. Water temperature: 80°C to 85°C. Infusion time: 1 minute for first and second brewing.
Teapot: Use 4 teaspoons. Water temperature: 80°C to 85°C. Infusion time: 3 minutes.
Multiple Infusions: Gradually increase steeping time and temperature for subsequent brewing.
Shanghai Blossom
Shanghai Blossom is one of our most popular teas. Created in collaboration with some of the finest artisans in traditional flavouring, it is a softly sweet green Sencha blend, which abounds in vanilla notes, floral hints and a bright orange citrus finish. Flowery and aromatic, this tea revitalizes your body and your mind.
Brewing Instructions:
Teacup: Use 1 teaspoon per cup. Water temperature: 90°C to 95°C. Infusion time: 2-3 minutes for first and second brewing.
Teapot: Use 3-4 teaspoons. Water temperature: 90°C to 95°C. Infusion time: 3 minutes.
Multiple Infusions: Gradually increase steeping time and temperature for subsequent brewing.