TECHNIQUE
Experience the wondrous world of the yixing teapot, which is ideally suited for (semi-fermented) oolong teas. In our opinion, oolongs are the greatest category for palate appreciation and we believe they offer the most complexity. The small yixing teapot retains the precious aroma which is prized in oolongs, while the thimble-sized teacups (holding 2 oz sips) are the perfect tea-sipping vessel for tasting the layers of flavour in oolongs.
THE RITUAL OF TEA
9 steps to the perfect cup of tea
WHAT IS TEA?
From garden to teacup
STEEPING CHART
Tea steeping information
TASTING NOTES
Aficionado tasting criteria
GONG FU CHA
Yixing Chinese Teapot
CHADO
Matcha and Japanese tea ceremony
Yixing teapots were thought to first have been in use during the Sung Dynasty (960 - 1279) in the Yixing region of Jiangsu province. The province is famous for the unique purple clay which has made the yixing the preferred teapot for many Chinese teas, in particular more fully fermented oolongs.
Yixing teapots were first adopted by Buddist monks. They felt that the simple lines and minimal decoration embodied the classic Chinese concepts of harmony and beauty, and thus the true spirit of tea. Throughout the years yixings evolved into beautiful artistic expressions incorporating symbols of daily life.
Yixings are made from the famous purple clay, "Zhi Sha" from China's Yixing region. Because the purple clay is so porous (unglazed) the pot absorbs a little of the flavour and character of the tea with each infusion. It is said that if one uses a yixing pot for many years, the teapot will be so seasoned that one can make tea by simply filling it with hot water. Hence, please dedicate a single varietal of tea for each yixing teapot so there is no cross-contamination between one varietal and the next...
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Preheat teapot with hot water for 5 minutes. Discard.
Place leaves loose in pot. Use 1 teaspoon of leaves per 237 ml (8 oz) water.
Add hot water and replace the lid.
Within 15 seconds, discard the 1st flush (which awakens the tealeaves and prepares them for proper unfurling and infusion).
Add hot water to the teapot and then steep as per the instructions of the specific varietal. Please be precise in the temperature and infusion time - especially with oolongs of great character.
Pour tea into matching thimble-sized yixing cups. No need for an exterior strainer as the true tea connoisseur appreciates the beauty of a few tealeaves in the cup.
To clean the teapot, empty the leaves and rinse the teapot with hot water. Please do not use soap or detergent of any kind as the unglazed teapot will absorb residual chemicals. Let the teapot airdry.
