Ban Tian Yao tea is an increasingly popular varietal from the category of Oolong teas known as “Wu Yi Yen teas,” or Wu Yi Rock Teas. It was hand harvested and processed during spring. It is found in the North-west of Fujian Province of South-Eastern China.

History of Ban Tian Yao tea
The name of this tea comes from its discovery as a wild-growing plant found high up on a rocky cliff in the Wu Yi Mountains. The plant was crafted into rootstalks to give rise to hybrids which could be cultivated in more accessible parts of the region.

Leaves of this tea
Ban Tian Yao tea’s dry leaves are long and twisting. They have a dark greenish brown colour like most Wu Yi Yen tea. The fragrance of the tea leaves is difficult to describe, but the first aroma is like that of sweet and sour roasted nuts.

Roasting
Ban Tian Yao is a fully roasted Oolong tea, which serves the practical purpose of deactivating any oxidizing enzymes left in the leaves after they have been bruised and allowed to partially oxidize. This process is responsible for the numerous complex flavours seen in the oolong tea. This roasting process is done using glowing charcoal (not burning), but modern factories use electric ovens for consistency and to prevent the accidental introduction of smoky flavours into the processed leaves.
Flavor & Aroma
The flavour of this Oolong tea has elements of toasted spices with sweet & tart flavours in the background. One of the many subtle flavours in the background of Ban Tian Yao makes one think of the rich, herbal flavour which is found in the real sarsaparilla or root beer. Thus, Ban Tian Yao tea forms an intriguing infusion to say the least.  The caramelized and roasted flavours in the Oolong do not overpower the subtleties in the lower layers of flavour. Also, the bittersweet aftertaste of Hui Gan is quite strong and lingers nicely in the mouth for quite some time.

Guideline for preparation
All Wu Yi Teas are best suited to Gong Fu style of preparation, but we also have interesting flavours which show themselves when steeping Ban Tian Yao tea in western style. Hence, rather than sticking to a specific weight of tea leaves to water volume measure, we recommend simply filling your teapot half or two third full with the dried tea leaves, use some water just under a boil and a series of short steepings. If you usually use a specific guideline when steeping a tea for the first time, start with 6 grams of leaf in a 150 CC steeping vessel.

It would also be advisable to use aroma cups when tasting any Wu Yi Yen tea because the sweet fragrance of the Oolong has a tendency to cling to the porcelain for a very long time and the different layers and aspects of the complex tea reveals itself as the aroma cup cools.

For western style steeping, dramatically different results have been achieved with different amounts of the tea leaf. But it is suggested that starting with 3-5 grams of leaf in a standard size teapot is ideal. Using water under a boil (195 degrees F), and steeping for 5 minutes will be sufficient. But then again, these are merely rough guidelines and individual tastes are bound to vary. Therefore, the amount of tea leaf, steeping time, and water temperature can be varied according to personal preferences.

- Shishir Rao

Bai Mu Dan style is often preferred by ardent drinkers of white tea, since it has a fuller flavour and a much greater potency than the Bai Hao Yinzhen variety of tea, which is made from leaves that are undeveloped, hence, it is comparatively paler in colour when brewed.

It is rumoured that Bai Mu Dan tea has properties by which it kills cancer causing cells. Though scientifically not proven, many people vouch for its ability to prevent cancer.

Processing of Bai Mu Dan tea:

The traditional picking procedures which have been followed for generations state that this tea must only be picked between March 15 and April 10. It is not to be picked on days when there are showers or even if there is dew which has not dried off completely or if there is frost present on the ground. Purple buds are not to be picked and the stems must not be very long neither must they be very short. Partially open leaves or leaves which have been damaged by wind or during handling, or due to insects are rejected and put into a lower grade. The best Bai Mu Dan is produced using the two top leaves and the auxiliary bud proportion. The Bai Mu Dan tea is then naturally or mechanically withered to lead to leaves which are not black or red in colour. The ideal colour of the leaves after withering must be green.

Brewing the tea:

Usually, glass cup and pots are used to brew Bai Mu Dan tea, so that the change in colour which comes about in the tea can be observed.

1. Hot water at about 75 degrees Celsius must be poured into the teapot

2. Now remove this hot water from the cup

3. Pick approximately 5 grams of tea leaves and put it into the teapot

4. Now again pour around 250 ml to 300 ml of hot water into the teapot

5. Wait for about 10 seconds and then pour off the tea (what is commonly called ‘Wash Tea’)

6. Wait for another two minutes

7. Now pour this prepared tea into a tea jar from where it is to be poured into smaller tea cups

Subsequent brews will take longer time, but the same tea bag can be used. A list of brewing time is given below.

Taste and Flavour of the tea:

A very delicate, peony aroma will be observed while brewing the white tea, it will soon be replaced by a floral aroma. The brew, once prepared will be a very pale green or golden colour. Bai Mu Dan tea is very fruity and darker than the Bai Hao Yanzhing variety of white tea, yet it is not as strong as the Shou Mei variety. The finest Bai Mu Dan tea must have a shimmering clear infusion with a delicate lingering fragrance and a fresh, mellow, sweet taste devoid of astringency and any grassy flavours.

- Shishir Rao

There are five different kinds of Wu Yi tea plants found in this world and Bai Ji Guan is considered to be the best kind of Oolong tea out of all of these. Its rareness comes as a result of the difficult procedure required in processing this exquisite Oolong tea. The processing has to be done with extreme caution and can only be handled by professionals, yet, the professional too are often reluctant to manufacture this tea since it requires a lot of care and patience. One small error in the production of the dried tea leaves could leave the Oolong tea leaves dark brown in colour like other Wu Yi teas. Oolong tea must be, rather than the ideally required dark green colour for the Bai Ji Guan tea.

This tea like other Wu Yi teas comes from the Wu Yi Shan range lying in the Fujian province of South Eastern China. Another name for Bai Ji Guan tea is White Cockscomb. The tea leaf is harvested in the spring season every year, on days when there is very little moisture in the air and there is no dew. The leaves of this Oolong are very long and curled up and closely resemble iron shards.

These Bai Ji Guan tea leaves are then rolled diligently by hand and then pan fried until the aroma of the tea leaves reaches its strongest point. The pan frying is done till this point only so that oxidation can be stopped midway. The deep green colour of the tea is obtained when the leaves are fired above charcoal; it is at this step that maximum care has to be taken to prevent the tea leaves from becoming too dark. Before this point the unfired tea leaves are deliciously sweet smelling but now acquire a soft, smooth and malty texture.

Brewing of the Bai Ji Guan tea must be done using purple clay or even porcelain tea cups. The tea cup and tea pot must first be rinsed thoroughly with hot water. The tea pot must then be half filled with the dry Wu Yi tea leaves. These leaves now must be steeped with hot water at about 95 degrees Celsius for approximately one minute. The subsequent brewing must be carried out for comparatively longer periods of time after each steeping.

The taste of this Oolong tea is different from any other, and in fact, the tea can also be very easily distinguished from its own family of Wu Yi teas.  Bai Ji Guan starts off with a refreshing and quite sweet taste. It is uniquely fruity with a toasted, floral and honeyed aroma emanating from it. The oolong tea finishes on a hint of mellow fruit and honey note which lingers in the mouth for a long while. Thus, the taste of Bai Ji Guan tea is one of the most complex flavoured teas known to man.

- Shishir Rao

A Chinese tea that has been around since the 19th century is “Wong Lo Gat herbal tea”. The founder of this tea was Wong Lo Gat and was founded by him in the 1830’s. Since then, the recipe for Wong Lo Gat herbal tea has been passing through many generations to today’s tea culture. Three branches were started in Guangzhou by Wong Lo’s children. The tea later on became popular in different places in China like Hunan, Hubei, Shanghai, Jiangxi and Beijing.

The Health Advantages and Disadvantages of Herbal Tea: Herbal tea is not actually made from the leaves of the tea bush. Herbal tea is an infusion of herbs which may be prepared from fresh or dried leaves, seeds, or roots and mixing boiling water with it.

For seeds and roots, one can also boil them on a stove. This mixture can be then strained and sweetened according to taste. These days’ herbal tea bags are also available in the market. There are many types of herbal teas available. Some are as follows:

• Anise tea
• Bissap
• Catnip
• Chamomile
• Chrysanthemum
• Citrus
• Echinacea
• Essiac
• Fennel
• Ginger
• Hibiscus
• Honeybush
• Gentian
• Horehound
• Kava
• Labrador
• Lapacho
• Lemon
• Licorice
• Lime blossom
• Mate
• Mint
• Nettle
• Red Raspberry
• Rooibos
• Rose hip
• Sage
• Sassafras
• Skullcap
• Thyme
• Tulsi
• Valerian
• Vetiver
• Wong Logat
• Woodruff
• Yarrow
• Yuen Kut Lam Kam WO Tea (from Hong Kong)
• Tan Ngan Lo Medicated Tea

More often than not herbal tea is drunk for physical and medical effects. Their stimulant, relaxing and sedative properties are appreciated highly by tea drinkers through the world.

Some Herbal Teas can be Dangerous to Your Health:

Even though it is safe to believe that most herbal teas are safe to drink, one should also remember that some herbal tea do have toxic or allergenic effects. Some of the effects are as follows:

• Comfrey: It contains alkaloids which may permanently damage the liver.
• Lobelia: It contains toxins which are considered to have the same effect as nicotine.
• Pineapple Weed: It can cause violent allergies which can cause anaphylactic shock and even death.

Benefits of Herbal Tea:

The famous detective from Agatha Christie’s novels, Hercule Poirot, was an avid herbal tea and hot chocolate drinker. In many stories he has been show to drink herbal tea which helped him to soothe his nerves as well as helped him to recover from the bad weather.

Using herbal tea is probably as old as the hills. It is believed that herbal tea has been imbibed somewhat since the time writing evolved. For centuries herbal teas have been used. In the beginning, herbal tea was mainly used for medicinal purposes. However, later on it was used to enjoy and relish. By drinking herbal tea, there are many health benefits that can be derived. All herbal teas are not healthy though.

Drinking herbal tea is a very good remedy to avoid the side effects of drinking beverages which is caffeine based. Sometimes spices are added to get an extra zing or for a particular medicinal benefit. In researches conducted on the effects of drinking herbal tea, it has been found that herbal tea’s polyphenols can actually lower the risk of gastric, esophageal and skin cancer, simply by drinking four to six glasses each day.

- Ramyajit Gupta

The people of China have consumed tea for thousands of years. Tea is also used as a medicine in China. However, the very first use of tea is unknown. China is considered to be the birth place of tea. Laozi, a Chinese philosopher portrayed tea as the elixir of life. He described tea as if it were the froth of liquid jade. According to the legend, Laozi was very saddened to see the degradation of society. So he was journeying to the west, towards the unoccupied territories. At the borders of China, he was offered a beverage by a customs inspector called Yin His. This beverage was nothing but tea.

Golden needle tea is actually a black tea (which is also known as red tea in China). It is made of pure buds from very old tea trees of Yunnan which is a province in China. The leaves of these ancient trees are of amber gold in color. They are long and narrow in shape and they have golden tips. Hence the tea has been named as Golden Needle Tea. These ancient trees are found in Tai Nu Mountain of Yunnan province.

Golden Needle Tea is a unique and relatively new tea. It has a rich full bodied taste and a rose flavor with a long lasting fresh aroma. In China, Golden Needle Tea is also called as Panyong Congou Needle Tea.

Early spring tea prepared of delicate silky tips, a fragile needle tea is rich with golden hair. Golden Needle Tea is one of the finest black tea of Fujian (which is a province in China). Its leaves are shaped like gleaming golden needles. Golden Needle Tea is carefully plucked. Only one leaf and a bud are picked during the plucking. Then the Golden needle Tea is oxidized and while it is processed, the tea gives out sharp and cutting sweet fluid which gives the tea its full bodied taste and a rich honey flavor.

Glittering golden tea buds produce a crispy and full-bodied black tea (red tea in China). It is prepared of fermented white tea leaves. Most red and black teas are a result of a variety of green tea bush. Golden Needle Tea is a result of a white tea plant. Hence it attains a smoother flavor.

Golden Needle Tea was first discovered in 1851 in Tanyang (which is another province in China). Golden Needle Tea is also known as Panyong Congou. It was an expensive tea and only rich nobles and royalty could afford the tea. It soon became a favorite of the upper class.

The Best Golden Needle Black Tea is made up of new and pure tea buds which are harvested every year from the ancient trees of Yunnan. Utmost care is taken during the fermentation of the tea. The processing and fermentation is done very delicately and due to this the tea has an amazing leaf style and has a smooth sweet flavor with a dash of starchy flavor like that of raisins or yam.

To prepare Golden Needle Tea, all you have to do is add one table spoon of tea leaves to every ounce of boiling water. Boil the brew for about four minutes. Add sugar according to your taste. And enjoy the unique taste of the Golden Needle Tea.

- Seema Khinnavar

Golden Monkey Tea is a Chinese beverage which has originated from Fujian and Yunnan provinces of China. The Fujian province of China accounts for almost 1/5th of China’s total tea output. This is because Fujian experiences an excellent climate of mild temperatures, lots of rainfall and a mountainous terrain. Fujian is known for tea cultivation for over a hundred years now.

Golden Monkey is not the actual name of the tea. The tea’s original name was actually Congu and this moniker has absolutely nothing to with a monkey. But still people have called this tea Golden Monkey and the name has stuck on. This is a very special tea in which only the bud and the first leaf of the tea shrub is picked. The first tea leaf has a light golden threading on it. According to Chinese legend, this particular tea shrub grows high up in the mountains which are beyond the reach of local people. Therefore the local people had trained monkeys to pick up the tea. This is the reason for such a strange name – Golden Monkey Tea. The two tea leaves and a bud in the middle also look like a monkey claw and maybe that is why the tea is named so whimsically.

Golden Monkey Tea is a very fine black tea and is exactly the opposite of Silver Needle Tea which is white tea. Golden Monkey tea is very valuable and very expensive. Every spring, only one bud and leaf is carefully hand plucked from the very top of the specially grown tea shrubs. It is known for its full bodied taste and a wealth of taste.
The Golden Monkey Tea when brewed has a very clear and dark tone. Though Golden Monkey Tea is a black tea, its color is deep pomegranate red. Maybe that is why Chinese call black teas as red teas.

The Golden Monkey Tea has an incredible aroma. Unlike all other black teas, which have a smoky, rough and a malty aroma; Golden Monkey Tea smells of fresh wet Earth and rich fertile Tea gardens. It literally smells of natural humidity. After the tea is steeped, the smell of the fresh Earth becomes even more sharp and focused. It has a rich and a robust aroma.

The flavor of Golden Tea is very unique. It is far better than other black teas and beats all other black teas hands down. The tea is well flavored. It has a strong and a commanding taste. It reeks of bass flavors. It also has starchy flavors like that of yam or potato. Although the flavor is thick and deep, it is not oily. The tea also has a dash of a smoky flavor. This very evenly balances out the plain Earthy flavor. Hence the Golden Monkey tea is the perfect mix of flavors.

Golden Monkey Tea is one of the finest black tea that is available in the world today. It is far better than all other black teas. It is royal and magnificent in its rich flavor and aroma. It beats all other teas hands down.

- Seema Khinnavar

Though she studied music initially, she went on to study the Gongfu tea ceremony with Master Zhang Tia Fu. Following a long apprenticeship, Tseng became a genuine tea master. She has been practicing the art since her childhood, first with her family in Taiwan’s Nantou region, then with several tea masters. When she was a child, she was woken up by her grandfather in the middle of the night to have her smell the scent of the “Queen of the Night”, a special flower that blossoms at night only once a year.

Though she grew up in the world of tea plants and preparations, they do not fully account for Tseng’s rare mastery which came about as a result of manifold skills. She explored various fields like calligraphy, martial arts, music and traditional medicine all of which helped her in understanding the spirit of tea.

Tseng practiced acupuncture in a Taiwanese hospital for two years. Later on, she won top national awards as a clarinetist in Taiwan in 1970 and 1971 and went to Europe and eventually to Paris, where she decided to stay in 1990 where The Taiwanese tea master opened her Maison des Trois Thés (House of the Three Teas) in 1995, the sleekly serene architect-designed boutique. It is the prime Parisian source for literally hundreds of the rarest blue-vert (Oolong) teas, as well as for white, yellow and aged black teas. Tseng is proud for having created the first traditional Taiwanese style tea house in Europe that offers quality and range – there are 40 kinds on the menu, and many other kinds for sale.

Tseng is a member of a Taiwanese family that has been associated with the business of growing and selling quality teas for generations. During her six months of travel in China and Taiwan each year, Tseng visits selected small-scale artisanal growers who meet her exacting specifications for quality. Once she selects them, her teas are brought to the Paris shop for immediate sale, or for aging in special basement chambers designed for optimal temperature and humidity control.

Tseng developed an important network the “Tea Road”, within the very private club of tea connoisseurs and growers, allowing her to pinpoint the right soils and best vintages before going there herself to taste the newly harvested teas. Handpicked tea leaves undergo operations, from seasoning and withering to fermentation. Every step is monitored closely – time and heat forming important factors. Storage forms another critical operation.

As a tea master, Tseng has won wide recognition and has her own mastership seal. Several top tea houses and shops in Paris call on her for her expertise and her sharpness is astonishing. She can even tell what kinds of plant grow in the surroundings of a tea garden.

Knowing how to use the right implements like the right teapot is integral to mastering the preparation of tea. Tseng procures hers from potters in Jiangsu province, where the famous Yixing pots are made. Colored teapots and rather ferrous clays are good criteria. Tseng goes to small and highly protected quarries, to find the right clays and pots. Technical qualities, such as its “air-tight aspect” is also a factor that is kept in mind while choosing the right pot.

Asked about the right water to use, she opined that this was in fact the hardest part of the job. After she tested many mineral waters her decision was that the best thing to do was to filter tap water. Although the best would be to use the famous Galloping Tiger spring water in China.

- Ramyajit Gupta