517 China Ti Kuan Yin Monkey Picked [HOME]
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Reviewer: A tea Drinker, Pembroke Pines ,FL
March 28, 2009
This tea is soooo good, I got a sample and I brewed it twice, it really has a nice orchid aroma and the flavor is so nice. It is pricey but I must have some.
Reviewer: A tea Drinker, Madison ,WI
June 23, 2008
Couldn't agree more with the other reviewers; this is a fantastic tea. I never realized how much I liked oolong until I tried some of this. It's delicate but complex, with intoxicating floral notes. Highly recommended!
Reviewer: A tea Drinker, Fountain Hills ,AZ
November 23, 2007
This is a lovely weekend tea. There is a floral highlight to the tea that is not overpowering. I do not typically enjoy floral tones- but, this is an exception because it blends perfectly and is very subtle. It's perfect for a nice weekend, afternoon tea with friends when you have time for multiple infusions to enjoy!
Reviewer: A tea Drinker, Bellevue ,WA
July 10, 2007
I'm fond of this, but it's a bit light in the cup. I agree gunfu and I use as many leaves as will fit in the strainer basket I use. Needs a longer steep, but doesn't get bitter (within reason). The aroma is better than the flavor, but it does improve on the 2nd or 3rd steep, and has a nice tail. Overall I think there are better similar teas (particularly lightly oxidized mountain Formosan's), but it's as good as any other TKY I've tried, and I've bought #517 multiple times and will again.
Reviewer: A tea Drinker, Pepperell,MA
May 10, 2007
517 is probably my favorite tea that I have purchased from this site. Make sure you savor the aroma of this tea! I think the history behind this tea is amazing as well. Apparently the term monkey picked refers to the way it was orginally harvested. Because it grew in hard to reach locations which happened to be frequented by monkeys, the tea harvesters would taunt the monkeys who would in turn protest by throwing down branches at the intruders. The tea harvesters would then harvest the tea leaves from the branches that the monkeys had thrown down at them. An amazing tea with an equally amazing story. A must try.
Reviewer: Niky , Sanctus , New York ,NY
September 12, 2006
Wow … this tea is amazing. I picked up a bag because I found the name to be intriguing. I brewed the first cup like a normal tea and immediately took a liking. Then I tried the recommended Gungfu method: Use a lot more tea leaves, infuse for only about 30 to 45 seconds – the result was even more amazing. The aroma is so complex it’s hard to describe. Is it honey, orchard, flowers? Not sure but it tell you, you can infuse this tea a good 5 times and it still tastes 10 times better than a cheep Oolong that you can only brew once. Way to go monkeys … keeps up the good work. Bye the way: I used the nifty Smart Tea Steeper for my multiple infusions. It’s a breeze.
Reviewer: Tammie , Ruzic , Fair Oaks ,CA
April 19, 2006
This tea has a wonderful aroma and a layered complexity. Maybe it's just me, but doesn't anything automatically taste better knowing it was picked by a monkey? That aside, this tea is WELL worth the relatively high price tag. What a great find!
Reviewer: Donald , Backos , Denver ,CO
December 07, 2005
I know plenty of people will disagree with me, but I didn't care for this one. Too floral, and a bit too sweet. I found it to be cloying, but then I prefer the darker or more roasted tasting oolongs, like the hairy crab, or the bai hao. If you like the flowery, orchid/honeysuckle-like flavor, you'll like this one.
Reviewer: Christina, Cerceo, Robbinsville,NJ
September 26, 2005
The complex flavor of this tea can be best described as beautiful. I have found that the 1st steeping produces an extremely floral cup and the second steeping produces an almost fruity flavored liquid (think peaches).
Reviewer: A tea Drinker, PORTSMOUTH ,VA
August 14, 2005
Definitely more like a floral high mountain oolong than the darker, more complex Tieguanyins. Very much like the Jade Tiguanyin at TeaSpring, sweet, somewhat rich and smooth, almost no astringency or bitterness.
Reviewer: Khoi,
This site offers a wide varity of Teas at a very reasonable price. I highly recommend this site to any Tea lover. Monkey Picked Ti Kuan Yin Oolong is now my favorite tea thanks to specialteas.com
Reviewer: Neal W. Williams,
If you like baozhong or jade oolong style teas, this one will delight you. The description is correct: this is a fine, quiet, floral tea that is nothing short of excellent.
