It's two on two in this blind tasting set, where we challenge the taster to separate two teas of one type from two of another. In this case, we're looking at regional differences, and we will specify the teas under consideration: Minnan (South Fujianese) and Taiwanese oolongs. Both regions most frequently roll their oolongs into little pearls, so the blind taster won't be helped much by the appearance of the dry leaves, making it a somewhat subtle, but very interesting, comparison.
The samples arrive in pouches numbered from #1 to #4. Along with the samples, you will receive a link to a page that will reveal the name and nature of the teas, to be viewed after the tasting.
Some questions to ask oneself while tasting Set #3 are:
For an extra challenge, have someone else prepare the infusions or prepare them without looking at or smelling the leaves. Try to answer the relevant questions above. (See our video Find the Black Sheep for techniques for doing blind tastings by yourself.) If you're stuck and happen to have other teas from these regions handy, you can use them as a reference to get ideas going.
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For the best blind tasting experience, brew in a ceramic gaiwan in gongfu cha style.