Wuyistar Lao Cong Shui Xian

I was supposed to try this tin of tea last Christmas, but it was not opened (perhaps overlooked).  This is the Wuyistar brand of shui hsien oolong.

Wuyistar is quite a big oolong factory in China and I had noticed, these few years that this company was trying to get a bigger presence outside China.  I saw a shop outlet in Hong Kong just outside the exit of Prince Edward subway station.  They are even represented in Singapore, located at Yue Hwa emporium.  In the Malaysia tea expo last year, Wuyistar took up a big central booth in the expo to showcase their products.

I opened a 2017 tin.  Information on the box indicated that this 125g tinned oolong was from the famed Wuyi mountains and  it was 1st grade oolong.  Notice the double lids and the extra foil top when you open the inner lid.  This metal foil are commonly seen in powered milk tins.  The tea leaves are shiny and plump.  Keeping oolong tea in tins than just packets will help keep the leaves from breaking into small bits.

I filled my teapot with about 75-80% of oolong and proceeded to make 6 strong infusions of this tea.  I could see the tea weakening in its colour by the 6th infusion.  This tea is heavy roasted and strong in aroma and taste. Mouthwatering with good salivating sensation after drinking a cup of tea.  A good tea but the box description of classifying this tea as a 1st grade Wuyi oolong was a little exaggerated.  

In my limited experience of drinking shui hsien, I found or felt that there are 2 main variants - one where the tea was more mineral in taste and another where there is a very slight floral or 'perfumed' aroma in the aftertaste.  Sea Dyke brand of Lao Chong Shui Hsien is an example where it has this 'perfumed' finish.  I enjoy both versions.

For the Shui Hsien tea drinker, do consider buying a tin of Wuyistar if you come across it.  

Pardon Me, But What Is Your Cup Size?

In the late 80s and early 90s, there were teapots that were sold by their cup size. I have a collection of teapots made during this period that actually had the 'cup size' clearly labeled on the tea box. You can see from the 2nd pix,  3 teapots and their respective sizes on the box - 4,6,8. The 6 cup teapot stated that it was for 6 cups. I measured this teapot and the teapot could hold about 90ml ....which would suggest that a 6 cup teapot can fill up 6 teacups of 15ml each.

I was intrigued. I asked my teapot collector friends and yes, it was considered, in the 80s, that a standard teacup size was 15ml. I managed to lay my hands on a few early 80s tea sets (see pix 3) where the teacups came in 15ml sizes.

Today, teapots and teacups come in many sizes. Teapots are sold with pretty accurate description on the capacity usually in ml.

Wouldn't it be great if teapots today are sold by their cup sizes? On the other hand, would it be better if we drink our tea in 15ml sized teacups?