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Handcrafted in the traditional style of late Qing Dynasty tea cups, iron flecked persimmon.
Handcrafted in the traditional style of late Qing Dynasty tea cups, iron flecked persimmon.
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Idaho Buff Enso Brush Kyusu No. 6
Handmade with mineral-rich Idaho buff clay, 150ml
Handmade with mineral-rich Idaho buff clay, 150ml.
This lovely teapot was made by Arturo Alvarez in Washington. It is one of 12 pots made for Totem Tea based on our collaboration. This kyusu is made with rough texture mineral-rich buff clay from Idaho. The dark markings are made with black clay slip.
The teapot is completely unglazed and will noticeably season after a few uses, darkening as the tea tannins seep into the porous clay. I find that this clay imparts a lovely smoothness to the tea, and I enjoy how my kyusu changed over time.
You will notice that the clay will "breathe" a lot during the first few uses, and moisture will wick out slightly, like terra-cotta ware. After the seasoning period, the teapot will wick much less, or none at all.
Please see the picture of my seasoned teapot compared to a new one to see the clay color change.
Kyusu volume: 150ml

Porcelain Pearl Brown Lip Gaiwan
Translucent when held to light, matte pearl finish, easy to use, traditional and elegant.
Translucent when held to light, matte pearl porcelain, lean, traditional and elegant.
Nothing speaks of traditional tea brewing like a Gaiwan (蓋碗 Gàiwǎn). This tea brewing device is versatile and elegant with its roots reaching back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Its versatility is due to the use of porcelain and its ability to not carry scents or flavors from the various teas brewed in it. Gaiwans have traditionally been used for green tea and white teas because they do not affect the lighter and subtle flavors or fresher teas.
The gaiwan can also be used as a cup to drink the tea from and not just a brewing instrument. In China it is common to see people sipping their green tea from a gaiwan with the lid still on as a means to hold back the tea leaves. When the gaiwan is used as a drinking device all three of its parts are used, the lid, cup and saucer. The lid has multiple functions. It can be used to keep the water warm and as a strainer when pouring and drinking to hold back the leaves. The cup is used for brewing and drinking and the saucer is used for holding the gaiwan if it is hot or for setting it down.
The use of a gaiwan is related to Gongfu tea service which roughly translates as “skilled” tea service. The reason that “gongfu” tea service has the notion of skilled is that the preparation requires focus and attention to detail requiring a degree of skilled action. The use of a gaiwan is not difficult but does require skill in that the upper lid is used as a filter for the tea leaves when poured. What makes a gaiwan more or less difficult is the flare of the lip on the cup. The wider the flare of the lip of the cup the easier it is to hold, use and pour. The lip cannot be too wide which would make it difficult to handle with one hand, which is how gaiwans are traditionally poured. We looked for gaiwans that are beautiful and easy to use, all three of the handcrafted gaiwans that we have sourced from China meet this criteria.
150ml

High Mountain Gui Fei
This leaf-bitten tea varietal takes on a profile that is extremely rich, exuberant, and playful. There is a sweetness like spiced honey and plum.
Notes of spiced clover honey, roses, plum, and toast.
If you are a fan of the popular Gui Fei oolong, you will undoubtedly love this high moutain harvest. It has abundant sweetness, texture, depth, and an easy lightness.
Gui Fei is from a category of tea referred to as leaf-bitten oolong, and it has a dynamic profile that pairs a mild charcoal roast to fully maintained bouquet of honeyed flowers.
Leaf-bitten teas deserve to be in a category of their own. There are several stories about how Gui Fei’s preparation method came to pass, and it appears that the most reliable story is that in 1999 there was an earthquake in central Taiwan and the tea farmers of Fenghuang village were forced to evacuate. Upon returning the farmers noticed that the tea plants had been overrun with cicadas that had nibbled on the leaves and stems. They processed the least damaged leaves and found that an almost magical transformation had occurred. Tea tasted completely different with an intense sweetness.
Shortly after the cicadas had bitten the leaves the plant created more sugars to heal itself. In addition, the leaves began to oxidize while still living on the bush, as opposed to the post-harvest human-assisted oxidation that commonly happens by tossing and rolling the leaves.
To this day same Fenghuang farmers near the Phoenix Mountain range in Taiwan encourage the little “leaf-hoppers” as they call them to nibble on the leaves to create this Gui Fei. There is now a beautiful, mutually beneficial 4-way symbiotic relationship between the cicada, the tea plant, the farmer, and the tea drinker.
Gui Fei has a tendency to be tricky to brew. It’s best to get to know this tea with shorter infusions. We use 200 degree water with 30 second infusions. The first infusion before the leaves open fully will be a delicate preview of the fireworks to come. Latter infusions have a profile that is a lot like a robust Oriental Beauty with extra sweetness. As the mouth-feel fades after the 4th infusion, the nose continues to bloom like a lively rose garden.
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