Tea-Blending as a Fine Art

by Joseph M. Walsh

Congou Teas are grown principally in the Bohea hills in China, and are known to trade in this country as English Breakfast Teas. They are divided into Kaisow or Red-leaf and Moning or Black-leaf Teas, and are a distinct variety differing in color, liquor and flavor from the Oolong sorts.

Kaisow—or Red-leaf Congous, comprise, Chingwos, Seumoos, Suey-kuts, Saryunes, Sin-chunes, Cheong-soo, Cheong-lok, So-how and Yung-how. The leaf is reddish-black in color, well and firmly made; the liquor rich-red or wine-color, and flavor pungent but pleasing to the taste. Their special feature is their delicate and to a high degree fragrant flavor, which they impart to other Teas in combination, provided the others are not too strong or coarse.

Moning—or Black-leaf Congous include Ning-chows, Oonfas, Oonams, Oopacks, Kintucks, Kee-muns, Kiukangs, Panyongs, Paklins and Paklums, and are black in color, stylish in make; the finer grades being Pekoe-tipped and flavored. The infusion is also dark-red or wine-colored, but delicate and aromatic, making very useful Teas for blending purposes, combining advantageously with any and all the other varieties.

SOUCHONG TEAS

Are among the finest and richest of the Black Tea sorts of China, but are limited in supply, being chiefly prepared from the youngest leaves of the earlier pickings. They are known to trade as Lapsing, Padrae, Pekoe, Tonquam, Canton and Oolong-Souchongs. The leaf is long, flat, handsome and “crapy” in texture, finely and artistically curled, being only lightly fired. They yield a rich wine-colored liquor, with a fragrant flavor entirely peculiar to themselves, and described as “tarry” in trade, which, when not too pronounced, adds rather than detracts from their value. The product of the later pickings are of less strength and flavor, but are still smooth and pleasing in liquor and flavor, making very serviceable teas for mixing owing to their general intrinsic properties.

SCENTED TEAS

Form a special class of the Chinese product, and comprise Foochow, Canton and Macao Scented Teas. They are sub-divided into Capers, Pekoes, Pouchongs, Orange, Flowery and Pouchong Pekoes, and are very fragrant, being highly scented with the leaves, flowers, blossoms and roots of other plants, such as that of the Iris, Jessamine, Gardenia, Chloranthus and Oleofragrans. They are principally prepared from the largest but most succulent leaves of the first pickings and cured by a series of brisk firings and rollings. The dried leaf is finely made, long and evenly folded, and the infusion is wine-colored, piquant and aromatic, from which fact consumers not accustomed to their use erroneously imagine that they are much stronger and more exciting than the Oolong and Green Teas sorts, and should be used only very sparingly in blending.

Caper—Is so termed from its small, round leaf resembling capers, and is prepared from the youngest and tenderest leaves of the tea plant. The infusion is of a rich wine-color, pungent and aromatic in flavor, forming what is termed a bouquet.

Pekoe—Signifies in Chinese “White down,” applied to the whitish or downy substance at the end of the leaves. It is usually prepared from the young leaf buds just expanding, and is a very much overrated variety.

Pouchong—Is a bold, rough-looking leaf, dull black in color and peculiar in scent, the latter being imparted to it by the admixture of the seeds of the Chulan flower.