I do not know about the other two Phoenix oolongs, but for Milan Xiang (Honey Orchid) and Black Leaf, I can treat them like other whole leaf black tea — I prewarm the teapot and use water at about 195F.
In the beginning I did measure the amount of leaves but now I think I know how much is 5g of Phoenix oolong and just pour the amount of leaves into my palm before throwing them into the pot. This pot I normally use for making tea for myself should be about 400cc.
I steep them for at least 5 min, but sometimes 6 or 7 if I want my tea stronger. Honey Orchid tends to become stronger if you let the tea cool down too much in the cup. Black Leaf does the same thing but not as strong.
I am still practicing the gaiwan with both teas. I find Black Leaf is easier to give pleasing results. With Honey Orchid, I have to use a little less leaf than Black Leaf and very slightly lower temperature. Once an infusion is right, it is an unbelievable tea! I think it is 3g of leaves for my 100cc utility gaiwan for 30 seconds. I have also tried the same amount of leaves in my 250cc mug to steep for 3 or 4 minutes. I think it is even more stunning this way. It is less pleasing if I don’t blanch the leaves. I skip the pre-warm step in this method and as long as I blanch, the tea is as great as I can ever make it.
The new pack looks nice and everything, but it really is too small for me. The order arrived only last week and I need to re-order again now. It’d be nice if Leo offers larger packaging like before, or larger.
