Aaron’s pot
In addition to warm hospitality, interesting conversation, and great tea on my recent trip to Miaoli (click HERE), I also came away with a new teapot. Aaron felt that since I’ve been getting into Tie Kuan Yin teas, he let me bring home a pot he used exclusively to brew this type of tea. For the first testing of this pot, I decided to share it with A-Liang (and not just because he has much better TKYs than I do at home, although that was certainly a factor).
It has a very simple design- round, with no markings on the outside- which I prefer for regular brewing. A general rule when looking at a teapot is, the more ornate, whimsical, or ‘geometric’ a pot is, the less suitable it is for brewing. The only thing that sets this pot apart is a stem on the lid, givng the pot a slight ‘pumpkin’ look.
As far as brewing, the pot has a very good pour (the speed and angle of water coming from the spout), retains heat well, and allows the tea enough room to fully open, which better releases the tea’s flavor. The picture at left shows the pot in action - the water doesn’t dribble down the spout, nor does it shoot out at a flat angle. It is also well balanced, which makes it easy and comfortable to handle, whether full or empty.
The tea A-Liang chose for this testing was a ‘tou-deng’ - a competition winner chosen as best in its class. The roasting was very subtle and light, and each cup produced a slightly different flavor, which made this a great
tea to enjoy slowly from pot to pot. I can’t wait for Aaron to visit us in Taipei and try it out with us!