If I could only have 3 teas for the rest of my life

Now this thought isn’t all THAT terrifying to me.

Some people want to drink all the teas in the world, as for me, I want to drink all I can from each tea.

If I don’t sell tea, I think I might be happy drinking just 5 teas:

i) A type of Dancong- Xin Ren Xiang, Mi Lan Xiang, Huang Zhi Xiang, Tong Tian Xiang or Rou Gui Xiang. Or any of the many others that I might have missed. But Dancong is a staple of my tea life.

ii) A type of Yancha- again like the above, it can be Dahongpao, Bai Ji Guan, Shuixian, Rougui or even more exotic types like Yanzhongyu, Bantianyao but I need the ‘Yan Yun’

iii) Either Longjing or Dongting Biluochun or Dinggu Dafang. I love roasted greens. I drink green everyday and can’t contemplate a future without them. Narrowing it down to these 3, I think I will be happy though I must say for Longjing either Xihu or Dafo Longjing.

iv) Tieguanyin- ’nuff said

v) Puer- Sheng Puer to be exact. Minimum of 6 years old (aged naturally in south east asia or HKG I suppose), MUST BE traditional Puer, not the newfangled types for immediate consumption as opposed to aging- i.e. sundried not baked. Can be Xiaguan, Menghai or some of the smaller ones.

Now if you force me to pare it down to 3, that changes things somewhat.

Logically it would make sense to go with an oolong, a green tea and a Puer, that provides something for every occasion. Nice variety to mix it up. You have something for the heat, the cold and for everything in between.

But the notion of going through life without Tieguanyin, Dancong or Yancha is terrifying.

But a pure oolong diet means I have nothing for the sweltering heat.

And what of old age when I need some Puer for my weaker constitution, gotta be prudent and plan for that.

I could age some highly roasted oolongs, but….. but…. but….

Maybe I could drop Tieguanyin………

*shivers*

Dancong is impossible, that’s my Teochew heritage we’re talking about!

Yancha….. the thought of it….. Let me get a sip of my Shuixian to calm the jitters.

Darn, this is just a hypothetical exercise, I don’t really have to take it so seriously.

5, my best offer.

Plus on occasion I hope you would allow me to try some Silver Needles, Liubao Heicha, Liuan Guapian and even Gyukuro on Japan’s national day or something.

That’s my best offer.