Tai Ping Hou Kui太平猴魁

Tai Ping Hou Kui is a green tea from Taiping (now Huangshan City), Anhui, China. Brew it at 85°C with 3g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 5 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. No rinse needed.

Tasting notes

The leaves are absurd. Ten to fifteen centimeters long, flat as a ruler, with a cross-hatched imprint from the pressing mesh — they won't fit in a normal gaiwan and there's no polite way to handle them. A tall glass is the right answer, even if it feels unorthodox. The cup itself is the opposite of the dramatic leaf: light, clean, almost understated, with a fresh bamboo aroma and a quiet orchid note that sits on top of a mineral finish. This is not a concentrated tea; it's a refreshing one, and that's the point. Pour water down the side of the glass to avoid snapping the leaves, and give the first steep a full thirty seconds — the big blades are slow to open. Eighty-five degrees is fine here; the leaves are structurally robust enough to handle it. Four or five honest infusions, each a touch lighter than the last. Drink it when you want something elegant that doesn't demand your attention.

Flavor profile

One of China's most visually dramatic teas — the leaves are enormous flat blades, often 10-15cm long, with a distinctive cross-hatch pattern from pressing. Despite the imposing size, the cup is surprisingly soft and clean with a fresh bamboo aroma, light orchid-like floral notes, and a smooth mineral finish. Less concentrated than smaller-leaf greens but elegant and refreshing. The large leaves won't fit in a standard gaiwan — a tall glass is the traditional vessel.

Terroir

Huangshan region, ~350-700m, misty mountain valleys around Houkeng village

Cultivar: Shi Da Cha (柿大茶) — large-leaf cultivar unique to this tea

Brewing

1. Steep 1: 30 seconds
2. Steep 2: 25 seconds
3. Steep 3: 30 seconds
4. Steep 4: 40 seconds
5. Steep 5: 55 seconds

The massive leaves don't fit in most gaiwans — use a tall glass or large gaiwan. Pour water down the side to avoid breaking the leaves. The first steep needs extra time for the big leaves to open.

Aroma & taste

Processing

• pan-fired
• hand-pressed flat
• baked

Sources

• https://yunnansourcing.com/products/tai-ping-hou-kui-green-tea-from-anhui
• https://sevencups.com/shop/tai-ping-hou-kui/
• https://pathofcha.com/products/money-king-tai-ping-hou-kui-handmade-green-tea
• https://meileaf.com/article/brewing-hou-kui-green-tea-grandpa-style/