Compare two teas

Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.

Mao Xie

毛蟹

Oolong

Mao Xie

毛蟹

Oolong

Why these two get confused

The same Anxi cultivar recorded under two naming conventions, which is exactly the duplication the catalogue tries to avoid — kept as separate records only because sellers use both.

Point by point

DimensionMao XieMao Xie
CategoryOolong · lightly oxidisedOolong · lightly oxidised
ProductionIn order: Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying. bud and three plus and spring harvest.In order: Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Oxidation → Kill-green (fixation) → Cloth-ball rolling → Drying. spring harvest.
OriginChina — AnxiChina — Anxi
Flavourfloral, grassy and vegetal. astringent, drying and light in the mouth. Aroma: gardenia, green bean, fresh grass. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity.floral and grassy. medium and drying in the mouth. Aroma: green grass, gardenia, fresh herb. Straightforward in character. Moderate in intensity.
BrewingGongfu brewing (gaiwan): 5–7 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 25s of 6 authored. Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 180s of 2 authored.Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 5–7 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 25s of 6 authored. Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 180s of 2 authored.
Cultural contextNot recorded for this tea.Not recorded for this tea.
Who may prefer itSomeone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew.Someone who wants presence without being dominated and has drunk enough tea to notice what changes between infusions. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing.

Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.

Brew Mao Xie · Brew Mao Xie