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.
Why these two get confused
Standard and top grades of the same tea. The supreme grade’s leaves are long enough that a normal gaiwan will not hold them properly.
Point by point
| Dimension | Taiping Houkui | Hou Kui supreme |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Kill-green (fixation) → Drying. bud and two leaves and first flush harvest. | In order: Kill-green (fixation) → Flat shaping → Drying. bud and two leaves and spring harvest. |
| Origin | China | China — Taiping |
| Flavour | floral, vegetal and sweet. light and silky in the mouth. Aroma: orchid, fresh melon, green bamboo. Layered in character. Delicate in intensity. | floral, vegetal and sweet. light, silky and complex in the mouth. Aroma: orchid, fresh melon, sweet grass. Layered in character. Delicate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–2 g/100 ml at 80–90 °C, first steep 150s. Grandpa style: 0.5–1 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 180s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 180s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who prefers a quiet cup they can drink through an afternoon and has drunk enough tea to notice what changes between infusions. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. | Someone who prefers a quiet cup they can drink through an afternoon and is willing to drink something several times before it makes sense. 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.