Same cultivar, three mountains, surprisingly little agreement

[Artifacts]

Question or objective: separate region differences from brewing differences
Tea category: Taiwan oolong comparison
Exact product: Qingxin trio: Alishan / Shanlinxi / Lishan 2026
Vendor: Pale Crane Tea
Origin: three Taiwanese high-mountain regions
Cultivar, if known: Qingxin
Harvest season/year: spring 2026
Processing or roast: matched light oxidation lots
Cake/batch number, if relevant: cake/lot noted above where applicable; otherwise N/A
Purchase/opening date: purchased 2026-07-10; opened 2026-08-06
Storage since purchase: sealed original pouch inside a dark cupboard
Style: gongfu side-by-side
Vessel: three identical 90 ml cupping gaiwans
Vessel material: porcelain
Nominal and actual filled capacity: 90 ml filled each
Filter or strainer: lid gap
Kettle: standard electric kettle + thermometer
Vessel preheated: yes
Dry leaf weight: 5.0 g each
Water volume: 80 ml each
Water temperature: 94°C
Water source or mineral profile: same remineralized RO, 50 ppm
Rinse: 5-10 s where noted by the recipe; otherwise none
Infusion schedule: 25/25/35 s
Agitation: none
Was each infusion completely decanted?: yes
Aroma: Alishan creamy; Shanlinxi floral; Lishan high and cooling
Sweetness: high all
Bitterness: none
Astringency: low
Body/texture: medium to creamy
Flavour: cream / orchid / alpine green
Aftertaste: longest in Lishan lot
Number of satisfying infusions: 5 each
Exact problem: same-cultivar regional comparison under matched conditions
Desired result: separate region differences from brewing differences
Variable changed: origin
Previous value: Alishan
New value: Shanlinxi and Lishan
Result: differences repeated over three sessions
Dry-leaf photograph: not attached yet
Liquor photograph: available in the author’s notes; not embedded in this archive
Wet-leaf photograph: not attached yet
Video if pouring or drainage is relevant: not relevant

This is not a first-impression post. I have enough sessions with this tea now to know which notes survived the excitement of opening the bag. The most useful controlled change was origin: Alishan versus Shanlinxi and Lishan. differences repeated over three sessions.

I am mostly interested in comparable reports: same harvest or style, similar water, and more than one session. If your experience is from a very different setup, please say so.

[Peter Masala]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with Shanlinxi and Lishan.
Applies to: Qingxin trio: Alishan / Shanlinxi / Lishan 2026 / Taiwan oolong comparison in a setup close to three identical 90 ml cupping gaiwans.
Evidence: repeated sessions over time.
Change: repeat the session with Shanlinxi and Lishan.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward separate region differences from brewing differences if that variable is causal.
Observed result: differences repeated over three sessions.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Artifacts]

Same tea/batch
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Qingxin trio: Alishan / Shanlinxi / Lishan 2026 / Taiwan oolong comparison in a setup close to three identical 90 ml cupping gaiwans.
Evidence: firsthand use of the same Qingxin trio: Alishan / Shanlinxi / Lishan 2026 in a closely matched setup.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Peter Masala]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Qingxin trio: Alishan / Shanlinxi / Lishan 2026 / Taiwan oolong comparison in a setup close to three identical 90 ml cupping gaiwans.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: Water chemistry may change the result, so I would not generalize this to every city.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Artifacts]

Vendor/order report
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with Shanlinxi and Lishan.
Applies to: Qingxin trio: Alishan / Shanlinxi / Lishan 2026 / Taiwan oolong comparison in a setup close to three identical 90 ml cupping gaiwans.
Evidence: completed order/report with dates and destination disclosed.
Change: repeat the session with Shanlinxi and Lishan.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward separate region differences from brewing differences if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Peter Masala]

Comparable tea
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Qingxin trio: Alishan / Shanlinxi / Lishan 2026 / Taiwan oolong comparison in a setup close to three identical 90 ml cupping gaiwans.
Evidence: firsthand use of a comparable Taiwan oolong comparison with similar parameters.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Artifacts]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Qingxin trio: Alishan / Shanlinxi / Lishan 2026 / Taiwan oolong comparison in a setup close to three identical 90 ml cupping gaiwans.
Evidence: repeated sessions over time.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: differences repeated over three sessions.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Peter Masala]

Vendor/order report
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with Shanlinxi and Lishan.
Applies to: Qingxin trio: Alishan / Shanlinxi / Lishan 2026 / Taiwan oolong comparison in a setup close to three identical 90 ml cupping gaiwans.
Evidence: completed order/report with dates and destination disclosed.
Change: repeat the session with Shanlinxi and Lishan.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward separate region differences from brewing differences if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: Water chemistry may change the result, so I would not generalize this to every city.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Author]

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