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Hi, I'm Denis York

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I've spent many years studying, tasting and brewing Chinese tea. It started as curiosity, turned into a hobby, and at some point quietly became part of who I am. I live in Slovenia, where I brew tea every day, keep a tasting log of almost everything I drink, and host tea sessions for friends and anyone curious enough to sit down at my table.

This site is where I write down what I've learned, so you can skip some of the mistakes I made along the way.

How I got here#

Like most people, I started badly: supermarket tins, a random pu-erh cake bought on impulse, and a lot of tea brewed far too long. A simple Yunnan red tea was the first one that made me pay attention. A gongfu session of Wuyi oolong, poured round after round from a small gaiwan, was the one that changed how I brew everything.

Sheng pu-erh took me the longest. For months it tasted like a wall of green bitterness, until I understood that the problem was my steep times, not the tea. Today it's the tea I drink most often, alongside Wuyi rock oolongs.

Over the years, tea has also become something I share. Hosting sessions taught me more than any book: watching how people react to their first real oolong, answering the same beginner questions again and again, and learning to explain what's happening in the cup in plain words.

What you'll find here#

  • Practical guides: how to brew, store and taste Chinese tea, based on what actually works at my table.
  • Honest tea and teaware reviews: including what I didn't like.
  • Vendor reviews: the shops I order from, and why.
  • Plain language: no mysticism, no health miracles, no pretending tea is more complicated than it is.

What this site isn't#

I'm not a tea merchant and I don't sell tea. I'm not a doctor, so you won't find health claims here. And I'm not the final word: tea is personal, and if your cup tastes different from mine, that's part of the fun.

Say hello#

Questions, disagreements and tea recommendations are always welcome. Write to me through the contact page. If you're in Slovenia and want to join a tea session, mention it: I'm always happy to put the kettle on.

New here? Start with the best Chinese tea for beginners and my gongfu tea guide.