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Emeric Harney, master tea blender of Harney and Sons, which specializes in fine teas from all around the world, points out the subtle qualities in a series of different teas that were presented for tasting at the Morris-Jumel Mansion this week.
Story and photos by Alexandra Rosario
Perched on the second highest point in Manhattan is the Morris-Jumel Mansion, situated between 162nd and 161st Streets. It once was the former home to the high society Morris and Jumel families in the 18th and 19th centuries.
This past Saturday afternoon, the Mansion’s front parlor was opened up for an exclusive tea tasting with Harney and Sons’ master tea blender, Emeric Harney.
Harney and Sons specializes in fine teas from all over the world, and Harney had traveled from SoHo to northern Manhattan on Sat., Oct. 22nd for a tea tasting that rivaled any sommelier’s presentation. The company takes its tea seriously. In September 2011, John Harney, the company’s founder, was awarded the ChaJing Lifetime Achievement Award a World Tea East, the industry’s principal American conference.
“Tasting tea is a lot like tasting wine,” said Harney as he held forth. “We start with the lightest tea and move to the darkest.”
Harney, whose grandfather founded the company in 1983, discussed different types of tea, from white tea to oolong tea, and everything about tea harvesting, picking, and tasting. Participating tasters also learned that China is the world's largest producer of tea, producing 40 percent of the tea we drink.
Harney discouraged the use of the cream and sugar on the table for the first few teas because he wanted the tasters to get the full flavor of the tea. One taster asked if having to use cream and sugar was a sign of a lackluster tea.
“Cream and sugar used to be used to hide poor quality tea back in the day,” Harney said. “A great tea should be one you don't have to put cream and sugar in.”
Over twenty people who attended were treated, along with teas, to scones and jam, cucumber sandwiches, and cookies.
The first tea that was tasted was a white tea called White Fairy. Harney explained that the tea was a blend of leaves and buds.
“This is one of the most delicate teas,” Harney said. “This tea is picked and then air dried.”
The White Fairy tea was very light-bodied with a hint of sweetness. Murmurs of appreciation were heard as the tea was sipped.
Harney explained how to adequately taste tea, noting that aerating the tea through slurring is the best so as to taste and smell it.
“My father has a very serious slurp,” Harney joked. “When we're tasting teas in the factory, there are three of us tasting 80 teas and it's a slurp fest.”
The second tea tasted was a Japanese green Sencha Mountain tea. The Sencha was an unusual tea in that it had a vegetable-like aroma instead of the more recognizable fruit-like smell. The steeped tea was passed around so that tasters could sample the aroma of the tea, which smelled faintly of spinach. About a third of the tasters did not finish the Sencha, finding that they were not fond of the pronounced vegetal aroma and taste.
“This tea is definitely an acquired taste,” said Harney. “I definitely didn't like it when I first tried it.”
A Chinese oolong tea, Fenghuang Shuixian, was tasted next,. This tea was fruity in nature, recalling flavors of peaches and apricots and generally very well-liked all around.
The last tea tasted was a stronger Chinese black tea called Keemun Mao Feng.
“This is my pick for a breakfast tea,” Harney said.
Because of the strength of the tea, some did supplement the drink with sugar cubes and cream. The tea had a slight cocoa aroma to it, and was clearly a group favorite.
Carol Ward, director of education and public arts at the mansion, helped Harney with the tea pouring and gave a brief history lesson on the mansion while the tasters waited for water to heat.
“You are sitting in Manhattan's oldest house,” she said. “At one time, it served as George Washington's headquarters because of its location on a hill.”
The parlor’s guests listened attentively, taking in the autumn air and view as they sat in Manhattan’s oldest house, each with a carefully brewed tea in hand.
“This is delightful,” said one guest.
So it was.
To learn more about the Morris-Jumel Mansion, visit www.morrisjumel.org. To learn more about Harney and Sons and browse their tea selection, visit http://www.harney.com/ or visit their tasting shop at 433 Broome Street in Manhattan.
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