Skip to main content

Dong Ding, 2020 Spring from eco-cha

From Vendor:

Harvest: Hand picked in small batches. Spring 2020. Yonglong, Nantou.

Elevation:  700m

Medium oxidized, heavily roasted tea with a hearty, complex, and robust character.

This farm is managed by a father (Mr. Su) and son team who inherited their family tradition as artisans of Dong Ding Tea. Their tea has been awarded first prize in the world's largest Oolong tea competition, and they consistently achieve top awards in their local competition of traditionally made Dong Ding Oolong.


This family's tea gardens are 30-40 years old, and are solely comprised of an early strain of Qing Xin Oolong that some some farmers consider to be an heirloom strain that is no longer readily available.

Review:

Dry leaf: rolled balls appear heterogeneous in size. Color is even. Moderate scents of charcoal roast.

Brewed 7.8 g / 125 mL boiling water in porcelain

Rinse / 40 s / 30 s / 40 s / 50 s / 1 m 10 s / 2 min / 4 min / 15 min

Wet leaf: medium charcoal smokiness. Tropical fruits clearly evident behind the smoke. As steepings progressed, a charred barrel sweet bourbon aroma develops.

First steep is mildly smoky but with a very nice fruity buildup reminiscent of a punch blended with both fresh fruits and dried fruits blended with an aged fruit liquor.

Second steep has perfect balance between smokiness and fruit. In my mind's eye, i had a vision of a single plume of incense that gently envelopes a tray of chinese herbs, dried tropical fruits and pineapple cakes. The taste is layered and multidimensional. Smoke has strong charred bourbon barrel and vanilla characteristics. There is some moderate cooling effect after drinking. Strong drying astringency on the tongue and in the throat but very mild bitterness.

Third steep is much more smooth, creamy and honey sweet compared to second steeping. Smoke curtain has definitely lifted a bit to reveal the more gentle qualities of the fruit. Greater minerality is evident and the finish is more fruit forward. Drying astringency is still present but greatly reduced.

Fourth steep is even more smooth than third steep. Pineapple cake is in forefront along with milk chocolate and mild coffee.  I am reminded of wuyi yan cha oolongs. Bourbon is still evident but tastes a bit more diluted in a good way. Astringency is further reduced

Fifth steep is even more smooth than the fourth steep. Very reminiscent of a mild coffee in the front. In the back, some char remains and there is the emergence of a green grassiness and vegetal taste. 

Sixth steep. I increased the time to 2 minutes to squeeze out more oxidation and roast flavors. The fruit punch from the first steep is back but also with chocolate and some charcoal. Very smooth and balanced.

7th steep. Increased to 4 min. Very comparable to fifth steep but slightly more fruity. Green vegetal notes are less bitter. There is a slight hint of dessert wine aroma. Overall, quite refreshing.

8 steep: increased to 15 min to get everything. Almost no oolong character left, leaving just a slightly bitter vegetal brew.

Overall: complex tea with decent stamina.






Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hojo's da xue shan 2019 mao cha (wild tea)

  Opening the bag, I was greeted with a thick fruity aroma like grape juice and ripe melons! Brewed 3.5 grams in my 110 mL late 70s hqsn. Flash brewing of course. Wow is this green tea or sheng? Very juicy fruity flavors like white grape juice and some honey. Is this really young sheng? Where is the bitterness??? Where? Can't find it in this tea. There is the slightest throat prickle of astringency...or was that from drinking the tea while it was too hot? Felt very energized after drinking - 3.5g is more than enough! Could actually drink this on a daily basis! Update : after a few sessions, it is clear the tea "changes" quickly once exposed to air, shedding its fresh fruity aromas and gaining more oolong like characteristics. 3.5 g per session quickly becomes too flat - and I find myself progressively using more leaf. On the plus side, the tea gains body and properties that remind me of good gaoshan. The aftertaste is exceptionally robust and comes back in strong waves. V...
Post a Comment
Read more

Temi 383 "black rose" second flush darjeeling style tea from TWL

 Vendor: We asked a champion of less well-known cultivars, Mr. Nalin Modha, for this exceptional example of the Tukdah 383 cultivar, which he processed at peak second flush in June 2020 at Temi estate in Sikkim, India. This tea, from an east-facing garden at 1300m, has thick leaves and midribs, and is very well processed, with relatively intact material for the Darjeeling style.  Review: Brewed 2-2.5g/100 mL, 90-95C 60s Alternatively, 4 g/ 100 mL 30s Grape must, old barrels filled with port wine, strong rose aromas. Gets sweeter as i brew harder. An unbelievable tea.
Post a Comment
Read more

Full roast rougui 2018 from dxjd

 At 0.8/g from da xue jia dao Steeped 8g/110 mL boiling Flash/ 10s/15s/20s/25s/30s/40s/55s/1min30s/2min/3min/5min/7min/10min/15min/ steeped out in large volume A stunning tea like a velvet hammer. Soft and rich yet presenting a strong but pleasant astringent note that establishes a firm flavor structure. Taste is difficult to describe but includes rich milk chocolate and strong minerality as steeps progress. The early steeps include a bright plummy note that balances out the darker flavors. There is a sensation of walking into an ancient church and seeing a dusty canvas in the shadows layered with little mountains of paint - defined by strong textures and a vague impression of old, long forgotten madness. The minerality is bound tightly with flavors of dried ginseng and ginger. .
Post a Comment
Read more