Thursday, 26 March 2009 10:50
Certainly a classic for good reason. I'm getting towards the end of this 100g batch of T.G.Y. from Dragon tea house and while there used to be primarily tightly rolled ingots, what's left is mostly small bits. No complaints though, I added more than I typically do and was pleasantly surprised. By later infusions the gaiwan was packed tight enough to make agitating the leaves difficult. The color is bright yellow, at times leaning towards amber or orange. In later infusions its almost neon glow fades a bit.
Quick wash
Just enough time to wake the leaves, barely any color had time to infuse.
1st infusion
The nose is dominated by floral scent. Not surprisingly, it smells like a camellia flower (the tea plant is actually camellia sinensis, a relative of the flowering version) The floral scent carries over strongly into the flavor but is softened by other flavors. I get muscat grape, whispers of melon and slightly tangy notes towards the finish. The mouth-feel is not gooey, oily or sticky but it does coat smoothly and powerfully. It lingers in a very pleasant way.
2nd infusion
Still dominantly floral and fruit flavors. The scent hasn't faded much and for the most part the flavors have held strong across the board.
Later infusions
Eventually the floral/fruit flavors gave way a bit to the malty/earthy notes. But for the most part this is a very fresh not bitter or grassy tea.
Overall impression
Its a great tea for someone getting into tea. If you like green tea for its freshness, this is all that and more. The only thing missing would be the grassy sharper tones, which I personally don't miss. Its no surprise that this is one of the most famous styles of teas in China. Its exceptional. This is also a very reasonably priced tea, @ Dragon tea house its about $10/100 grams... @2gr/cup = ~20cents a cup. (quoted prices are at time of post)
Photos:
first photo is of the dry leaves. Notice the tight little ingots with dark rich greens, bright greens and orange highlights. This variation is what gives the tea its depth. Oolong processed in complex way wherein it is bruised, wilted, "stir-fried" in a wok, rolled in complex ways and dried. These complex production methods contribute to the depth and variation of flavor of the tea. You could spend years learning about tea and only grasp parts. Point is that its complex, as you drink and learn, you appreciate more facets.
2nd photo is of the 1st infusions liquor
3rd is of the liquor infusing in the gaiwan during the 3rd infusion. Its just beginning to take on color.
Last photo is of the wet leaves after the 3rd infusion. You can really see the variation in color in this shot. Also, there is a dramatic change in size. A small amount of this tea expands into a large amount as the leaves unfurl. This style of tea is very tightly rolled.
Thursday, 26 March 2009 10:49
This is really a sublime cup of tea. It has a rich vibrant amber gold color that is almost florescent in early infusions. In deeper spots it tends towards reddish, in highlights towards yellows.
Quick wash
I let the wash sit a bit longer than I meant to. Usually I use a quick rinse just to wake the leaves, until they give up a tiny bit of color. Then pour it out and refill with hot water for the first infusion.
1st infusion
The nose is floral with an underlying earthy tone. Smells of wheat toast and canned pears. The flavor has a lot of depth. Its sweet but not, its like caramel without the sugar. There is barely a hint of tanginess and no real bitter or sour notes. I'm getting hints of hazelnut/almond and a background sense of oak or malt. It is a thoroughly roasted oolong and it gives it an almost chocolaty flavor. The mouth-feel is exceedingly smooth, but it lingerers and coats the tongue pleasantly. There is a delicate balance... At times flashes of melon and toast, at others the background earthiness slips into the forefront.
Later infusions
I probably infused about 4 more times and the quality held nicely but changed some. It could have withstood more infusions if I wished. The nose all but disappeared but the earthy notes held strong throughout. The fruit softened and moved towards the background. The overall effect in later cups is that the teas complexities were more noticeable when less obscured by the tangy and sharper fruit flavors.
Overall impression
This is a delicate, smooth cup that is well rounded yet has surprisingly complex nuances. Very enjoyable. Probably even worth the $27/100g I paid for it at Dragon tea house. While this is the most expensive oolong I own, it still works out to about 80 cents per batch. This tea is known as one of the famous four bushes of the Wuyi region in china. The tea trees are actually cultivated in a special way that makes them hunched over. Similar to a turtles back, thus the name.
Photos:
the first is of the leaves prior to infusion
the next is of 1st infusions liquor showing its rich vibrant color
the last is of the leaves after the 3rd infusion
