1155 Tasting Notes
Alistair, I gotta be honest- I opened an smelled every single bag to make a decision, and this one had my favorite scent.
Smelling the tea, it was mildy chocolaty, nutty, and fairly floral in an autumn leaf pile kind of way. Smelling the tea brewed, it had a baked goods quality to it.
The first time I had it in my tumbler, I went light on the leaf, but long on the steep time. It matched the dry leaf, but had a distinct rose note, coupled with baked bread, chocolate hints, cashews, and other florals. It was a little dry, but sweet enough to stand out on its own although the texture was a little bit thin.
I upped the leaf in a “Mug Fu” style, rinsing it for five seconds, then tested it, then soaked it for another 10. It was very much the same, but the rose was more pronounced with a little bit of malt and stronger chocolate notes in a complex leaf pile. The second steep at about 15 seconds, but less water was distinctly more fruity and sweet. The fruit notes were hard to pin out, but it had the stone fruit quality you get from most Nepalese teas, but there were time where it made me think of passion fruit. Tannin and more savory notes built up a little bit as it cooled down, being almost akin to a sweet red wine, or even peachy like some Rose (I do not know how to put the accent mark in). The more I rebrewed it, the fruitier it got and the more almond the nut note became.
In comparative words, this tea was like most Nepalese or Himalayan Oolongs, having some trademarks of an Oriental Beauty, but the chocolate or cocoa or baked notes were honestly something out of a Laoshan Black. I’m glad that I snagged some for the limited edition, but I will say that only get this if you know what you’re getting. It does share a lot of similarities with the Winter Special which I slightly prefer only because of price. This is an excellent tea that I will finish quickly because I like it that much, but if you do decide to purchase what little of this tea there is, do so with care. I’m personally rating it a 90 although it’s a little closer to a 93-94 for my taste. The price is the only problem. I’m still glad What-Cha was able to offer it, and it’s my favorite of the limited edition teas right now. I wonder how the Ruby Black compares.
Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Baked Bread, Chocolate, Floral, Nuts, Rose, Stonefruits, Sweet
Backlog:
Thank you Golden Tea Leaf for this awesome gift!
This is a great fall and sick tea. I tried it straight, and it was a little drying. The orange peel was very prominent like what you would get in an EmergenC package or an Orange Glow wood cleaner-in fact, the autumn leaf quality of the white tea made it more like a liquid version of orange glow more. There was some minerals in the texture, and it definitely brightened my day. However, it paired best with honey because it could get drying. Not astringent, or perhaps every so slightly tart and florally bitter, but drying.
Still-this is one of those panacea teas that could work for this bitter weather, or for a future bitter cold. Golden Tea Leaf Company is one of my favorites, and they will treat you well if you order from them.
Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Drying, Floral, Honey, Honeysuckle, Mineral, Orange, Orange Zest, Wood
I’m going to be honest: I haven’t had an Assam in a while, because I have honestly avoided them. Since Alistair gifted this, I knew it was going to be good.
I tried gong fuing the sample with a rinse. It was faintly resinous, but malty, and a little drying while all to thin. I upped it up to a little over a minute in my tumbler. Like every single What-Cha tea, it’s smooth and of good quality. The sip started off with viscous texture, accented into the Assam’s malt, hinted at some cocoa, cherry for a split second, and then finished dry with citrus and something that reminded me of gin in the slight bitterness and astringency in the end.
Second brew, more malt, viscousity, and a touch more cocoa. I can see the jam a little bit by approximation because its got a little bit of that rhaspberry tartness in the finish, but I am getting it in the later steeps. It’s not that sweet and remains very much malty like most Assams, but its balanced. The brew is going good on its own without additives so far, but I see this going better with cream and sugar, or even just a bit of sugar.
I personally would not buy it myself, but I’m glad I tried it and do recommend it to Assam lovers for something balanced.
Flavors: Cedar, Citrus, Cocoa, Drying, Malt, Raspberry, Tea
I should have bought more than 50 grams of this one, because it has all the qualities for staple oolong for me. It’s peachy, nutty, floral, fruity, lychee like, and just a hint baked offering the great balance I aim for on a cold day. Sooo good. I’m tumblering it right now, and it has been durable. Expect more notes in the future.
The What-Cha order arrived, and then I proceeded to open and sniff every single bag. The smell of this one excited me. Cassia, wood, leaves, and chocolate were in the dry leaf, and brewing it up, I found that I’m going to have to pay attention to this one. I brewed it lighter than usual, and only got a few dimensions to the tea. I think it has more to offer Gong Fu, though it is durable to long steeps so far.
Here’s what I’ll describe anyway. Alistair said that this one was a little greener than the usual Rou Gui, and while I can see that, there’s no doubt that this is a yancha. The body is also thicker than I imagined with a very thick mouthfeel and great aroma of flowers, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The taste also had a hint of spice, but something that you’d get in the ingredients of a more savory dessert. I did not quite get cherry, but I think I could use more leaves. I’ll write more notes about this one later, but I wanted to write that it does not deviate too far from a usual Yancha, but it’s got a rounded profile that is enjoyable and is smoother than the average Rou Gui. Til next time, then.
Flavors: Chocolate, Creamy, Floral, Thick, Wood
I’ve needed to write about this one for a while. My feelings were lukewarm the first time I brewed it gong fu or western, since I tasted a citrus zest malty black tea with a weird mouthfeel. It had the yam note that I like about Chinese blacks, but there was something missing in the body. It was almost thinning, if that makes sense.
It was better today, and in part because of easteaguy’s florid and apt description. Thinking of peanuts, brown sugar, rose, and pine made the tea all the better, and it performed well in the tea tumbler I currently have. It was sweet and definitely what I was looking for this morning with Amaretto infused scrambled eggs. The malt, yam notes, and citrus zest combined wonderfully. The pine notes are nice too, and personally got more prominent in later brews. After a while, they get a little overwhelming because I can feel the tea coat my teeth. I don’t like the reminder that I need brush extra to get the tannin out. Oh well.
I admit I’m relying on your notes for reference, eastteaguy, but they are pretty accurate, and I agree with the rating. I think that this is very approachable for a new drinker, and it does have enough complexity for more experienced drinkers, but the particular tea drinker in my thinks that What-Cha has more interesting options that are around the same price.
Flavors: Brown Sugar, Citrus Zest, Fruity, Honey, Malt, Peanut, Pine, Sap, Yams
Personally, I think this one probably performs best when brewed Western and consumed from something like a tumbler. I sometimes brew black teas in a pot and then transfer them to a travel tumbler or thermos for work, and that’s what I did with the last of this tea. I noticed that it was very difficult to overbrew, which was a plus, but like you, I had a lot of difficulty with the thin body and dry texture.
I’m finally rating it, and its between 85-90 for me. For those of you who have not read the previous note about this one, it’s very similar to a Baozhong with some baked characteristics. It’s got the mainstays of lilac and orchid with some vanilla, nutty hints, perhaps gardenia, and definitely some green bean, butter, and watercress notes. Minerals tends to develop in the longer steeps gong fu or western, and there is a little bit of swamp plant aromatics to it from the watercress notes. Brewing the tea shorter helps alleviate the notes, but they can be pleasantly sour when done right. I would recommend this one as unique experience from America, and although the general profile remains the same, there are some shifts in notes from florals, to green, and minerals that make it unique, and it is a little bit more savory than other Baozhong’s I’ve had. I think tea snobs should try it to give America a chance.
Flavors: Butter, Creamy, Floral, Green Beans, Mineral, Orchids, Plants
I’ve let this one settle in my cabinet. The dryleaf smell is close to the vanilla used in a Klondike bar combined with the mint. Unfortunately, the leaves are fragile as every, and are almost fanning like in how easily they crumble.
I used less leaves today because I know how powerful this tea can be if left unchecked. Letting it brew in my tumbler for no longer than 2 minutes, the tea’s cantaloupe flavor takes center stage. It’s surprisingly sweet like honey, and has a little bit of the menthol in the mouthfeel. It build up more in the later steeps. It’s vaguely leafy like autumn just before winter. Ironically, it’s spring pushing its way out of winter right now in the Midwest.
If you want a more vivid description, here it is from my previous review:
“The dry leaf smell like hay and fresh linens hanging in the sun. Tasting it, it is smooth, clean, and lightly cantaloupe sweet with the cooling menthol taste that Alistair describes, and that is expected with the #18 Red Jade varietal. It is a little creamier gong fu, but pretty much the same overall. It also has some fresh cotton notes in the taste, but the liquid is a light yellow like a high mountain oolong without being nearly as grassy. This is not a delicate white tea, however, and the klondike menthol is not to be underestimated. It can get drying like a white Darjeeling, but not too try to take away from the other notes. That’s why I need this tea to cool off sometimes.
I could get seven steeps minimum from gong fu, and the menthol notes would get higher…if that makes sense. A honeysuckle floral would pop up, and the fruity notes spread out. I’m actually getting something that reminds me of cinnamon butter as a hint. I am going to have to write more about this one because I can get a little overwhelmed by the later steeps…a little bit of a buzz. Cha qi, caffiene, or menthol? Or I just need to let my cup cool down."
It is an energizing tea, and since I’ve had it for a while, I’m ready to rate it. In terms of taste, complexity, and energy, it deserves a high 95 and is by far one of my favorite white teas in my stash. In terms of how easy it is to brew, 85 because it’s a little challenging. The only thing that makes me rate it down is the finicky nature of the leaves. So 88 is my end score for this one, though it could be easily higher when brewed right.
Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Cantaloupe, Fruity, Menthol, Mint, Smooth, Sweet
Less leaves was the way to go for this one. I gotta say that I’m still not in love with it, but reading a review changed my mind a little bit. The reviewer compared it to a more traditional Oriental Beauty, and I admit the power of persuasion helped making another cup. It’s still a little sour and tangy with a weird cotton note that pops up occasionally, but I get more of the pear note Alistair describes with less leaves. I’m still not a huge fan of this tea, but I’d be interested to see what other opinions of this one are as it is a good tea nevertheless.
Flavors: Drying, Fruity, Grass, Green Pepper, Pear, Smooth, Tangy
I’ve been pretty jealous of all the people who have access to high end Dan Congs, and I’ve been longing for some good stuff myself. Finding good quality tea that’s affordable for this type has been a pain in the tuckus though. I’ve been tempted to get the stuff priced at a dollar per gram, but I want to be able to try MORE teas, so I need to have a better strategy.
Since I have not had Harney in a while, I checked out their Dan Cong offerings for the year and they had more than usual for 2018. I saw this one and hesitated to buy it since it was $48 for about half an ounce each of this tea, although Song Zhong’s tend to be a little pricier anyway. Then the new years sale was promoted, and I snagged some.
These are four Song Zhongs from four different teas. They all have a very similar aroma, and they all almost look like the same tea. The variety comes in how strong they were in aroma and flavor, and the ratio of the notes because they were all creamy, floral, and fruity. All of them were on the greener end of medium on the oolong spectrum.
I drank them in order, sometimes gong fu, some times western in a tumbler.
No.1-Described as the most floral of the bunch. It was, giving me a milky iris note in the taste. It tastes very close to the Zhi Lan I have, and it can occasionally have an apricot note, but it is very buttery and creamy. I might even use butterscotch for a note on this one, although it’s still very floral and just the hint peachy. It does last pretty long, and it is fairly enjoyable. It’s not too finicky and can endure some longer steeps over 30 seconds, but it can get a little astringent if I’m not careful. It does remind me of some Japanese milk candies. Rating it between 87-90.
No. 2 is Fruity, and it’s my personal favorite. Of course there is orchid and peach, but the dry leaf is so fragrant that it reminds me of candy. Lychee immediately came to mind when drinking it, then mango, and it only became citrusy in the later steeps. It is a little milky like number one, but not too much so. It’s like drinking lychee candy. Rating it around 90-91.
No. 3-a pain in my behind, and it has been finicky for me. Harney describes this one as having the most body. I’ve yet to find that personally, and only Gong Fu works for this tea in very short steeps of either 15 second increments or the 3-3-5-7 I just started using. Even when I did the 30 second method, the tea was speaking to me “I’ll only give you a sneak peak…and then nothing else. Maybe I can show you my floral ankle for a little bit?” And then it was just muddled. This tea does have the body and general profile that the others do, but it is more subtle. I was only able to coax it later on, and some peach notes come through. This one might grow on me, but it is my least favorite so far. Rating 85-88.
No. 4-They describe it as creamy, which seems repetitive because that describes all of the teas. It’s got the apricot, peach, orchid, and iris florals like the others, but it is thicker in its body and texture. It’s fruitier than number 1 sometimes having something that reminds me of strawberry (something I would not normally write about a dancong), but not as fruity as number two. Aroma is fainter than 1-2 as well, but it still has some. Creamy is a good descriptor, but I’ll have to experiment more with it because it does have some complexity. 89-92.
I’m glad I got this sampler because you don’t see very many U.S. vendors selling this variety. The price is okay, but it’s solid overall since other companies will charge you through the nose for a Song Zhong. I think this is best suited to intermediate tea drinkers, because I could see some experienced drinkers snubbing it for not having enough complexity or lacking an angle like roast, or they might appreciate it for it what it is. I’m pretty happy with the sampler overall, and I’ll probably write more about these bad boys in the future.
Flavors: Apricot, Butter, Butterscotch, Candy, Creamy, Floral, Fruity, Orchids, Peach
Okay. I’ll let you know. I’m in no rush either. I’m mostly on a Dancong Hunt anyway. I’ve had Art of Darkness before, and I was happy with it, but I had a hard time getting the right balance of spices as I did when I first tried it. I have not had Foxtrot yet. I can’t remember if I’ve had Ambrosia. I’ve had Cocoa Amore once before as an old sample and had a hard time with the vanilla balance, although the base had some of my former black favorites like the Ailoashan. I actually liked the North Winds more than the Golden Orchid itself. Ancient Spirit kicked both of their buts, of course.
I’ve been trying to limit my oolong purchases but after reading your exchange with eastkyteaguy in a tea note, last week I sprang for 3 of the 4 limited Jun Chiyabari offerings. It’ll be pouring rain through the weekend and I hope the postman doesn’t leave the package out!
There’s never enough of Jun Chiyabari tea! :)
Oolongs are so expensive…although they occupy the majority of my cabinet. And I have three of the four-except the Ruby Black.