5 Tasting Notes

89

In order of strength: Hay, Pear, Green Apple, Honeysuckle

Da Qing is subtle in a master act in its balance of astringency, bitterness, fruit, florals, and spice. This tea gives way to existence of having a forest edge the prairie you are standing with gentle breezes that carry the green fruit and honeysuckle of the forest. Just the right amount of pepper on the end; or perhaps its actually your wife calling you in for supper and abruptly ending your serenity?

Just the right amount.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 15 sec 4 tsp 70 OZ / 2070 ML

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95

In order of strength: ?

Dry Leaf Aroma: Blueberry, Watermelon Rind, Jasmine, Sour Candy

Wet Leaf Aroma: Damp Hay, Honeysuckle, Petrichor

Taste: Damp Hay, Un-ripe Wild Berries, Honeysuckle [leads into an intense and pleasant amaro/floral like bitterness]

Energy: Happy and Inspired

After Taste:
This stage of the tea session deserves its own paragraph. The dry leaf aromatics and after taste are mirrored in both taste and intensity and are my favorite parts. An intense and floral bitterness lingers before fading and the exact aromatics when you opened the bag return in the form of taste. If the dry leaf aroma is you hearing about the legend of the Slumbering Dragon, then the bitterness is the trek to see one, and the after taste is you finally laying your eyes on it after a long journey. Attempting to pinpoint the notes I get Blueberry, Jasmine, and Watermelon Rind. And despite feeling close to describing its dry leaf aroma and after-taste, I still feel worlds away from accuracy.

Maybe we don’t know what dragons look like after all.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 0 min, 15 sec 4 tsp 70 OZ / 2070 ML

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84
drank 2022 Moon Bear by white2tea
5 tasting notes

In order of strength: Raspberry Lambic, Champagne, White Grape Skin, Sugar

Wet Leaf aroma is pure Lindemans Framboise (Raspberry Lambic Beer). On the palate there is tart wild berry, champagne, white grape skin, and creme burlee far into the distance on the after taste. Moon Bear is my favorite teacher of the potential evolution of tea as the session drags on. After many steeps all the fruit and alcohol disappears and all that is left is pure white sugar. Cha Qi is happy and laxed.

Unfortunately the cake leaves a lot of potency in its profile to be desired, contrary to the sample I had before the cake purchase.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 15 sec 4 g 2 OZ / 70 ML

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71

In order of strength: Rum, Tobacco, Clove, Apricot Jam

There are notes that come from age older than this tea, but without the accompanying smoothness and balance. For being 6-7 years old at the time of review, there is a ton of astringency that is still on its way out the door. The flavor profile is interesting and a wonderful supplement to reading some Hemmingway.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 15 sec 4 g 2 OZ / 70 ML

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71

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