A tea from Leafhopper — Thank you!
Took tihs one, weighted — 6.7 grams = 1 session worth. Was the pouch more full and I took some for western steeping before? I have no idea. Anyway, now it’s gone.
Wet leaf aromas brought me to the orchard with red apples on some rock hill; as it was sweet as red apples but somehow wet rocks and mineral in the same time. A little woody as well, well those are trunks and branches of the trees in the imagined orchard I suppose. Some more tropical notes as the leaves absorbed a bit more of the humidity in closed gaiwan.
From my experience I prepare dancongs with rapid first steeps, with prolonged ones later in the session.
1st steep — 10 seconds
It’s much higher in the minerality than I thought, distinctive “wet rocks” and wood, some little sweet notes of red fruits and mostly its skins. Partially “pleasantly sour”.
2nd steep — 20 seconds
Previous notes, but stronger. A lot stronger. Viscous and oily, as Togo mentions.
3rd steep — 10 seconds
Still quite mineral but fruit notes are more present noticeable. Sadly, it’s the skins of the apples, not the fruit itself yet. Aroma is lovely though, somehow woody and floral. Spring fruit trees.
4th steep — 20 seconds
Unripe apple flavour with still high minerality. It’s like biting the apple and then licking the stone. Aroma is very same to previous steep. Long mineral mouthfeel.
5th steep — 30 seconds
Finally, fruity notes are here! The minaral aftertaste remains, but sips are pleasant and fine. Also I have noticed some floral notes in this steep in flavour as well.
6st steep — 45 seconds
Drank lukewarm, still full of flavour and very similar to previous steep too. The minerality isn’t that strong anymore and thus it is much milder for stomach as well.
7th steep — 1 minute
Definitely more light wood notes are here, minerality seems to be gone; smooth and mild flavours. Sadly, also apple notes are gone.
8th steep — 2 minutes
Mellow and somehow sweet? Sweet woody taste. Weird, but that’s what I am finding out in this steep. Some astringency in the background.
9th and last — 5 minutes
I ran out of water in my thermos and tea sounds a bit finished based on the previous steep flavours, so I call it done. I don’t recall when I had 9 steeps tea last time; moreover still with flavours!
This steep was again very similar to previous one. A more astringent though, but 5 minutes steep is loooong one.
Butter biscuits were great food pairing. Rating probably is impacted by that I am not really fan of dancongs. They tend to be so mineral or too floral to me. This is no exception.
