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You know what is the best part of cooler weather? It isn’t the sweaters and fuzzy blankets, it isn’t the pristine snow and blustery rainy days, and it is not the warm mugs of tea used for heating my hands…no, the best part is definitely how clingy Espeon is. Unlike Tao, she has short hair and is perpetually cold…just like me! So we spend as much time snuggling and using each other as warming devices, she keeps my lap warm during the day and snuggles up with me at night. When it is warm she turns into an aloof long cat, but when it is cold, she is tiny and cuddly…and gets very upset with me when I have to get up. Clearly I need one of those cat slings so I can walk around without disturbing her.

Today it is time to look at Eco-Cha’s Dong Ding Oolong Tea (Fall 2015), aka, possibly my favorite Oolong ever. I have looked at several harvests of this tea, and plan on looking at many more in the future, because I have an addiction to Dong Ding Oolong. Partially because it is my go-to feel good tea, it is very much so like the consumable, liquid, version of that soft snugly kitty in your lap, it is the perfect combination of comforting and delicious. The first thing I notice when I pop open that exciting seal (other than the woosh of air, so much fun) is the aroma, wafting from the leaves. It is a delicious blend of toasted sesame and grains, honey, and a delightful nuttiness. It is both sweet and harvest like, evocative of autumn and yummy, especially if you are a huge fan of honey sesame candies like I am.

Into the gaiwan the leaves go for their happy soaking, it is always fun watching the leaves unfurl and the tiny bubbles popping out of the leaves as they do. The aroma of the soggy leaves is sweet and toasty, notes of cashews, toasted wheat and barley, gentle notes of squash, a touch of roasted sesame seeds at the finish. The liquid is sweet buttery heavy grain toast, sesame seeds, honey, and delicious gentle smoky pine resin. Grains meet winter forest with a side of fireplace, see this tea really is pure undiluted comfort!

The first steep is gentle and smooth, and delightfully warming. It starts with creamy and sweet buttery notes, and moves quite quickly to toast, it is like warm honey butter on toast. There is a gentle spice note like nutmeg, and a lingering sesame seed note. The sweetness stays in the aftertaste for quite some time.

Second steeping time, the aroma of this steep is strong with roasted grains and honey, cashew and a touch of squash and pine resin. The taste has the buttery, honeyed toast notes of the previous steep, but it cranks things up adding notes of toasted grains, with a gentle pine resin and char note. On the way out of the sip, aka the finish, the note of maple roasted acorn squash blends with a touch of walnuts for maximum yum.

Third steeping and woo, that aroma is getting intense, strong notes of roasted grains and nuts, with gentle notes of smoke and pine resin…with a definite finish of squash…mmm squash. The taste is nutty and roasted, strong grain notes (especially wheat and barley) with lingering notes of gently burnt toast and sweet honey. At the finish there is acorn squash and a pine smoke finish, and a sweetness that sticks around. Many steeps were had, and they were filled with roasty goodness.

Photos and blog: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/11/eco-cha-dong-ding-oolong-tea-fall-2015.html