230 Tasting Notes
As part of my quest to better understand Wuyi oolongs, I am attempting to sample each of the Si Da Ming Cong. Bai Jiguan, or White Cockscomb, is the most uncommon and perhaps most unique of these cultivars, so I am glad that OWT stocks this tea.
Given that it is less oxidized than most other Wuyi, it has quite a distinct appearance, smell, and flavor profile. This tea also has undergone a lighter roast than most Wuyi. Mouthfeel is fairly full and astringency is medium low.
Harvest: Spring 2022.
Dry leaf: floral.
Wet leaf: nut, wet wood.
Flavor: nuts, cream, honey.
Flavors: Cream, Floral, Honey, Nuts, Wet Wood
A bit let down by this tea. I have heard that OWT is pretty good with Rou Gui. As this is my first time trying Rou Gui, I have nothing to compare to. However, it does not have the “classic” flavor profile for RG that I read about online. Furthermore, the tea is fairly bitter to my taste. Not much complexity to most of the infusions for me either. I might try brewing the other half of the 8g sample at a lower temperature. Perhaps this tea needs to breathe a bit? Might try the second half of the sample after 3-4 weeks of opening the pack.
For me, the smell is the best part of the tea.
Harvest: Spring 2020.
Dry leaf: Charcoal, fruity.
Wet leaf: Malt
Taste: Bitter, spice, woody.
Flavors: Bitter, Charcoal, Fruity, Malt, Spices, Woody
So after trying a DHP from TeaVivre and hating it, I thought there had to be something I was missing. I decided to give a DHP from a specialty shop a try and I can say that I think I now understand why people like it (and Wuyi oolongs in general) so much. It is very complex indeed, but perhaps not my style at the moment. I can see my tastes evolving to where I like this tea quite a bit at some point in the future. It is also seems well suited to colder temperatures of fall and winter. Definitely not over-roasted like the one from TeaVivre. High astringency. Mouthfeel is as if the tea is “blooming” with flavors while in your mouth. The flavors develop and leave a spicy, dry aftertaste that lasts quite a while. Very complex tea!
Harvest: Spring 2020
Dry leaf: Charcoal.
Wet leaf: Malt, wet earth.
Taste: Bitter → sweet, cacao, nutty, spice.
Flavors: Bittersweet, Cacao, Charcoal, Malt, Nutty, Spices, Wet Earth
Smooth tea with a bit of bitterness starting at the third infusion. Very nice smell and flavor throughout. Medium-thick mouthfeel to first infusion.
Dry leaf: Floral.
Wet leaf: Earth, floral, wood.
Flavor: Floral, honey, citrus.
Flavors: Citrus, Earth, Flowers, Honey, Wood
Wonderful tea with a thick mouthfeel, especially on the first infusion. Will be reordering some of this when I run out for sure! Started smooth as ice and became more astringent as the infusions went on.
Dry leaf: allspice.
Wet leaf: wet earth.
Flavor: honey, cardamom, honeydew.
Flavors: Allspice, Cardamom, Honey, Honeydew, Wet Earth
Many thanks to Alistair for this free sample! Loved this tea and definitely want to get some more eventually. I feel like this tea’s flavor evolved for me more than most others I’ve tried over the course of the infusions. First infusion was spinach, cream and cucumber. Second infusion lost most of the spinach flavor. Third infusion introduced honey. Fourth and fifth infusions had a back note of peach.
Dry leaf: vegetal.
Wet leaf: spinach.
Flavor: spinach, cream, cucumber, peach, honey.
Flavors: Cream, Cucumber, Honey, Peach, Spinach, Vegetal
Wonderfully light and refreshing tea! Medium-low astringency, very vegetal, with minimal to no bitterness. Only reason this is under a 90 is because it is a bit too mild in flavor for my taste in green teas. Otherwise, I really do love this tea!
Dry leaf: vegetal.
Wet leaf: cream corn, sweet, umami.
Flavor: cream, sweet, spinach.
Flavors: Cream, Spinach, Stewed Vegetables, Sweet Corn, Umami
Not a bad tea. My first TGY. I have tried the sample twice and dont feel like the tea tasted the same each time, but perhaps that is just my memory.
Dry leaf: smoky, floral.
Wet leaf: malty, smoky.
Taste: floral, smoky, bitter.
Flavors: Bitter, Floral, Malt, Smoke
I appreciate the mild flavor the tea has while retaining lots of complexity. The mouthfeel is also wonderful and the thickest tea I’ve had other than gyokuro. I am impressed with the complexity, how the tea changes so much as it steeped, and the mouthfeel. As the tea passes infusion 4-5, the flavors switch from floral, creamy, and sweet to primarily vegetal.
Dry leaf: cream, butter.
Wet leaf: floral, vegetal.
Flavor: floral, creamy, sweet, vegetal.
Flavors: Butter, Cream, Floral, Sweet, Vegetal
