Dong Ding #1

I feel icky, that means I need a Roasted Oolong to sooth me soul, instead of reaching for a favorite I decided to try something new. The aroma of the leaves is very roasted, notes of tobacco and burnt toast with a tiny hint of burnt sugar. The brewed tea is very roasted, charcoal, tobacco, and burnt toast notes, no notes of sweetness. The liquid is charcoal and tobacco, this is going to be one potent tea!

There is a slight fruity sweetness I was not expecting, by fruity I mean pumpkin…are pumpkins fruit? The taste is a mix of pumpkin and coal, it is unlike any roasted Dong Ding I have ever had…it manages to be unusual and somewhat plain.

Ah, the second steep brings a more nuanced aroma of not so burnt toast, spicebush, and a bit of roasted grain. The taste is pretty bland, notes of pumpkin, charcoal, and spicebush, it is a soothing kinda bland though.

I took a late evening nap that ran too long and consequentially was wide awake in the middle of the night even without the aid of any tea. So why not?

This Dong Ding is much less roasted than I’m used to for a Dong Ding oolong. The taste is light as perhaps a tad more mature…. it’s not a green oolong, but it doesn’t have the characteristic roasted aroma and nuttiness I associate with roasted oolongs, well maybe a touch of nuttiness, but light, like sunflower seeds. The liquor is not very sweet and has a touch floral that lends towards the nose.

This is the last of the oolongs! I did it! I didn’t try all the oolongs, I just tried one of each kind. The leaves are small, tightly rolled, and dark brown. The smell is a very strong oolong smell and the brew is dark amber. For me though, this oolong is maybe too roasted? It almost tastes burnt. It has a weird, almost coffee-like aftertaste that I was not a fan of at all. It’s just really in your face and not in a good way :-/.

Strong spice aroma and taste. Rich and dark with a hint of molasses. Good but straightforward.