We don't know when or if this item will be available.
“Dry leaf smells spicy, fruity. 195F 1T 8oz 20s steep spice, fruity, and earthy. I should have continued with the flash steeps and not tried to do longer steeps. With short steeps, the tea was...” Read full tasting note
“I got this sample from Mandala a while back. My tea knowledge is still growing after all this time. I thought all dancong teas were from Phoenix mountain so that’s what I was expecting, Now I see...” Read full tasting note
“This is a fun tea. Not as sweet as the big red robe Mandala offers but just as roasty. Wood flavors and maltiness. Mineral taste as with all yancha. I can’t place the sweetness. It’s a...” Read full tasting note
“How is it possible that there are no tasting notes on this tea!!!? I received this as a sample with one of my Mandala orders. Thank you!!! I of course am not going to have the correct vocabulary...” Read full tasting note
Spring leaves are picked and lightly roasted for this “Lone Tree” tea which comes from the Wu Yi Mountains in Fujian Province, China. This growing area has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the abundance of different species and cultural importance of its tea growing tradition.
Dan Cong (say “DAN-song”) translates literally to single bush or single origin. Any tea drinker or merchant that digs into the term “Dan Cong” will be confronted with various interpretations of its true meaning and when it can be applied. This tea was presented to us as a true Dan Cong from single origin. Single bushes can produce 10kg of finished tea per year and we have a very limited supply, so single tree plucking is plausible. Dan Cong is sometimes the term used for harvests gathered only from trees descended directly from one particular tree. Until our next field trip to this region, we will stay on the safe side and assume the latter interpretation.
Given our fussiness about picking details, why do we like this tea? Because it is delicious and very affordable! The dry leaves show darkened edges and greener material within, indicating light roast. The aroma, even dry is quite fruity. Short gong fu-style steepings produce a clear, peach-hued liquor with stunning mango flavors and the mineral presence Wu Yi rock teas are known for. The aftertaste is long and pleasant with a warming sensation that continues in the throat. We walk around the shop with our noses in the empty, cooling cups just amazed by the aromas left behind! Dan Cong has a reputation as a bit of a shape-shifter. Small changes in brewing technique can yield very different results, so experiment away.
Company description not available.
Dry leaf smells spicy, fruity. 195F 1T 8oz
20s steep spice, fruity, and earthy. I should have continued with the flash steeps and not tried to do longer steeps. With short steeps, the tea was yummy, spicy, fruity. I liked it, but you have to watch the time closely. It’s a little finicky.
Flavors: Earth, Fruity, Spicy
I got this sample from Mandala a while back. My tea knowledge is still growing after all this time. I thought all dancong teas were from Phoenix mountain so that’s what I was expecting, Now I see it’s from Wuyi which is also good as I like Wuyi oolongs a lot.
This got steeped up in the yixing this afternoon. It has a bit of roasty quality that reminds me of burnt sugar. For me the predominate note is fruity, peach and nectarine notes. There is a bit of minerality in the finish and it leaves a long sweet aftertaste in your mouth. I accidentally did one steep where I forgot the time and left it steeping too long, then it became sort of bitter and chalky. So.. I wouldn’t recommend doing that but 20-30 seconds seems like a good steeping time for it.
Not destined to be one of my favorite oolongs, but still a solid choice, nice every day drinking tea.
Flavors: Burnt Sugar, Mineral, Peach
This is a fun tea. Not as sweet as the big red robe Mandala offers but just as roasty. Wood flavors and maltiness. Mineral taste as with all yancha. I can’t place the sweetness. It’s a nutty sweetness. Faint.
However you can play with this tea. Lots of leaf with flash brews or less leaf and longer brews. Gives very different liquors.
Nice Amber caramel color. Smooth finish with a little lingering malt on the back of the tongue.
Not much change from brew to brew using gongfu style.
(This was my first review so bare with me). :-P
How is it possible that there are no tasting notes on this tea!!!?
I received this as a sample with one of my Mandala orders. Thank you!!!
I of course am not going to have the correct vocabulary to accurately describe this wonderful oolong. I really like dark oolong and usually the darker the better. This one isn’t that dark. I think it’s really well balanced. It’s not too woody, it’s not too minerally, it’s not too “roasted” – but it’s a little of all of the above. People who don’t like oolong because of some of those characteristics should try this one. It’s a little sweet, it’s a little fruity, and just plain yummy. I really, really like it. Easily in my top 5 favorite oolongs.
http://instagram.com/p/v17ihBuE-K/?modal=true
http://instagram.com/p/v17y7wOE_r/?modal=true
Sometimes my favourite dan cong is heaven with flash steeps but a second or so too long and it messes up. Small window but a great one when you know the tea