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“Gongfu! I knew this tea would be interesting from the moment I cracked open the sample bag and was hit with a wave of wood and spice aromas mixed with a brighter note of freshly macerated...” Read full tasting note
Produced by a seventh generation roaster whose Ancestors brought the original Soft Stem Oolong from Fujian, China to Taiwan over 110 years ago. This family is among the first to cultivate tea in this region. A father-son duo keep precious tradition alive with a mastery of fire learned over a lifetime. They use longan wood to impart an unforgettable flavor. Reddish in color, this precious oolong was roasted once annually for seven years — so it has been aged to perfection. Boil water to 200°F / 95°C steep 1 teaspoon (2-3 grams) in 6 oz (180 ml) for 45 seconds-1 minute. Be sure to re-steep 8-10+ times or more — longer each time — to fully enjoy the range of delicious flavors.
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Gongfu!
I knew this tea would be interesting from the moment I cracked open the sample bag and was hit with a wave of wood and spice aromas mixed with a brighter note of freshly macerated strawberries. Though strawberry didn’t come through in the steeped notes, this seven year old aged Taiwanese oolong did continue to be pretty intriguing and nuanced.
After a few softer steeps, while the leaves really opened up, this full bodied and deeply woody tea really started to pop off with notes of allspice, petrified woods and pine sap, clove, nutmeg, baked quince, and sandalwood. Lots and lots of sandalwood, actually. Somewhere in the middle of the session I got an infusion with a particularly notable cozy and fruity undertone of apple butter – that was my favourite part of the session, especially with the range of almost Autumnal spice notes present.
I think the only really negative of the session (if you even want to go so far as to call it negative) was the backend astringency of each steep, and the slight numbness left on the bed of my tongue. I didn’t particularly mind the numbness, though it was strange. However the astringency had an almost “crawling” sensation where it would catch in the back of my throat as well. I do have a tendency to leaf a little heavy with oolongs though, so that could maybe be resolved with a lighter touch…
Side note! After years of having some of my Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures volumes in the background of my tea space I’ve finally switched things up and rotated in some new graphic novels and manga. Still deciding if I like it, though it’s definitely a bit brighter feeling!
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct62Ad3OnDT/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3m-IhgWyAo
