We don't know when or if this item will be available.
“I steeped this one western style today, and this turns out to be a tea I really do prefer gongfu style. Even when I combine short steeps together (which was awesome), it is a lot better than the...” Read full tasting note
“I’ve been drinking multiple steepings of this Dancong since about 4:00, alongside the Mi Lan Xiang Phoenix Mountain Dancong, to see if I can really tell a difference. I can! I used the same...” Read full tasting note
“1/28/14 Gongfu practice in the evening. 2.5g in my 100ml gaiwan. I’m on about the 8th steep of this, and will probably write a reply to this note when I’ve finished. This tea opened with a...” Read full tasting note
Verdant Reserve Club – September
Mi Lan Xiang is one of the most accessible Dancong oolongs out there, known for its honey and floral orchid fragrance. We love the one that we offer on our site so much that we thought it would be incredibly fun to compare it to the highest elevation old growth Dancong at the top end of the spectrum and see what complexity and nuance Mi Lan varietal can achieve.
In contrast to the Huang Zhi Xiang, the Mi Lan is massively sweet and floral in both aroma and taste. Honeysuckle is the dominant note early in steeping.
The tea quickly opens up to a juicy sweet flavor akin to biting into a perfectly ripe pear, but tempered by a darker sandalwood incense aroma. Notes of elderberry, licorice root and crisp apple come through in the later infusions.
Company description not available.
I steeped this one western style today, and this turns out to be a tea I really do prefer gongfu style. Even when I combine short steeps together (which was awesome), it is a lot better than the western steep, perhaps because it’s harder to control the western steep, or it just got too muddled. Still tasty, but not as amazing for sure.
I’ve been drinking multiple steepings of this Dancong since about 4:00, alongside the Mi Lan Xiang Phoenix Mountain Dancong, to see if I can really tell a difference. I can!
I used the same steeping parameters with both, 4G in Gaiwan, rinse, then 2 sec for the first 3 steeps, adding 2 seconds per steep.
To me, this one smelled like ripe cherries, tart apples, flowers, & sweet incense.
The other one smelled of tart pink grapefruit, apricot, & a thicker incense.
Both teas were sweet, & delicious. I found this one to be a little more refined, in that the the floral & incense aromas were very delicate, but amazingly heady, & the cup was sweeter in general. The other tea had a stronger & denser incense to it overall, with a red grapefruit mouthfeel early on.
Quite honestly, I think they both have more steeps left in them, & I may try refreshing them tomorrow with a quick rinse, & then go for a few more cups!
1/28/14 Gongfu practice in the evening. 2.5g in my 100ml gaiwan. I’m on about the 8th steep of this, and will probably write a reply to this note when I’ve finished. This tea opened with a strong orchid/apricot aroma, and has gently been adding astringency and spicy notes with each steep. I’m enjoying it a great deal. The leaves are still pretty tight, some more so than others. I think I’ll take this tea to the club tomorrow, and see what it’s like brewed by a more experienced and focused gongfu-cha student. I get the feeling there’s a depth to this tea that I am just not skilled enough to draw out.
