2017 Magic Mountain DNA

Magic Mountain DNA is a very good tea, but ultimately not worth the price in my opinion. I think teas like Teadontlie, Year of the Rooster and If You’re Reading This It’s 2 Late all present a better value among the White2Tea roster. It has a nice taste profile, interesting astringency and a non-aggressive and focusing energy in the background.

The aroma is quite weak, reminiscent of wet concrete, florals and lychee. The taste is vegetal and sweet, with a decent bitterness and tangy character. It’s a strong taste, but not so evocative. I noticed flavours like honeydew and Breckland thyme though. In the pungent and warming aftertaste, there are notes of bay leaf, cinnamon, a mix of floral and spicy ones. The body is full and the mouthfeel is quite drying, coating and sticky.

Not really sure where I stand with this one yet. It’s like a tamed mix of the two most recent sheng I’ve had, both from Menghai but with different qualities. This one had a mellowness in delivery compared to the other two. Is this autumn leaf material?

The dry/warm/rinsed leaf aroma was sweet and syrupy medicinal, with plum, tobacco, autumn leaf and a bitter tone. The taste remained relatively unchanging and lacked some high notes. Short steeps in the beginning started off brothy, alkaline and leafy then moved into medicinal with a buttery quality. Bitterness and astringency were moderate and there was a noticeable but not strong returning sweetness. In the first several steeps, the liquor aroma and bottom of the cup also smelled quite medicinal. The tastes moved into a good brassiness, wood, leaf and dry grass and followed through into the end of the session. Seemed to have decent longevity, though I wasn’t keeping track. I experienced a calm and slow-moving energy that at one point had me wanting to lie down but I got sidetracked. I was able to fall asleep easily once I did go to bed.

This tea didn’t pack quite the punch I was expecting and didn’t leave a strong impression but I can appreciate that. Does seem pricey for what it is. I’ll have to revisit in a few more months.

Big big big. That’s how I rate this tea. Big bold body. Wonderfully balanced bitterness. Nice spiciness. If you told me there was lbz in this tea I would not doubt it. Energizing yet relaxing qi. When the sample first arrived I was not impressed either way but after a few months I blown away by how a tea can be so bold without being harsh or obnoxious. Love to try this wet aged for 10 years. I plan to get a cake.

To start, I think that Magic Mountain DNA is a beast of a tea, and for multiple reasons. First, its aggressive and has a sharp edge to its body. Second, it left a lasting impression in the mouth, and in turn, left me very tea drunk at the end of the session. I think this tea is exceptional, especially for representing the Menghai region.

You can read my full review here!

https://www.theoolongdrunk.com/single-post/2017/08/23/Magic-Mountain-DNA—-White2Tea