Phoenix Village Da Wu Ye Dan Cong Oolong Tea Spring 2015

I need to start finishing my older teas. I remember this one being more complex, but today, I’m getting roast, honeysuckle, and minerals. I filled the pot halfway full of leaf and the results are fairly astringent. I’m not tasting the orchid and stonefruit notes mentioned by other users; maybe that’s because the tea is old, or because I brewed it incorrectly. I have one more session’s worth of this tea, though that will probably be even more bitter because it’s the broken leaves at the bottom of the bag. This dan cong was okay, but I’m not inclined to buy it again.

Compared to the Da Wu Ye I’ve had from ESGreen, this one is a lot more subtle and thick and possesses less upfront gardenia and candy sweetness. Instead what I get is sweet roasted barley, honeysuckle, and a more up front mineral base. It’s more throaty and active in the mouth too. In fact, I find it to be quite similar to YS’s Bai Ye from the same year. I actually enjoyed this more during the 4th and 5th steeps which I found were more vibrant and active in the mouth. It can go for at least 7 steeps before petering out.

Edit: YS’s 2015 Bai Ye Dan Cong from Ling Tou Village wins. Just needed to add more leaf the second time.

A nice a floral medium-light roasted oolong. The orchid note is predominant, but theres also a butteryness like shortbread cookies and a fruity note of peach. Sweetness is moderate but not overpowering.

Sipdown.

I’m having this tea at work right now, and I’ll see if I can get a few steeps in. I will say that this time it’s very floral/orchidy, and while I can sense the roasted flavour, it’s not really giving me the bready notes I remember from before.

I wasn’t looking forward to this tea. I haven’t had that much success with Dan Cong’s lately. Most times I just don’t get any notes and wonder what it’s all about. Tried a bit of the tricky brewing the past but never came up with anything like it’s supposed to be.

So I just brewed this Western Style – 2 min at 90C. I am loving it.

It’s so sweet with a bit of roast coming through. Finishes off with floral and fruity notes. Soooooo good!