It’s been an exhausting week and a half. I’ve been busy cramming for a certification exam that I should have started studying for 3 months ago except life and summer got in the way. In the process, I’ve gone through a lot of different teas to help fuel my long study sessions.
This is the first dong ding I’ve had in a long while. Normally I am not a fan of dark oolongs with the exception of fruity dan congs and some yanchas. When I bought this, I misread the description and thought it was a light roast. Turns out that although this tea has an assertive roast, it was anything but charcoal-like. Out of the bag, the aroma was very mouthwatering. I smelled roasted nuts, baked bread, flowers, a little spice and a hint of hazelnut. After a rinse, the aroma became s’mores like. First steep greeted me with toasted nuts and a little char. The second steep was a green/dark hybrid with baked and floral tones. The roastiness softens by the 5th steep and I get pleasant spice notes. When grandpa steeped, it’s smooth and warm. Starts off woodsy and popcorn like before turning into a nice graham cracker taste.
True to its name, this tea has a fantastic aroma and excellent flavor. The fact that it grandpa steeps so well is an added bonus because it’s another tea I can throw in my tumbler for work or while studying.
Flavors: Bread, Flowers, Graham Cracker, Marshmallow, Roast Nuts, Wood
Preparation
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My bad that I called it a light roast. I’m used to roasted Dong Dings being a little bit heavier, though it is impressive that it was a mid-charcoal one.
I actually didn’t see your tasting note until later but I’m glad I didn’t read the description on the site too closely. It’s good to step outside of my comfort zone sometimes :)
:) I was pleasantly surprised with this one myself. I thought it was going to be lighter, but the roast makes a nice accent to the orchid notes I kept getting personally.
I used to love medium roasted and oxidized Dong Dings and Tie Guan Yins, but I liked them less over time because they reminded me more of a potatoes than I liked. The recent ones have been better.
Same here. Roasted oolongs can be great but alas too many ashy tasting teas have spoiled them for me. I love toasted nut and baked fruit accent the better ones add to the tea.
My bad that I called it a light roast. I’m used to roasted Dong Dings being a little bit heavier, though it is impressive that it was a mid-charcoal one.
I actually didn’t see your tasting note until later but I’m glad I didn’t read the description on the site too closely. It’s good to step outside of my comfort zone sometimes :)
:) I was pleasantly surprised with this one myself. I thought it was going to be lighter, but the roast makes a nice accent to the orchid notes I kept getting personally.
I used to love medium roasted and oxidized Dong Dings and Tie Guan Yins, but I liked them less over time because they reminded me more of a potatoes than I liked. The recent ones have been better.
Same here. Roasted oolongs can be great but alas too many ashy tasting teas have spoiled them for me. I love toasted nut and baked fruit accent the better ones add to the tea.