1991 Da Ye Aged Oolong

Tea type
Oolong Tea
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Bark, Butter, Cinnamon, Dill, Smoke, Wood, Caramel, Roasted, Vinegar, Alcohol, Red Wine, Scotch
Sold in
Not available
Caffeine
Not available
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Tea Pet
Average preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 30 sec 9 oz / 266 ml

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34 Tasting Notes View all

  • “I’m a big fan of aged oolongs and this tea in particular is a really special tea. 22 years ago seems like such a long time. I looked through some of my old photo books to see what I was like 22...” Read full tasting note
  • “Last week end was Canada’s Thanksgiving. I had a lot to be thankful for at the end of the day and this aged oolong was just another reason. I’m a fan of roasted aged oolongs, and to me it is no...” Read full tasting note
    89
  • “This is another tea from the awesome box that TheTeaFairy sent me. What do I think of this one? I normally like aged oolongs. I normally like dark roasted oolongs – I should like this one. And I...” Read full tasting note
  • “I’m honored to get to try such a rare and unusual tea. In 1991 I was 10 years old, heh. It’s funny to think that this tea has been around that long! This tastes unlike any other oolong I’ve...” Read full tasting note
    93

From Butiki Teas

Our 1991 Da Ye Aged Oolong is a 22 year old spring harvested tea from Nantou, Taiwan. This rare tea is oxidized between 20-30% and charcoal roasted. Da Ye Oolong is uncommon today since this tea has a lower production volume. Our 1991 Da Ye Aged Oolong is sweeter and creamier than our 2003 Reserve Four Season Oolong. Notes of roasted chestnut, bark, fresh butter, honey suckle, and cinnamon can be detected. Due to the age of this tea, some mineral notes may also be detected. This tea has a silky mouth feel and is sweet and buttery.

Ingredients: Taiwanese Oolong Tea

Recommended Brew Time: 4 minutes
Recommended Amount: 1 1/2 teaspoons of tea for 8oz of water
Recommended Temperature: 180 F

For more information, please visit: www.butikiteas.com.

About Butiki Teas View company

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34 Tasting Notes

60 tasting notes

I’m a big fan of aged oolongs and this tea in particular is a really special tea. 22 years ago seems like such a long time. I looked through some of my old photo books to see what I was like 22 years ago and I couldn’t find anything from 1991. There are an explosion of photos from 1993, when I started high school, but I can’t find anything from after I was a baby up until 1993.

This tea was stored for 22 years, every few years the tea is roasted. It is because of this process that aged oolongs are rare. They don’t command a price worth storing the tea that long and re-roasting it occasionally. I’ve heard some speculation that aging oolongs in Taiwan could die out.

This tea makes me happy. It is so delicious and buttery. I definitely recommend gongfu brewing but even western style, it is still very rich and creamy. Roasted chestnuts and tree bark are the first notes that hit my tongue followed instantly by creamy butter notes that linger long after the sip. I’m almost getting a very very light minty end note. There are also some pleasant mineral notes. After about 2 decades, mineral notes start to appear in aged oolongs. This is a tea that I end up drinking so fast because I am enjoying it so much. Yum, what a nice treat!

Bonnie

I’m mad now! You started High School 30 years after I did! I no longer feel sorry for you staying up till all hours concocting new tea blends!!! Young-un!

Kashyap

what sort of oolong was it when it started? where did it hail from? what style or fermentation/oxidation level?

Butiki Teas

Bonnie-Hahaha. :) My family is such a late night family. I just don’t function well at all before 10am.

Kashyap-It was a Da Ye Oolong. They aren’t very common now since the plant produces less tea than other more common plants. It came from Nantou, Taiwan (middle of the country). The oxidation level is between 20-30% and is charcoal roasted.

Kashyap

nice…I love teas from Nantou and the lighter oxidation explains the buttery and creamy mineral notes

Butiki Teas

Kashyap-I too am a big fan of teas from Nantou. I’ve been very big into Taiwanese teas lately. It is very buttery and creamy. So delicious.

Indigobloom

Fascinating about the mineral notes, I didn’t know that!! Maybe I’ll pack some away in a tea time capsule :)

Sil

guess what stacy! i’m ordering some of this! woot woot!

Butiki Teas

Indigobloom-Only if you don’t mind digging it up every few years to roast.

Sil-An oolong, I’m surprised.

Sil

@ stacy – i really loved the 2003 four seasons one.

Butiki Teas

Sil-Glad you love that one! I think you will enjoy this one too.

Indigobloom

Good to know! I’d be scared to burn it tho

Butiki Teas

Indigobloom-Best to leave it to the professionals, though I would be curious to try it myself. It takes great deal of skill.

Bonnie

I’m a little confused…Stacy, you sent me a 20 year aged Oolong and this would be 22 year old Oolong? Or is this the one you sent?

Butiki Teas

Bonnie-Sorry for the confusion, the sample I sent was this tea. I typed up that sample in a rush, so looks like I missed the extra 2 years.

Bonnie

Oh good…I can write a review under the right place! Drank with the guys today. I’ve been sick since last Saturday and just ventured out today.

Butiki Teas

Glad to hear you are feeling better Bonnie. That’s nice that you were able to share it with the guys. :)

Indigobloom

been wondering where you got to Bonnie! whew, glad you’re on the mend now

Plunkybug

I graduated high school in 1993…trying to decide between this and the gui fei oolong as one of my samples. Tough choice.

Butiki Teas

Heather, personally I enjoy the aged oolongs a little more Gui Fei though I very much enjoy both. There is such a lovely creaminess to this tea. Both are great though.

Plunkybug

I opted for the Gui Fei this time…but this one (1991 Da Ye Aged Oolong) is a close second. It was hard to choose.

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89
359 tasting notes

Last week end was Canada’s Thanksgiving. I had a lot to be thankful for at the end of the day and this aged oolong was just another reason.

I’m a fan of roasted aged oolongs, and to me it is no surprise that my two favourites are from Butiki!

This tea is very dear to me, it makes me feel special. Taiwan seems to be the cradle of what I call my Gem tea collection, little treasures I just can’t live without!

The liquor is reminiscent of a citrine gemstone, a glowing sunny amber colour. I strongly recommend pouring in glass teaware to fully admire.

I love the fact that each time I drink this, it feels different from the time before, and I can detect new subtleties. That’s what this tea is all about, nuances. It has a very distinct texture, like a roundness in the mouth. Interesting cause I don’t think many teas have an actual texture. I wrote about Butiki’s 2003 Reserve Four Season Oolong that it felt like a silk ribbon in my mouth. It’s even truer for this aged oolong because of its buttery and creamy attributes.

Unlike other similar teas I have tried, the roasted aspect doesn’t overpower with a strong burnt aftertaste. Instead, it adds just the right amount of complexity. This tea offers so many different layers, I think it has a multiple personality disorder! But they all come together to create the perfect cup…many perfect cups that is, if you choose to brew it gongfu style.

It would be a shame to see Stacy’s info become reality… I sure hope the craft of aging oolong will continue for many years to come.

Warning: Please skip this part if you’re not interested in the «story». (I’ve been away for awhile, but for those who know me, you already know there’s often a story!)

Family came over on Sunday for Thanksgiving, and it was such a beautiful autumn day, we all decided to go to this wonderful hiking river park I’m so lucky to have very nearby. Fall in the Laurentians is breathtaking. We call this time a year «Le Festival des Couleurs» (colour festival), and people come from all over to feast their eyes on nature’s beauty.

My nephew and godchild Gabriel is only 3 years old. He can’t get enough of the outdoors. He’s going through a «fish» phase. When we go visit a new place, he always asks if there’s going to be fishes in the water.

He visited the park we were going to many times this summer. Knowing there are no fishes to be seen in that river, he never asks for them. But for some reason, this time he kept telling me we were going to see fishes. In order to avoid a big disappointment later on, I gently reminded him with all the adult wisdom I could give him that unfortunately, there were no fishes where we were going. His reply to that: «We’re going to see the fishes». Ah! That cute little dimpled smiley face of his!

As we were walking on the riverside, we saw a narrow path heading to the woods. We had never noticed it before and decided to go explore a little. It led us to a small pond with a footbridge built over to cross to the other side. Gabriel was so excited, he said even before we started crossing,
«Come auntie, let’s go find the fishes!» Well what do you know… I was dumbfounded to find swimming on the surface the largest trouts I have ever seen! From the bridge, we could see dozens of them, almost jumping out of the water, probably hoping to get food from us. There are no words to describe the glow I saw in my godchild’s eyes. Lesson learned, I thought. Even when the odds are not on your side, good things can happen if you truly believe they can.

Being sick all summer, I’ve been looking for answers I couldn’t find cause I kept digging at the same spot…it took a 3 year old to teach me otherwise.

It was Einstein who said that insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting different results. Gabriel reminded me that in order to find my own fish pond, I just had to take a different path. Best thanksgiving ever I’d say.

JustJames

xoxoxoxoxoxox

TheTeaFairy

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

Bonnie

Missed you sweet girl. Happy Thanksgiving! What a wonderful story! I’m so glad you enjoyed your Godson and the fishes. You had a lesson in hope, belief and joy. You deserve them all!

Terri HarpLady

Beautiful story! :)

gmathis

Love it. My faith could use some faith like that today.

TheTeaFairy

@Bonnie: only one word for you, Love!
@gmatis: I have a large faith reserve in store today, so I’m sending a big chunk your way:-)

TheTeaFairy

@Terri: thank you, life is a beautiful story, we just don’t pay attention sometimes…

Terri HarpLady

I agree!
I’m glad to see your face here, I always enjoy your shares. :)

Doug F

I love the 2003, so I’m sure to love this one.

Butiki Teas

Awwww, lovely story! Glad to hear your Thanksgiving was a success! :)

TheTeaFairy

@Doug: When I drink 1991, I think it’s my favourite of the two, but the next time I have the 2003, I also think that’s my favourite! Bottom line, you can’t go wrong with any of them.
@Butiki: Hey Stacy! Missed you :-)

Butiki Teas

TheTeaFairy-I missed ya too and I always love reading your tea stories! :)

Charles Thomas Draper

I did not skip the fish story. Lifes little lessons…

TheTeaFairy

Thank you charles, nice to see you’re still around :-)

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1040 tasting notes

This is another tea from the awesome box that TheTeaFairy sent me.

What do I think of this one? I normally like aged oolongs. I normally like dark roasted oolongs – I should like this one. And I do…. it’s good, it dark, it roasted, it’s not IN YOUR FACE smoky like some of them are. I think it’s a nice balance between “oolong” and toasty roasted goodness. But then there is something… not sure – this might be a little too “aged” for me. I can’t even really explain why I think that. It’s too strong, that’s the best I can do to describe it. The first steep was really strong, second not so much, the third is more like just a regular dark oolong. I think I liked the second steep the best.

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93
1113 tasting notes

I’m honored to get to try such a rare and unusual tea. In 1991 I was 10 years old, heh. It’s funny to think that this tea has been around that long!

This tastes unlike any other oolong I’ve experienced. It is creamy, dark/toasty and almost nutty, yet still sweet! Luckily though this is delicious, I doubt it is something I’ll be craving and wishing I could afford to buy again real soon. (Unlike the other expensive Butiki I splurged on, Japanese Puerh! SUPER TASTY! WILL BE RESTOCKING!)

The creaminess is so distinctive and hard to describe! I really can’t think of anything to compare it to…but it has a very well rounded flavor overall.

mrmopar

Youngster!

Stephanie

32 doesn’t feel super young, but I guess it doesn’t feel old, either :)

mrmopar

Agreed on both points! I am in the over the hill gang.. well alsmost. I always say you are as young as you think you are, so I am only about 25.

Roswell Strange

I wasn’t even born in 1991…

Stephanie

Well you are just a baby then, hehe ;)

TheTeaFairy

This 1991 and 2003 reserve four season =my favourite aged oolong!

BrewTEAlly Sweet

ha ha same here Roswell Strange :D

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818 tasting notes

I am LOVIN’ this oolong today! On my second steep right now, and YUM YUM YUM! I love how well this oolong comes out brewed western style, and because of my new variable temperature kettle, I was able to brew it at exactly the parameters Stacy recommends. At this point in my tea journey, I don’t feel like I can be bothered with gong fu style brewing, but I’m sure this tea wold be delicious brewed that way.

I got some caramel sweetness today, and it’s deliciously roasty, but still smooth. Like an oolong hug!

I definitely need more of this tea! On the shopping list it goes!!

Stephanie

I gotta try this one!

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80
15328 tasting notes

soooo even though i’ve found that there are some green oolongs that i really and some dark oolongs that i love…as an over all type of tea, they just aren’t my favourite. This one, while it’s certainly a delicious roasty, sweet, chestnut cup of yum…there’s something in there that makes me wish it was a black tea :) I’ve gone through a few steepings of this and while it’s certainly up there on my list of oolongs, i think it’s largely time to come to grips with the fact that i’ll never love them as much as my black teas. :)

Tealizzy

I would agree, as I must have a cup of black tea in the morning; however, oolongs have become my afternoon teas! :)

Sil

that’s good news! I still pretty much love my unflavoured blacks…then my flavoured blacks lol everything else is somewhere in the middle though i keep trying damn near everything haha

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3294 tasting notes

Thanks to Stacy for sending along a sample of this with a recent order!
This is a very nice, very tasty oolong. The flavor is of the more earthly kind, woodsy, roasty, chestnut, & with a lovely sweetness. I’d like to add peaches to this, somehow. I drank it western style, but I’m sure I’ll have to get more & try it out in my Gaiwan.
Sample Sipdown…that puts me at 234.

Sil

curse you terri! I’m back up again, and there’s something at the post office. I also haven’t been able to drink much tea lately as i’m totally congested/sick, so i don’t want to be trying new things boooo!

Terri HarpLady

what? you’re sick again? Is this like the 3rd time in a month?

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85
836 tasting notes

1 tablespoon for 248 ml

Charred note in the aroma. Leafy herb note- reminiscent of cilantro. Sourness.

The charred note carries into the flavour but isn’t as intense as in the aroma- it is very well balanced in the flavour profile, maybe only slight overpowering. The leafy herb note takes more of a vegetal flavour in the background. There is a mineral sweet note near the end of the sip with a slight floral hint. Mouthfeel is slightly brothy. I’m also detecting a custard-like note. I’m also noticing the peach that was mentioned in some other tasting notes. Only slight astringency which mixes well with the rest of the flavours.

This tea reminds me of walking through crunchy leaves in the fall.

Second infusion at 5 minutes. Buttery quality. There is still the charred flavour present but it isn’t as prevalent as in the first infusion. There is an undertone of classic oolong flavour; the grapefruit note that I find with a lot of oolongs.

Third infusion at 6 minutes. The charcoal flavour is subdued and the mineral flavour really pops.

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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83
4843 tasting notes

Backlog:

I haven’t had a lot of experience with aged Oolongs but what I’ve tried, I’ve enjoyed and that’s what led me to want to try this one from Butiki.

My first cup was raw tasting … earthy. Notes of wood and chestnut along with a hint of buttery taste. The first cup was lighter in flavor than the subsequent cups.

My second cup was my favorite. It was delightful. The roasted chestnut flavor really emerged nicely here. A slight caramel-y undertone. Silky. Still a little earthy, but these flavors have subsided a bit to allow for the nutty, caramel-y, sweeter notes to come forward.

Subsequent cups became lighter but were still quite delicious. It’s definitely worth the effort to put this Oolong through its paces.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/10/27/1991-da-ye-aged-oolong-tea-butiki-teas/

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67
790 tasting notes

Roasty, barky with a silky mouth feel. Smokey, earthy. Amazing to think I am drinking something aged for so long. I don’t even drink alcohol that old! :)

That said, this probably isn’t going to be something I seek out to keep around. If anyone would like to try it, I’d be happy to share some.

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 4 min, 0 sec
AureliaFish

Hello, it’s been almost a month but i was wondering if you still had some of this tea lying around? I’ve been dying to try it and i’d be willing to swap something from my cupboard if you want. Thanks :)

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