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Amy oh

309 Followers / 339 Following

Dan Cong Hong Cha - 2011 Spring Guangdong Black Tea from Norbu Tea

Amy oh drank Dan Cong Hong Cha - 2011 Spring Guangdong Black Tea by Norbu Tea

I was really looking forward to trying this sample today, but also unsure of how to steep it. Norbu’s instructions recommend the gong fu method so I thought I would try it that way.

My first steep was for a 1 minute infusion in the Jingdezhen gaiwan pictured here: http://www.redblossomtea.com/teaware/gaiwan/gaiwan-spring.html

I got a nice organish-brown infusion which smells faintly of malt. Now that I’ve had a few dan cong oolongs I am really picking out that flavor in this tea, but this is darker, more robust. Really not sure about it, a bit on the side of bitterness for me.

2nd steep: 30 seconds. To me it smells a bit malty, I can’t find the honey flavors that others have described. It’s woody, sour & astringent. the other reviewers loved this tea but it’s leaving a bad feeling in my stomach, so out it goes.

Sorry Norbu, this one is not for me… evidently I am really picky about all things dan cong related :(

Please let me know if anyone wants the remaining 5g of this sample, the other reviewers loved it. I hate giving a bad review to a tea.

2012-06-29 09:48:17 -0400

205 °F / 96 °C

1 min 0 sec

I Like This

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6 comments

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Comments

Dorothy 2012-06-29 11:19:55 -0400

Oooh me! I’d love to try the 5g and send you a few samples in exchange. :) Shoot me a PM when you’re available.

Amy oh 2012-06-29 11:22:24 -0400

It’s yours!

teaddict 2012-06-29 11:47:45 -0400

He does class this one as a black tea, noting the Dan Cong as the varietal tea plant it comes from. I would not expect it to be very like an oolong based on Greg’s description, and would not judge it like one.

Amy oh 2012-06-29 11:51:34 -0400

@teaddict – I know it’s a black tea, I wasn’t expecting it to be like an oolong. :)

Charles Thomas Draper 2012-06-29 12:34:33 -0400

I guess I won’t order this one

Amy oh 2012-06-29 12:45:19 -0400

@Charles, well you should read the other reviews as well. :)

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My profile pic is of a pink dahlia at Golden Gate Park.

Hobbies include: tea, making art, animals, vegan things, buddhism, nature, creativity, books, writing, cooking, meditation, yoga.

I am a fan of many different teas but my favorites are blacks and oolongs, also like darjeeling and pu-erh. I’n always learning and expanding my horizons!

Dislikes include: bergamot, jasmine, highly tannic or bitter teas, overly judgmental and bitter people. :)

Live in San Francisco, I’m a SINK (single income, no kids) and love the urban life, but traveling out to the middle of nowhere is always fun too.

I tend to not drink things I know I will hate so a lot of my tea ratings are on the higher side. Here’s my rating system, sorta

95-100 I love this tea and would like to keep it around

94-90 An excellent tea which I may or may not repurchase

89-80 Pretty good, above average

79-70 Acceptable

69-60 Mundane – Will probably drink it if I have it

59-50 Ick

49 and below Nasty