Thanks to Verdant for sending me a free sample of this tea – sorry I am just getting around to trying it now. Dancongs do not tend to be a favorite of mine but I thought I would try this with an open mind. :)
I did a quick rinse and then dumped the whole sample into my gaiwan, did a quick rinse. The wet leaf smells fruity, a lot like an oolong.
I steeped the tea for around 30 seconds and got a very light colored infusion. Aroma smells a bit of honey and caramel which is very nice. The flavor of the tea is fruity, reminds me of sesame but also has a slightly bittersweet aftertaste that really cleanses the palate. It is quite oolong-y in character as others have mentioned.
2nd steep I think might have been around 45 seconds, but I lost track of time looking up recipes for black eyed peas. :) It’s interesting that the fruity notes are fading and I am getting a bready/malty sort of quality, but the bitterness is too strong here so I think the shorter steep is a better idea.
This has been a fun tea to try and Verdant has some interesting selections.
