This is exciting for two reasons: It’s the free sample that came with my most recent Verdant order, and it’s my first Dancong Oolong. My first impression of the armoa is that this tea is way different than my usual fare. The aroma is both fruity and spicy, completely different than my usual Wuyi Oolongs. In a way, it’s refreshing. The taste of the first infusion is also very different, bu also amazing. A mineral taste – similar yet different than the signature Wuyi aftertaste – dominates, and after a bit, apricot flavors make themselves known. The tea reminds me a bit of these cookies that my grandmother makes, which made the tea more enjoyable.
The second infusion has some sort of spice present. The tasting note on Verdant’s website say that it’s cinnamon, but it’s overpowered by the mineral and apricot right now, so I can’t verify that. This cup was also a bit sweeter, which made the apricot more assertive.
Quick word of advice: DON’T LET THIS TEA GET COLD! Man, astringent apricot and cold water does not work.
Anyway, the third infusion was much less fruity/mineral, and the cinnamon has developed nicely. This was much more like the Oolongs that I am used to, but it is still uniqe, with a fruity aftertaste that is less subtle and most.
The fourth and final infusion continued to develop complexity, but things were still in transition, and flavors were a bit indistinct. Sadly, I can’t drink more tea, or I won’t go to sleep early enough. In the end, this is an interesting tea, with new flavor profiles and intriguing development patterns, but it’s not really my thing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very good, but I don’t think I could drink it regularly.
