At the suggestion of many, I dialed the temperature WAY down. Like to the top of the first white zone, which I’m thinking is somewhere around 160 degrees. [1. I really need to get a thermometer. 2. If you’re just tuning in and have no clue what I am referring to, I use a utiliTEA.] I put in more tea – like 1.5, maybe even 2 tsp – and I let it sit for 2:15-2:30 minutes.
MUCH improved. Of course, this is a completely different company, so I’m not sure how much that played into it [I’ll have to try Adagio’s again], but this was much more aligned to what I was expecting.
There is a distinct smokiness to the scent as it rises off the cup, which I don’t enjoy but don’t hate either. It’s almost gunpowder-y? Kind of like that smell you get from a log-burning fire, but with more of a peppery tone to it.
There is still some of that saltiness to it, but it’s not too pronounced. This is definitely a tea with some subtleness to it, but this cup had that chlorophyll-sweet taste to it that I enjoy. The sweetness becomes more obvious as it cools, and the aftertaste towards the end is somewhere between roasty and smoky.
It’s an interesting tea, and I want to continue playing around with it a bit, but I think that I’d enjoy it more if I were eating something with it. Something with complex flavors and a medium kind of intensity to it. Balducci’s makes this smoked ham, pear, and gorgonzola sandwich that would likely pair masterfully with this. I think I know what I’m doing tomorrow.
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This sounds completely different than the Dragonwell Spring that I bought in Chicago from Dream About Tea. My Dragonwell Spring is light, sweet, and virginal with no smokiness or pepper. It is fascinating to me that the same tea from different companies can have such different qualities.
Would you like me to send you a bit of my Dragonwell Spring for you to compare? (And report back on.)
Same here — the dragonwells I’ve been drinking are on the lighter, fresher side. From the photo these look a little more aged than the stuff I have though. Sounds interesting!
Carolyn Oooh, sure! I can send you some of mine, too, if your interested. Email's heather.takgotigmail.com.
@Jack Cheng It was rather interesting. Of course, the day after I tried it I came down with a pretty awful cold, so I’m not sure if it was the tea or my taste buds starting to go haywire. I’ll have to try it again once I’m not congested.
This sounds completely different than the Dragonwell Spring that I bought in Chicago from Dream About Tea. My Dragonwell Spring is light, sweet, and virginal with no smokiness or pepper. It is fascinating to me that the same tea from different companies can have such different qualities.
Would you like me to send you a bit of my Dragonwell Spring for you to compare? (And report back on.)
Same here — the dragonwells I’ve been drinking are on the lighter, fresher side. From the photo these look a little more aged than the stuff I have though. Sounds interesting!
Carolyn Oooh, sure! I can send you some of mine, too, if your interested. Email's heather.takgotigmail.com.
@Jack Cheng It was rather interesting. Of course, the day after I tried it I came down with a pretty awful cold, so I’m not sure if it was the tea or my taste buds starting to go haywire. I’ll have to try it again once I’m not congested.