Dragonwell

I’m such an in-yer-face strong black tea fan, I never know how to classify the subtlety of good greens. This one I’m supposed to review for www.itsallabouttheleaf.com, and it will take some additional contemplation. First impression was good—gently woodsy-nutty, not green-beany.

It’s a good evening to contemplate, though. On this Sunday a year ago, I was gulping tepid food-service grade tea in a hotel with no power, accepting dry clothing from strangers, and watching rescue vehicles begin to pour into my flattened neighborhood to begin pulling bodies out from piles of wet splinters. (A friend asked me to publish a little of our story; it’s here: http://lifewayvbs.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/meet-the-vbs-writers-gg-mathis/)

I just want to say for the record, I am profoundly grateful to the God who protected us and to the friends and total strangers who generously and kindly helped us piece our lives back together. Because of Him and them (and some of you wonderful Steepster friends, too), this evening I am calmly and quietly rocking in a secondhand patio glider, analyzing this lovely cup of tea, and enjoying the peace of a neighborhood where the trees and ground are unbroken.

May Joy be where you are, too.

2 TB for a 600mL pot

Received a lovely tin of this Dragonwell as a gift last night. The large leaved spied through the peek-a-boo lid are long, a bit twiggy, dark dark jade … and look good enough to eat. Ever the cynic, I dumped some tea out of the tin to see if most of the volume was fannings of broken leaves over which full leaves had been laid … but nope. All leaf, all the way.

First infusion: steeped for just under two minutes. Liquor is pale green with yellow tones. Scent is sweet and light. Body is light but creamy. Taste is sweet and very refreshing. No mineral or brine notes. Faint fruitness rounds out the aftertaste. Maybe some distant smoke — hard to say. Slight nuttiness.

A competitor’s Dragonwell promised improved concentration, which did happen. I’ll report later on this one.

Refreshing. I keep coming back to that, but yeah, refreshing to the point of being invigorating. Not at all a caffeine smack-up-the-head like, say, Damn Fine’s Captain Assam, but definitely a sweet buzz. Invites meditation.

In China, dragons are symbols of beauty and wisdom. I steeped a pot of this tea for my humans and they seemed wiser and more beautiful (honest!). Dragonwell is a well in China. The area around it is known for growing exceptional tea, like this: http://is.gd/dYsrr

What a great morning for tea! I was feeling like drinking something different this morning, so I picked out this Dragonwell. I have to say that I have not tried Dragonwell in some time, but I remember being quite the fan of it when I did have some. I prepare a cup of it with a cup of the perfect just-this-side-of-boiling water, a teaspoon of loose leave in an infuser basket. Working for the happy medium (always seems to make good tea) I go for four minutes of steep time (the package said three to five).

As the leaves steep, I take in the aroma of the tea. Dry, the tea smells leafy, slightly vegetal, a tad grassy, and it has some almost malt undertones, akin to some of the Taiwanese oolongs. The steeping tea is a bit sweeter to the nose, but additionally has some smoky undertones. I begin to sip the tea, drinking in the flavor, the smell, and the feel. This tea tastes mellow, and the sweetness almost translates to a floral flavor.

On the package, the Boston Tea Company directs one to “Relax and Enjoy!” after making this tea. I must say, I certainly have relaxed, and it has been a pleasant drinking experience. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this green tea a delectable 85/100.

Check out our video-tasting here: http://blip.tv/the-tea-show/episode-40-boston-tea-company-s-dragonwell-5776093

Purchased this on Amazon for $15 for 8 oz. bag. What a deal given the taste! The leaves are long and intact, so you’re not getting a low grade tea here.

I find this tea to be very fresh. It has a clean taste, but without too much grassiness. Best enjoyed in the late morning or early afternoon.

Like all green teas, this one is delicate. I don’t like much bitterness at all, so I steep this Dragonwell at one minute.

Could you buy a higher-quality Dragonwell? Of course. However, you’re really selling yourself short by not trying this out a few times. It won’t disappoint you — or your wallet!