Taiwanese Dong Ding Oolong

Sipdown, 221. I can’t believe this one doesn’t have more tasting notes! I suppose it is pretty new but there are very few thoughts on this one posted here. I decided to go ahead and use my sample in my gongfu pot.

My first dong ding oolong was a somewhat untraditional one that was completely unroasted, which I really enjoyed. After that I had a few others that had the more traditional roasty notes in them. I almost didn’t order a sample of this one because of that, but it didn’t specifically mention any roasty notes, so I picked it up anyway. The dry leaf on this one smells light and green at first, but upon being warmed a bit a savory note comes out. I initially saved my rinse and tasted it, but this one was pretty light on flavor so I ended up skipping it. The post-steeping, under-the-lid sniff did yield lot of roasted scents.

The leaves did a fair amount of unfurling in the first, 5-second steep. The liquor smells vegetal and a tad savory-roasty. It reminds me of a savory noodle bowl almost. The flavor is pretty similar. There is almost a miso-like quality to this tea, including the greens that float in the miso soup. The promised “pound cake” notes never materialized, but then again I never really expected them to. To me, it is primarily vegetal, savory, and definitely miso-y. This tea is pleasant, but really just not my thing. I’m glad I got a sample though, because I would have been forever curious otherwise!

It’s been a while since I’ve dedicated a day to a Verdant tea and I’ve built up quite a number of them. I pulled this one out at random. I don’t have my gongfu on me but the shifty measuring glass, strainer, and tea cup method usually work just as well! I’ll add to this throughout the day.

I poured the whole sample package into the palm of my hand and got floral, peanut butter. The first/rinse cup tastes a little greener and savory but is no less creamy. There’s a hint of spicy green tanginess at the finish. It compliments this extremely processed and watery chimichanga that I’m eating right now. I think the oolong may have more pepper to it. I should make my own chimichanga or burrito in the future.

Second Steep, 7 seconds: This smells more buttery and sweet. The peppercorn is increased here and is now prevalently lingers. It’ also has a tangy red sweetness to it that’s very rich and taunts the boundary between fruity and vegetal. The effect makes me feel deceivingly full, like eating a well varied meal.

Part 2 of my February TOMC tasting party with myself, to me this tea has a slight salty & green taste, & made me think of yellow flowers.

I’ve been sipping this all day as I do chores and make tea packages for my prof and for a very good friend who is new to tea… or.. well.. new to good loose leaf tea (I’m proud to say he drinks bagged green tea at least!)

ANNNYYWAYS.

I’m in my third steep now, initial flavours tasted like currant and raspberry with a hint of milk oolong. There is a subtle tartness to this tea I find, this steep more so than others. Also a little bit of vanilla shows up.

I like it, but I need more time with it. I’m holding off my rating until that time.

PS.. It doesn’t snow much here really. Maybe 1-2 days per year. Now that it’s the first day of spring- it’s snowing. Or trying hard to. YAYYY! (I do love snow, but what random timing!)

PS.. It doesn’t snow much here really. Maybe 1-2 days per year. Now that it’s the first day of spring- it’s snowing. Or trying hard to. YAYYY! (I do love snow, but what random timing!)Edit: Interesting.. steep 5 has a creamy maple ice cream flavour. Ohhh yummy. Yummy yummy yummy! Its custard like too. Holy hannah this is delightful.

Been sipping this all morning. On steep 6, I love it. Goes down easy, I don’t often drink tea bare, but I love my oolongs this way.

Steeped this western-style at work today – an indulgence,as I usually try to do my “good” teas at home, where I can gong fu, but I needed the boost. I also added a pinch of the schisandra blend, which really turns up the volume on the flavor. This is not my usual morning tea at all, but I’m finding it very vibrant and quenching today. Flavor notes are sour, sweet/floral like a green oolong, and a little umami; there’s a very full and creamy mouth-feel. I find myself enjoying the flavor for several breaths after sipping. On to my second steep already!

2tsp oolong, 1/4tsp schisandra, 8oz water

I ordered a sample of this after my husband said he liked Dong Ding Oolong. He previously tried a sample from thepuriTea, and I ordered that one too. I wanted to compare them. They are very similar, but this one doesn’t smell floral at all and it is slightly more savory than thepuriTea one.

Thank goodness that Verdant clarifies the distinction between mainland and Taiwanese Oolongs. So far, the only green Oolongs that I like are from Taiwan and I never made the association before. I really do like a delicate floral aroma (I didn’t used to) but I don’t like floral flavor so much (who knows, maybe my taste for that will develop too). What I really like is savory. yummy. (^o^)

I tend to brew my oolongs my version of western style. I used 1tsp in 90C water for 1 minute.

The dry tea is green nuggets of tea. It smells of a green oolong, slightly vegetal, flowery, but there is a buttery and sweet aroma.

This tea tastes slightly sweet, slight hint of butter, almost on the verge of tasting like a milk oolong, but not quite. There is a hint of flowery taste, but is not perfumey tasting. The smell and taste reminds me of freshly baked sweet breads. Although, thats what it tastes like, it still feels like a light tasting tea, not heavy.

This is a tea that I could just drink all day long.

Digging into some tea of the month club offerings from a couple months ago. Spring clean up really digs into your time! Time to try some “Frozen Summit” tea. Dry leaf looks like mostly in-tacked full leaves rolled with small stem. Smell is of crasins and light floral toasted notes.
Did a quick wash then a 6 sec. steep. Wet leaf smells very vegital and strong muscatel/ ripe fruit. Body is heavy and velvety. Taste is bready with a good dose of raspberry.
2nd steep(6sec.): Liquor is more golden and a tartness with the raspberry is coming through. Not as bready as the previous steep.
3rd steep(6sec.): Leaves are almost fully open now. Bread is not back in full force with light fruitiness. Their is a mild sweetness towards the end but I’m starting to get a light briskness. That feeling of white pepper in the back of your throat.
4th steep(6sec.): Same as last.
5th steep(6sec.): Turn the leaves this time. Flavor revitalized a little but for the most part, the flavor has stayed pretty even keeled.

Another package arrived and this time its Dong Ding! Its a first for me to experience Dong Ding and a quite a lovely tea this is! Its wonderful nutty, faintly citric, and vegetal character has a warm and savory demeanor . The aroma and the brewed liquor describes itself as freshly ground nuts much like flax that welcomes itself into the palate and after with its grassy, intense nutty and earthiness (akin to being roasted) that shares a similar profile to Chinese greens. There is a subtle youthfulness to this Dong Ding much like freshly cooked and juicy prickly pears that adds a wonderful aromatic quality that hints of freshness of a springs bounty. A wonderful crisp but smooth citric taste accents well with its subtle flowery notes much to a reminder of orange blossoms. Just outstanding!