Dobra Tea

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81
drank Hojicha Kyoto by Dobra Tea
140 tasting notes

First hojicha and the last of the samples I have from Dobra. This is a kukicha hojicha (fun to say out loud haha) that was surprisingly nice and complex! I’ll have to try some more hojicha in the future for sure.

Dry leaf: Barley
Wet leaf: Barley
Flavors: Barley, burnt toast, wheat, sweet, smoke, roasty

Flavors: Bread, Burnt, Roasted Barley, Roasty, Smoke, Sweet, Toast

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87
drank Bi Luo Chun by Dobra Tea
140 tasting notes

Another sample I took home from Dobra. Have been away from my tea the last week as I am in the ICU and worked 90+ hrs last week ughhh. But today is my day off and I’m reunited at last!

This is my first Bi Luo Chun and I’m intrigued. Rolled into curls, but not balls like a ball-rolled oolong. It is primarily savory and not particularly “green” tasting like other green teas. The smallest leaved green tea I’ve tried.

No bitterness or astringency. No sweetness either. I don’t get any fruity notes as some websites say Bi Luo Chun often has. Longevity is 5+ infusions. Aftertaste is rich and creamy.

Dry leaves: Vegetal.
Wet leaves: Same
Flavor: Savory, nutty, grass, creamy.

Flavors: Cream, Grass, Nutty, Savory, Vegetal

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89
drank Long Jing by Dobra Tea
140 tasting notes

The first of some samples I bought to take home from Dobra. Haven’t had Long Jing in a while so I couldn’t wait! This one is yummy even though it’s over a year old.

No bitterness with very mild astringency. Lovely savory tea to have on a fall day. Aftertaste is buttery and oily and lasts for a long time. No appreciable sweetness. Longevity is 6+ infusions.

I gong fu’d this one, but will try to grandpa it next time. I’ve heard that’s how you can tell the true quality of a Long Jing :).

Harvest: Spring, 2022

Dry leaf: Artichoke.
Wet leaf: Spinach and artichoke dip, asparagus, popcorn.
Flavors: Butter, artichoke, vegetal, asparagus, savory, cream.

Flavors: Artichoke, Asparagus, Butter, Cream, Popcorn, Savory, Spinach, Vegetal

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87
drank Bai Hao by Dobra Tea
140 tasting notes

My first time trying a Dongfang Meiren and it was pretty good! This is a heavily oxidized oolong for sure. Not far off from a Yunnan black tea in flavor, but you can definitely tell it is still an oolong. While this was definitely a high quality tea and there are some unique characteristics, it would not justify spending $1/g + as this tea costs on most sites I’ve seen. Very similar honey and sweet notes as a Yunnan black, but with strong floral notes that tell you it is an oolong.

No bitterness or astringency and very smooth. Easy to down this tea quickly as it is tasty and nothing off about it. Medium-low sweetness. Lasted 5-6 infusions.

Sad to leave Asheville, but it was a great trip! Can’t wait to go back for more hiking, great food, and yummy tea :).

Wet leaf: Floral.
Flavors: Floral, honey, cream, stonefruit, sweet.

Flavors: Cream, Floral, Honey, Stonefruit, Sweet

ashmanra

I have never made it quite so far south as Asheville but I would like to go someday! We have been to Blowing Rock, Boone, Valle Crucis – all around that area, and loved it.

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94

Granted, the reviews for this one are 9+ years old, but it’s way underrated on this site. Best tea I’ve had from Dobra for sure. My first time trying yellow tea (the last of the categories for me to sample :)) and I see why people like it! Definitely a hybrid between white and green tea flavors, although perhaps this one leans a good bit closer to white tea notes.

I get very little in the way of vegetal notes here unlike other reviewers. Mostly sweet and sort of fruity. Definitely a note I can’t place either. Would generally describe it as a savory note. Most similar tea I’ve tried is FL’s moonlight white tbh.

Wet leaf: Savory, butterscotch.
Flavors: Marshmallow, sweet, cream, fruity, savory.

Flavors: Butterscotch, Cream, Fruity, Marshmallow, Savory, Sweet

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88
drank Kabusecha by Dobra Tea
140 tasting notes

So glad to be back at Dobra Tea in Asheville! This was where my passion for tea started. It was the first time I tried high quality loose leaf tea and immediately fell in love with it :). This one is quite nice. By the feel of the tea, the steeping temperature seemed around 160 F. I would brew this around 120-140 for longer infusion times. I wonder if it might be even more to my liking with that method.

My first time trying a Kabusecha and I definitely see how it is like a hybrid between a gyokuro and sencha. Medium sweetness, no bitterness or astringency, and a very fresh and umami profile overall. Went about 4 infusions.

Wet leaves: Vegetal, umami.
Taste: Sweet, vegetal, grass, umami.

Flavors: Grass, Sweet, Umami, Vegetal

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75

Whenever we reorder from Dobra, this tea pretty much immediately disappears from my cupboard. It’s definitely the most memorable chocolate tea I’ve ever had, though we’re talking the deep rich bean flavor rather than any kind of sweet notes. Certainly gets a little bit of that hot-chocolate feel if you adulterate it enough, but I tend to be a little gentle applying cream and sugar to this one.

The only reason it’s not rated higher is that I usually expect my teas to brew well hot and cold. The chocolate additives, for whatever reason, cause the tea to go off within 24-30 hours after brewing, limiting my chance to enjoy it.

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65
drank Tian Mu Long Zhu by Dobra Tea
135 tasting notes

I tried the 2021 version.

Because of the shape, this requires either a few steeps or a longer initial steep to yield real flavour. When the taste does emerge, it’s roasted yet delicate. The wet leaves smell sweet and toasty. There’s a kind of dark floral background.

It’s nice! However, it is a tad fiddly to prepare. Green tea is always somewhat fiddly for me, but this one seems more sensitive to small changes in temperature and time than others.

Flavors: Floral, Sweet, Toasty

Preparation
170 °F / 76 °C 0 min, 30 sec 3 g 2 OZ / 60 ML

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85
drank Meng Hai Tuo Cha by Dobra Tea
139 tasting notes

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85
drank Meng Hai Tuo Cha by Dobra Tea
139 tasting notes

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85
drank Meng Hai Tuo Cha by Dobra Tea
139 tasting notes

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85
drank Meng Hai Tuo Cha by Dobra Tea
139 tasting notes

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65
drank Chi Tse Bing Cha by Dobra Tea
139 tasting notes

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65
drank Chi Tse Bing Cha by Dobra Tea
139 tasting notes

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Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 10 g 6 OZ / 177 ML

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65
drank Chi Tse Bing Cha by Dobra Tea
139 tasting notes

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63
drank Yamacha by Dobra Tea
135 tasting notes

Given the age of the tea I had, it was surprisingly good – I’d picked it up about this time last year. It had some typical sencha bitterness, some grassy flavours, and an odd, almost boozy note – not sure if that was present when it was younger. The tastes blended together into a harmonious balance.

Flavors: Alcohol, Bitter, Freshly Cut Grass, Grass

Preparation
165 °F / 73 °C 1 min, 30 sec 7 g 6 OZ / 190 ML

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60
drank Bi Luo Chun by Dobra Tea
135 tasting notes

A fairly straightforward green tea, more delicate than some other Chinese greens I’ve tried. It has a slightly dry, slighty bitter herbal taste that reminds me of ‘gunpowder green’ tea, but more complex and better balanced.

Flavors: Bitter, Drying, Grass, Herbs

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 1 min, 0 sec 4 g 13 OZ / 384 ML

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88
drank Tung Ting by Dobra Tea
1839 tasting notes

Ordered in my local Dobrá Čajovna (Dobra Tea tearoom) while I was waiting for last inventory check (part-time job).

I wished for caffeine boost, but it didn’t really come.

Don’t have much details but: In aroma very roasty, nutty… Hints of almonds, little floral.
and:
In taste it is much more mellow and way more floral with hints of nuts and one more message:
It was nice and pleasant tea. Not really energy boosting, but it was really nice. Quite complex in flavour. Haven’t expected floral and roasty in same time

I wrote those points to my friend who was curious about the tea.

When I smelled the wet leaf in gaiwan, I thought it will be very roasty, as aroma said so. But actually it was quite mellow and rather floral than roasty. I was thinking buying it home to use it possibly in the Advent Swap (see below!) but 320 CZK for 50 grams was quite steep for me.

I won’t return there for some time again unfortunately, situation here is worse and worse and as we have distance learning nowdays, we stay in our rooms trying to study. And I decided to stop the part time job as well now, because of Covid situation; as well I need to focus on studies a little bit more.

Check out Tea Advent Swap we are going to do: https://steepster.com/discuss/42125-2020-tea-advent-swap Shae organises it and I would love to see more people taking part!

As last, one funny story overheard there:
I don’t mind you smoke weed, you can arrive here stoned, I really don’t mind. But please, don’t use the crusher for shisha tobbaco for your weed. Please, don’t! said a manager to one of his employees (they serve hookahs there)

Flavors: Almond, Floral, Nutty, Roasted

ashmanra

I love Tung Ting! I am glad you got a chance to get out and have this one. So sorry there are more cases now. Stay safe!

I like the funny story! Is weed legal there?

White Antlers

I do love a good weed story. LOL!

Stay well and safe, Martin. Positive cases are on the rise here, too, where I live.

Shae

I’m sorry to hear it’s getting worse where you are, Martin. Take care of yourself and good luck with your studies.

Thanks also for sharing about the swap! I just posted an update on the post in the discussions, but if more people want to join then we’ll just set up more matches!

derk

A Czech teahouse sounds awesome. Glad to hear you got a visit in before sheltering again.

mrmopar

Stay safe Martin!

Martin Bednář

ashmanra: It was my first experience with Tung Ting and it seems it is great oolong! About the weed. That’s the most funny on this story. It’s not legal here :) but somehow accepted. If you don’t sell it or you don’t drive stoned.
You can keep amount “for your own need”, but it is not delcared how much is it.

Thank you White Antlers, I am trying to stay safe and well (mostly mentally nowdays). That’s why decided to avoid the part-time jobs too.
Shae, you are welcome! I gladly wrote something about it here :) I was thinking about it for long time, but it wasn’t just “good time” in some tasting notes. I will do my best in studies this year!
derk: Haha, it is indeed wonderful place. Check it out here: https://goo.gl/maps/PpDLXC8TbHE6VpAP6 — maybe you will get lucky to see one of my photos! And if anyone of you arrives here, I invite you!
mrmopar: I will try my best! :)

White Antlers

WOW! Martin, that tea house looks magical! It alone would be worth a trip just to be able to sit, drink tea and soak up that atmosphere. My city is utterly devoid of beautiful, casual places for tea. Sure, we have a few obscenely over priced, luxury hotel ‘tea rooms’ and one upscale, fake Englsih pub place for a $50 high tea complete with a pot of sub-par brew and three tiers of tiny, stale sandwiches but nothing on the lines of Dobra. Lucky you-and no (crosses fingers behind back) I’m not at all envious. : )

Martin Bednář

White Antlers: If situation will be good enough, you are more than welcomed here!

ashmanra

Amazing tea house!

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70
drank Dian Hong by Dobra Tea
1839 tasting notes

Ordered in Dobra Čajovna tearoom in Pardubice as Dian Hong cha. So, that said, I don’t know steeping parameters. The staff prepared a teapot of it and said me I can get second steeping if I want to.

The tea seems not that fresh as I am used to. Taste is honestly quite weak, I notice minerality, salt, little of leather and malt. It is tannic, little astringency.

It’s not wrong, just bit boring.

News section: government shut down all schools except kindergardens. Due to coronavirus. Holidays? I don’t think so.

Flavors: Leather, Mineral, Salty, Tannic

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70
drank Dian Hong by Dobra Tea
1839 tasting notes

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80
drank Da Hong Pao by Dobra Tea
87 tasting notes

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80
drank Qi Hong Mao Feng by Dobra Tea
87 tasting notes

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80
drank Wu Long Cha by Dobra Tea
87 tasting notes

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40
drank Lao Shu Bing Cha by Dobra Tea
87 tasting notes

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