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“October 20 Sipdown Challenge Prompt – Fall Leaves Appreciation Day The most important thing to happen so far today – I saw the first white-throated sparrow of the season on the bird bath as I...” Read full tasting note
orchid mineral chestnut honey
Lao Cong “Old Bush” Shui Xian is a medium roast (zhong qing huo) rock oolong from the protected Zheng Yan area of the Wu Yi Heritage site. It is generally agreed that trees aged more than 50-60 years produce the finest quality leaves; this tea is from a 70 year old tree, growing in a damp valley with limited sunshine. The suitable growing conditions have produced a tender leaf with the desired cong wei ‘woodsy, moss or wildness’ found in this arbor-style rock tea.
contains caffeine
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October 20 Sipdown Challenge Prompt – Fall Leaves Appreciation Day
The most important thing to happen so far today – I saw the first white-throated sparrow of the season on the bird bath as I drank my tea! <3
For my made up holiday, I decided to go with what I think is my largest leaf tea. This was a gift from Superanna. Many thanks!
The bag says to use one to two teaspoons of leaf per 8 ounces of water but there is no such thing as using a teaspoon to withdraw these leaves. The spoon emerges from the bag with one or two leaves balanced precariously across it. It is best to weigh it if you have a tea scale or eyeball it if you have experience with tea leaves.These leaves are so long, twisted, and lovely! I did not use an infuser because I wanted them to have lots of space. I used a glass teapot to watch them steep and then poured them into another pot so I could drink my tea outside. I have made two 16 ounce infusions so far. No straining was necessary because the leaves are so big that they stay put if you pour slowly.
They unfurl to long, soft leaves, nice and full. The aroma of the steeped leaves is greens and orchid. The aroma of the steeped tea reverses to orchid with a hint of greens. I used to call this aroma magnolia, or even baby powder, but since the company says orchid and I don’t know the scent of orchid, I will assume that is the best name for this smell.
Drinking the tea, I do not find it highly floral in taste. There is a light minerality, much less than a Dong Ding or Da Hong Pao, and also a bitter floral scent and taste like the bitter part of the aroma of lilac which I LOVE. I can definitely see why they refer to the bush as a narcissus scent because paperwhites have that same bitter (good) aroma. I just happen to have lilacs in bloom right now so it reminded me first of them. And there is a bitter nuttiness like chestnut, and Bellocq points out a flavor of chestnut honey. I have never had chestnut honey but I can see a comparison to the taste of chestnuts. Second steep flavorful with floral aspects dialed back and nuts, minerals, and greens dialed up a bit.
A lovely tea on a lovely day.
