Dong Ding Mr.Chang

oy…this is not the oolong for me. overly floral and particularly “green”

Yum! I think I have a soft spot for dong ding oolongs. The first infusion (travel mugged) was a bit light, but the second could have been that of a milk oolong. I don’t get the floral notes like I do with TGYs (which can be overpowering) – it’s just nuttiness, creaminess, and “oolong” flavour. So smooth and delicious.

Thanks for letting me try this Sil!

I’ve had this tea for a while now, but I never took the time to write about it until now. It’s one of those teas that you can easily lose yourself in.

First steep: Smells sweet, tastes sweet too! The liquor is a touch floral, and sweet; almost like the sweetness of caramel. It has a mouth watering juiciness and flavour that reminds me of fruit.

Second steep: I’m noticing more of the texture the liquor leaves in the back of my mouth. The description mentions marzipan which I think is dead on. I can definitely taste that in the smooth texture and flavour.

Third steep: All of the flavours are coming together nicely. It’s usually at about this point where I lose myself in the flavours and look down to see that my cup is empty. ;)

Fourth steep: This cup really struck me as juicy and sweet, but not too sweet. I really dislike teas that are WAY too sweet, but this one is just right. (If you’re curious, I find Bai Lin black tea and Oriental Beauty oolong too sweet sometimes)

Fifth steep: Liquor is getting a bit less floral and the spices are coming out more.

Sixth steep: Both the tea and I are feeling pretty mellow at this point. I could keep resteeping but I’m pretty satisfied ending here.

One thing I really love about Taiwanese oolong, is that your attention to detail pays off. Relaxing and taking time to enjoy each sip brings out such beautiful flavours. Sometimes when I just want my tea fix, I’ll brew up some cheap black tea western style. But when I have the time for it, I like to reward my senses with tea like this.

Not my favourite oolong from this vendor, but it still exceeded my expectations.

100ml purion teapot, 1 1/2 tsp, 6 steeps (rinse, 45s, 45s, 1m, 1m30s, 2m, 2m30s)

As Sil said earlier, very floral! I enjoy flowers though, so this was a pleasant cup of tea for me. Think frangepelia/gardenia. Tropical fragrant flowers on a soft/sweet green base. Maybe a hint of pineapple too.

The wet leaves give hint of a pleasant light roast, and sweet grass.

The 1st steep, I’m hit by how silky this tea is. The tea aromas remind me of small, fresh flowers. Already, I’m hit by a strong, sweet lingering aftertaste.

The second steep is still as silky as the first. I’m getting some grassy notes through the flowers.

Sipping on the 3rd steep, the tea feels heavy on the tongue, and still gives away sweet grass and flowers.

Around the 6th steep, the tea starts to lose in texture, and gains astringency. Still, it leaves a nice aftertaste.

This is a sample size I got at last year’s NYC Coffee and Tea Expo. It’s been on my mind and I finally had a little time to brew this up. I have a lot of respect for Camellia Sinensis, having gone to their shop in Montreal a couple of times and purchasing different kinds of teas from them (and begging them to open up shop in NYC). They’re completely serious about tea, so I take their recommendations to heart.

I brewed this up gong fu, with the new tea tray (yay!). A rinse, and four infusions. The liquor is pale, the flavors are on the subtle side. As others have noted, this tea is very floral. Buttery, creamy floral, actually. An aftertaste of candy sweetness that lingers. Kind of pleasant, but I don’t usually enjoy floral notes, and this one does get a little cloying after awhile. So, if I don’t like floral teas then why do I have this one? Because “trying new things.” All in all, pleasant enough, but I’m not in love. The quality is there, but the flavor profile just isn’t my thing.

Dry stuff is Good ol’ apple-caramel crisp, extra butter.

Infuses in floral Oolong at first, lighter than expected, i’m getting a chalky/powdery vibe and some type of boiled pork or beef from the wet leaves, although, thats probably fancy renaissance bouquet for the educated noses out there, it really smells like the foamy stuff coming on top of a meaty broth.
It eventually releases full roundness and sweetness. Mainly Buttery florals but there is a milkshake thing coming in and out, great stuff.

Thanks Mr. Chang

Finally diving into this that I picked up in Montreal when I was there some time ago. Such a beautiful store to shop in. I should have written down which vintage this was. No idea. Spring 2016? Autumn 2016? Earlier?

Currently on the first steep and don’t think I’ll manage beyond the second today. Caramel sweet and milky and a bit vegetal, but delicately so.

Thank goodness for tea. I find that there’s such heaviness in the air post-election next door. Fear and heaviness. Panic too, perhaps. And anger. And upheaval. My heart goes out to those living in it.

I have to second (seventh?) the ‘very floral’ comments as well as the ‘could be milk oolong’ note. It’s certainly the creamy, green, floral business that made me fall in love with oolong. A bit of a surprise, as I must have had a roasted Dong Ding at some point that made me expect that.

This is up there as one of the best Oolongs I’ve tried. Very floral.