"Sweet Scented" Dong Ding Spring 2020

When I spilled those small tea balls to small tea saucer, I noticed raisins. Which is far away from all the notes that Leafhopper mentions and thank you for this tea!

I have watered those balls in gaiwan with prepared water, which had 86°C and completely different notes apperared. So, this rinse-not rinse; it was rather like hitting them with water and then spilling it out.
I got the dry aroma stronger. Raisins, but also other notes: roast, flowers and nuts. I will steep it similar to Leafhopper, so first steep being 25 seconds long.

By the way, it’s a while since I got Ding Dong, so, honestly I don’t remember much.
This first steep is so sweet. Always happy to find naturally sweet teas, because they fill my sweet tooth. Nutty, grains, tasty! But that floral aftertaste, with orchids, that’s something I haven’t been expecting at all. And it was quite strong. Stronger than I would expect from roasted oolong.

Second steep was 20 seconds long and it produces very similar notes, but stronger, there is no char for me there. It’s indeed quite nutty and grainy in taste, again with heavy floral and sweet aftertaste, with a little bit grassy notes too.
Third steep, thirty seconds. I definitely get sweet scented descriptor. It’s indeed quite sweet, grains got strogner too. Nutty note weaker. A little bit of drying note here too.
Fourth steep, again 30 seconds, it’s somehow standard roasted oolong, with floral notes, some grains and some grass, quite smooth and enjoyable, though a bit boring.
Let’s make a jump, 60 seconds steep (running out of water in thermos), and let’s see the results: sweet grass notes, with floral aftertaste and overall, I feel the best is the past.
A few following steeps were longer, but same in taste.

Other news: I bought today tickets for my very first tea festival! It will be in June, two days long. Can’t wait! Last year photos here: https://swietoherbaty.pl/pl/galeria/ So far only one tea vendor is listed, TheTea.pl; but I assume the list expands soon!

I usually don’t go for roasted oolongs, but bought 50 g of this Dong Ding due to its many good reviews and low price. It was the right decision, as I’ve been enjoying it all winter. I steeped 6 g of leaf in a 120 ml teapot at 195F for 25, 20, 25, 30, 30, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 240 seconds.

The dry aroma is of grain, roast, char, walnuts, and flowers. As promised, the scent of this tea is sweet and cozy. The first steep has notes of walnuts, roasted grains, butter, honey, and char. Nutmeg, orchids, other flowers, and grass emerge in steep two, and I can see how it could remind people of popcorn. The next steep has more spices and roasted nuts, but is also a bit drying. Steeps four and five continue with the florals, grass, honey, grain, and walnuts, but the dryness also persists. The roast becomes more noticeable in the final few steeps, though it isn’t too abrasive; I also get wood and minerals.

This is a solid, unpretentious, well-made Dong Ding that lives up to its “sweet scented” name. It’s one of the few roasted teas that I would consider repurchasing.