Mi Lan Xiang

A tea from Leafhopper — Thank you!
Took tihs one, weighted — 6.7 grams = 1 session worth. Was the pouch more full and I took some for western steeping before? I have no idea. Anyway, now it’s gone.

Wet leaf aromas brought me to the orchard with red apples on some rock hill; as it was sweet as red apples but somehow wet rocks and mineral in the same time. A little woody as well, well those are trunks and branches of the trees in the imagined orchard I suppose. Some more tropical notes as the leaves absorbed a bit more of the humidity in closed gaiwan.

From my experience I prepare dancongs with rapid first steeps, with prolonged ones later in the session.

1st steep — 10 seconds
It’s much higher in the minerality than I thought, distinctive “wet rocks” and wood, some little sweet notes of red fruits and mostly its skins. Partially “pleasantly sour”.

2nd steep — 20 seconds
Previous notes, but stronger. A lot stronger. Viscous and oily, as Togo mentions.

3rd steep — 10 seconds
Still quite mineral but fruit notes are more present noticeable. Sadly, it’s the skins of the apples, not the fruit itself yet. Aroma is lovely though, somehow woody and floral. Spring fruit trees.

4th steep — 20 seconds
Unripe apple flavour with still high minerality. It’s like biting the apple and then licking the stone. Aroma is very same to previous steep. Long mineral mouthfeel.

5th steep — 30 seconds
Finally, fruity notes are here! The minaral aftertaste remains, but sips are pleasant and fine. Also I have noticed some floral notes in this steep in flavour as well.

6st steep — 45 seconds
Drank lukewarm, still full of flavour and very similar to previous steep too. The minerality isn’t that strong anymore and thus it is much milder for stomach as well.

7th steep — 1 minute
Definitely more light wood notes are here, minerality seems to be gone; smooth and mild flavours. Sadly, also apple notes are gone.

8th steep — 2 minutes
Mellow and somehow sweet? Sweet woody taste. Weird, but that’s what I am finding out in this steep. Some astringency in the background.

9th and last — 5 minutes
I ran out of water in my thermos and tea sounds a bit finished based on the previous steep flavours, so I call it done. I don’t recall when I had 9 steeps tea last time; moreover still with flavours!
This steep was again very similar to previous one. A more astringent though, but 5 minutes steep is loooong one.

Butter biscuits were great food pairing. Rating probably is impacted by that I am not really fan of dancongs. They tend to be so mineral or too floral to me. This is no exception.

(2023 harvest) Heartbreakingly pretty aromas. As pretty as an orchid. High toned, delicious.

Only three teas or so left from the Swap Box.

Again, stoked about a Wuyi Origin Tea. This note will be shorter since I decided to test it out in my Phoenix Spirit Tea Tumbler, which was an early birthday gift. I know it’s a risk to grandpa a dancong, but I divided up my sample so I’d have just enough for a smaller vessel gong fu….don’t get me started on the teaware I have that is incomplete because a cup or a piece of it was broken in some divine accident.

This dancong actually took quite a bit of time to fully diffuse, starting off floral and lightly fruity-like honey and lemon in fresh hot water. The fruits further developed 8 minutes in, going back and forth between a floral orchid to honey, apple, apple juice, nectarine, and guava. Despite writing “lemon” in the beginning of this paragraph, this tea grandpa is not as citrusy as other Dancongs I’ve had, and I haven’t gotten the usual lychee note, though I may gong fu. There are some roasted nuts in the profile and some acidity, but it’s a heck of a lot smoother. It must be the 12 oz to 3 grams ratio.

I’ve gotten 3 brews of it so far, the first one having the most change and diversity in the notes. The other two are fruitier and a woodsier orchid, but still sweet and honeyed leaning more into apple as far as fruit goes, with some tartness or flavor acidity you get in things like peppers. There’s a little bit of “moss covered earth” rocks, and mineral for me, but it could be due to steeping in the vessel long. It’s super light and likely superfluous, yet I don’t see a lot of people getting it as a note for themselves. I think it’s my imagination popping images from my other senses, and I could just use "wet rocks "that’s already in the pre-set notes for steepster.

Overall, this one is very easy going and very mellow. Astringency or bitterness never showed up. I’ve seldom had a Dancong that works this well as tumbler fuel, though it could be because I lowered the ratio. I’m satisfied either way and very pleased. Not sure what to rate it, so I’ll wait until I gong fu it.

This is a tasty Mi Lan Xiang. It has an awesomely pungent scent, but unfortunately the taste pales in comparison. The liqour is viscous and very oily. For the main infusions, it has a full body and a bubbly texture to it.

The smell is initially mineral, very sweet and fruity, the closest to it may be a mix of nectarine and guava scent. In a preheated vessel, I also notice woody and flowery aromas. Once wet, the leaves smell more earthy but retain a sweet woody character. As for the taste, I find it hard to place, but it is definitely quite mineral with a floral bitterness in the finish. I catch some fleeting flavours of red apples, hay, apricots and later on in the session also various flowers.

All in all, this is not a Dan Cong that would wow me like some others do, but it’s a pleasant one to drink for sure.