Category: Dancong

C. sinensis “unkonwn hybrid” Chaozhou, Phoenix Mountain, Guangdong,Spring, 2021; 600m-1200m, young leaf, semi-oxidized oolong; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

The dry leaves are long, twisted, dark-brown to black in colour and have a pungent, sharp aroma, suggestive of spiced biscuit, and peaches, with floral, and meaty highlights. The wet leaves are kind of spongy with a stemmy resistance, green to red-brown in colour, and have an aromatic scent, suggesting nutmeg/mace, dried orange peel, and really surprisingly cooked Spam or sweet bacon.

4g of dry leaf was infused in 150ml water for 30-35sec.@90-95deg. C. The brewed tea liquor is a bright light brown colour, with a nutty, honey and peach aroma. In the mouth it is relatively thin to moderately viscous, fresh, stimulating, mildly biting, and mildly astringent, whilst the taste is suggestive of mace, honey, slightly medicinal, earthy, mineral-like, with retronasal orchid, and v. late fruity peach notes, accompanied by a lingering sweet, fresh, and floral bitterness.

*** Tea provided by Jiyunxiang Tea Co.

C. sinensis var. song zhong; Wudong, Chaozhou, Phoenix Mountain, Guangdong, 600m-1200m; Spring, 2021, young leaf, semi-oxidized oolong. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

The dry leaves are long, twisted, dark brown to black leaves with a woody, spicy aroma underpinned by dark stone fruit, and shortbread biscuit. The wet leaves are a dull green colour with reddish-brown edging and an aromatic, spicy scent with floral, and fresh baked bread notes.

4g of dry leaves were infused in 150ml of water for 30-60sec.@95-100deg. C. The brewed tea liquor has a brassy, gold colour with a mild, spicy aroma. In the mouth the brewed tea liquor has a sticky mouth-coating viscosity, was tongue tingling, and a lingering sweetness. The taste is floral, suggestive of orchid, and old rose, with a honey-ish finish, and baked nutty retronasal hints.

In the late 1970’s, somewhere Da Shan Poa, on the Wudong Mountain, a thunderstorm ravaged the area and lightning struck the Lei Kou Chai mother tree. The tree struggled on but unfortunately the damage was too great and the tree passed away. However, before its passing a “healthy” branch was harvested and grafted, thus preserving the genetics of the tree.

Unlike other Dancong teas of the area, the effect of the lightning strike significantly changed the flavour and character of tea made from these trees. Today, much of what is made into Lei Kou Chai Tea comes from clones of the branch from the mother tree.

Tasting Notes:

C. sinensis var. zhilanxiang; Chaozhou, Phoenix Mountain, Guangdong Province, 600m-1200m; Spring, 2021, young leaf, semi-oxidized oolong. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

The dry leaves are long, dark and twisted, with an aroma suggestive of dates, cherries, and milk biscuits.The wet leaves are a dark green colour with brown woody stems and an aromatic aroma suggestive of cinnamon, orchid floral notes.

3.5g of dry leaf was infused in 150ml of water for 20-30sec.@90-95deg. C. The brewed tea liquor has a dull yellow colour, with a faint, floral honey scent. in the mouth it is creamy, stimulating, and has a touch of mineralaity in later infusions. The taste is peppery, and fresh, with a sweet finish, with honeysuckle (orchid?) and orange retronasal hints.

*** Tea provided by Jiyunxiang Tea Co.

C. sinensis var. Fenhuang Dancong; Phoenix Mountain, Shantou, Guangdong, 1498 m; Spring 2020, single leaf, old trees, charcoal roasted, oolong. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

The dry leaves are long, twisted, and coloured black with brown stems. They have a fragrant, aromatic aroma, suggestive of cocoa, jaffa chocolate, tangerine, and cinnamon. The wet leaves are a mottled green colour and have a wonderfully aromatic, spicy, slightly fruity aroma with floral hints

7g of dry leaf was infused in 350ml of water for 20-30sec.@95deg. C. The brewed tea liquor was a pale apple/pear juice color, with a faint, buttery apple danish aroma. in the mouth it is viscous, syrupy, has a fresh peppery tingle, and refreshing flinty minerality in the finish. The taste suggests cinnamon, dried tangerine peal, and lingering retronasal hints of peach with a very late, elusive hint of smoke on the sides of the tongue.

C. sinensis var. Honey Orchid; Wudong, Fenghuang, Chaozhou, Guangdong, 1000m; Spring, 2021, 300 y.o. trees, organic, hand picked, manual oolong process; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

The dry leaves are deep, dark brown, twisted leaves with a mild, sweet, honeyish aroma. The wet leaves area uniform brown colour and have an intense aromatic, spicy, peppery, orchid, and peach-like scent.

3g of dry leaves were infused in 150ml of water for 50 sec.@95deg. C., producing a brewed tea liquor that is pale yellow in colour with a mild, spicy scent. In the mouth it has a moderate thickness, peppery, mouth watering impact with a somewhat astringent finish and distinct lingering minerality and earthiness. It’s taste is floral, fruity, with by a notable retronasal sweet spiciness, and a sweet honeyed finish.