Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Dong Ding Oolong (#50)

Intro to Oolong 3 Pack Flight, Tea #3
Eco-Cha

A special tea for my 50th review. I've heard so many good things about Dong Ding that I was thrilled to see it in this trio tea flight from Eco-Cha!



The sweet nuttiness is very strong in the aroma! As I smell into the bag from a distance, I notice the sweetness first. Closer up to the tea, the nutty flavor is strong. It has almost a gummy texture and sound as it tumbles from the bag. The dried fruit flavor smells like a light, dried currant to me. The color is a rich deep green with hints of fall, like evergreens with dried needles strewn around them.



I need to see the red soil of the Dong Ding Mountain area for myself.



The smell of dry fruit is strong from the first pour. The liquor is a cheerful, light orange. The first sip gave me a lot to think about! The cashew comes in right away. I taste a complexity to the flavor that I haven't experienced before. It has a somewhat buttery mouthfeel, but not taste, which really interested me.



The second pour of the first steep is a richer, beautiful color. I took the lid off the teapot and got a toasty nut smell from the leaves. It looks like I let the second half of the first steep sit too long, though, because I've gotten a burnt nut flavor now. I didn't realize how delicate this one is! Next time I'll make sure to drink this with a friend.





The second steep is similar in color, but a bit lighter; probably lighter because I overdid it last time. Now, the flavor has smoothed itself over, allowing the sweetness and nuttiness to combine. Instead of a deep currant flavor, I just barely catch the scent of fruit from the surface of the tea; it was so deliciously fragrant that I literally got my nose too close to it.



Cat interruption. She gave the tea a good sniff.

I'm on the third steep now and I'm slowly enjoying the subtle contrast of these delicious flavors.



This is Dong Ding is amazing. I'm just honored to have been given a glimpse into the fine teas of Taiwan through this oolong flight from Eco-Cha. If you haven't tried tea from them, I highly recommend them! I'm ruined; I can't have anything less now. Thank you, Eco-Cha!



This sample was provided by Eco-Cha.

My next reviews will cover two teas from In Nature Teas! The first will be a five-year aged puerh.

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