After quite a long hiatus, I’m back again on this blog. A
lot happened (death, birth, house, yada yada) and now I have more time at home to
write this. I recently bought a lot of different matcha from Ippodo (online
shop) so I’ll be sure to add matcha testing to my list (plus one I still have from Matsu Kaze Tea shop). I’ve got from low
cooking grade to fancy koicha higher grade and even a first harvest matcha
which is not unlike Shincha.
Some months ago, I purchased a cooked wulong from the
Camellia Sinensis shop which got a special mention during a tea competition
last year. Quantity were scarce and quite pricey but when do you get to taste
something like this, right? Unless you’re a judge or part of the competition,
you’d have to be pretty lucky to get a sip. Or you find out a 10g quantity for
$30 like I did and wait for the perfect time to test it. *sigh*
I was literally afraid something or someone would ruin
the moment. There is basically enough for one infusion and a half in there if
you go for the Gong Fu Cha method. Which I did as it was recommended. Hopefully
the Camellia Sinensis shop will continue to offer such products in the future.
They also offered two other wulongs, but considering the price and that my
order included other teas as well, I settle for the Dong Ding Competition Special
Mention #9 (I need a new pair of pants. Let's buy $200 worth of tea instead!).
Dong Ding
Competition Special Mention #9
Cooked wulong from
Taiwan
Sold by the Camellia Sinensis Tea Shop
Sold by the Camellia Sinensis Tea Shop
Notes from the Camellia Sinensis Tea Shop:
Its golden liquor is vivid and fleshy, combining its
wonderfully tangy and sweet pineapple and candied fruits notes, with oatmeal
cookie fat and almond butter nuances. Supported by well integrated tannins, it
also has a subtle bitterness giving it strength and evocative of cedar resin.
This masterpiece evolves into a long finish where the more volatile accents of
vanilla, coconut and flowers take flight. For the fortunate!
Dry leaf:
- Tightly rolled very dark green balls with medium green and some blond colours visible
- Tightly rolled very dark green balls with medium green and some blond colours visible
- Balls are approximately 1 centimeter diameter
- There are some flakes, small particles
- Oatmeal cookie smell and Oatmeal cookie fat smell,
powdered almonds aroma
- Light flowery aroma, the one
you’d expect from a green wulong
- Sweet aroma like that of maraschino cherries
Steeping Method: Rinsing, 2 teaspoons of tea (as per
instructions), 95°C, 250ml of water
Gong Fu Cha method
Steeping times: 45 seconds, 30 seconds, 30 seconds, then double subsequent steeping times
Gong Fu Cha method
Steeping times: 45 seconds, 30 seconds, 30 seconds, then double subsequent steeping times
Wet leaves after rinsing: Charcoal and buttery aroma
Liquor:
- Clear and Shiny
- Mellow straw-yellow colour with a hint of pink-peach colours
- Oatmeal and flowery aroma
Wet leaves:
- Milk chocolate (Lindt), dried papaya & pineapple, light oatmeal cookie, and charcoal aroma
- Fruity with smokiness
1st steeping (一煎目), 45s:
Fragrance smelling cup:
- Oatmeal cookie, buttery, cotton candy
1st taste:
- Dried papaya
- Mild in taste and powdery (light astringency)
- Liquid in mouth but not silky
- Light floral taste
- Lingering smokiness like charcoal at the back of the mouth
The first taste lacked body and was not rounded.
2nd steeping (二煎目), 30s:
- Colour was slightly darker than previous steeping
2nd taste:
- Mild and smooth
- Texture was more oily and had slightly more body and roundness than 1st steeping
- It was also slightly more astringent but not too much
- Sort of salty-sweet taste on the tip of the tongue
- Slight floral and fruity (dried fruits: papaya, pineapple without sourness)
- Dried garden herbs
- Quick to disappear coconut butter aftertaste (it was pretty hard to discern)
- Light buttery finish
I had the feeling I was tasting a slight undertone of
shellfish but I guess I lacked the confidence to confirm it.
3rd steeping (三煎目), 30s:
- Lemongrass whiff emanated from the infusion as I was pouring it into the tea pitcher
3rd taste:
- Smooth and oily
- Dried papaya and pineapple tastes which built up in pleasant strength in the aftertaste
- Pleasant astringency, vivid sensation
- Buttery aftertaste (pineapple butter if there was such a thing) with light charcoal undertones
I had a feeling of a light corn oil taste and it seemed
that the infusion would get oilier in texture with each subsequent infusions.
However I stopped at the 3rd infusion as I wanted to share this
precious tea with my family before the taste became too subtle for them to
appreciate. The liquor was definitely more vivid after the 3rd
steeping. In fact, the 3rd steeping was the best one; it definitly
tasted better and was better structured. I felt there was a sort of cacophony of
flavours… Cacotaste? Cacophagy? With the 3rd steeping, the flavours
became clearer, easier to discern.
As the tea cooled down a bit, the floral and astringency
parts built up in strength especially in the aftertaste.
I’m not a fan of greener wulong and this is what this
cooked wulong seemed to be, albeit “cooked” which means that it has less of that floral and greenness you'd find in a short oxidized one, however, it was definitely one of the
better ones and most enjoyable.
3.9/5 is what I'd give it for personal taste
If I were to be more neutral, definitely a 4.4/5.
Why so low for a competition tea? One part probably my fault, as I waited quite some months before trying it. Although... It WAS in an airtight package. I don't know.
The other part is that I find it took some time to build in greatness. I know that originally, the first steeping is discarded (I wouldn't dare do that!) but still, it took 3 steepings to get there. The notes were fantastic, but it still felt like a better green wulong to me (don't throw me rocks, please!).
Extra notes:
I waited a few hours to try for a 4th steeping with my family and maybe because the vessel had considerably cooled down and I may have lost a few degree although I tried pouring hot water on the teapot, the tea tasted weaker than the 3rd steeping. Either its peak was the 3rd one or losing between 3 and 7 degrees made a bit difference. I will never know, but I thought I ought to mention that I did try another steeping. Anyway...
If I were to be more neutral, definitely a 4.4/5.
Why so low for a competition tea? One part probably my fault, as I waited quite some months before trying it. Although... It WAS in an airtight package. I don't know.
The other part is that I find it took some time to build in greatness. I know that originally, the first steeping is discarded (I wouldn't dare do that!) but still, it took 3 steepings to get there. The notes were fantastic, but it still felt like a better green wulong to me (don't throw me rocks, please!).
Extra notes:
I waited a few hours to try for a 4th steeping with my family and maybe because the vessel had considerably cooled down and I may have lost a few degree although I tried pouring hot water on the teapot, the tea tasted weaker than the 3rd steeping. Either its peak was the 3rd one or losing between 3 and 7 degrees made a bit difference. I will never know, but I thought I ought to mention that I did try another steeping. Anyway...