Gardenia Fragrance is a true Dan Cong oolong. Harvested in 2001, this lot is made from a blend of the farm’s oolong trees. This was the traditional Dan Cong processing whereby leaves from various old trees are blended to create this lot. One will not the large size of the leaves. Highly aromatic, nuanced in flavor, this is rare taste of the famous oolongs from Fenghuang.
Lot Notes. This lot is an exceptional tea in appearance (leaf size and shape), aroma and most tellingly, taste. The leaves are large & edged in yellow. These leaf characteristics speak to an earlier period in China's tea market when Dan Congs had not yet reached the level of domestic and world popularity they now enjoy. These attributes combined and its wonderful taste highlight the quality of this tea. The lot is handmade.
Tea Facts. This lot was harvested in 2001 on a small farm located near Chao Zhou city, in the Phoenix Mountains of Guangdong Province. The farm is located on WuDong Mountain. Lot was made with a local cultivar "Chao Lan Xiang". The roots of the trees reach deeply into the mineral-rich soil and subterranean fresh water springs nourish the trees. Generally, it is held the first steep is for aroma; in the 2nd & 3rd infusions the flavors are more fully open.
Taste Profile. Ambrosial. Taste of tangerine, hint of orchid flowers. Elegant mouthfeel. Multiple infusions will bring out woodsy notes and a lingering floral aftertaste. As it is aged now over 25 years, notes are rounded and slow to express on the pallete. The leaves will steep multiple times.
Brewing suggestions. We find this style of oolong is best infused with water at boiling temperature. This will hasten awakening the leaves and release their wonderful aromas. Use a teaspoon for up to eight ounces and rounded tablespoon 12 ounces of water. Rinse the leaves briefly and pour off the water. Re-infuse and steep for 1.5 minutes and taste. Between steeps, drain all water from the leaves and enjoy multiple (5-7) infusions making subsequent steeps times longer.
SKU: O-PBO-PR-HZX-GF
