Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: White Two Tea
Tea Description:
Dark Feather Dancong oolong tea is a Dawuye variety oolong from the Guangdong province of China. The tea has a light to medium roast and is sweet, fragrant, and has a lasting complex finish. Best brewed Gongfu style, the Dark Feather can be resteeped many times.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh how lovely! This Dark Feather Oolong – Dawuye Dancong Tea from White Two Tea is a wonderful Oolong tea.
To brew, I went gongfu style and grabbed my gaiwan. I eyeballed a bamboo scoop size measurement (these leaves are too long and wiry to actually fit in the scoop) and put them in the bowl of my gaiwan. Then I heated water to 180° and poured enough water in the gaiwan to cover the leaves. I let this steep for 15 seconds to rinse the leaves. Then I strained the liquid and discarded it and started over with more hot water. This time I let the tea steep for 1 minute. Ordinarily, I will steep an Oolong 45 seconds for the first infusion, but after 45 seconds, the color was very pale so I went with another 15 seconds. I added 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion. I combined the first and second infusions for my first cup; my second cup was infusions three and four … and so on!
My first cup: It’s so sweet and has delightful fruit and honeyed notes. The sip starts out with the honey flavors right away, filling the palate with delectable sweetness. Then I start to pick up on some hints of flower. Mere hints, this is not what I’d call a floral tea, but there are subtle whispers of flower in the distance. Then I taste the fruit. I taste notes of plum and peach. They are intensely sweet fruit notes – like cooked fruit (pie filling, perhaps!)
Just after mid-sip, I start to pick up on subtle notes that are slightly earthy and woodsy. Again, these flavors are very subtle, because this tea is mostly about the fruit and honey flavors! It’s all about SWEET with this tea – I like that! The texture is soft and thick, almost brothy. Before I knew it, the cup was empty and it was time to steep those leaves again and discover what the next two infusions had in store for me.
My second cup: This cup has a slightly lighter texture to it. The flavors are different than the first cup too. This is more focused on the fruit notes and I taste both sweet and savory elements from the fruit tones. I get a slight tart note to the flavor; it’s a nice contrast to the sweeter flavors of the tea. I taste a slight mineral-y note now. There are notes of honey, but these have thinned a bit from the first cup are not as dominate.
I can taste more of the roasted flavors now. They taste savory and slightly smoky, but, again, this smoked note is very slight. It’s not really a ‘nutty’ flavor the way so many other roasted Oolong teas taste, instead, this tastes more like the fruit has been drizzled with honey and then roasted. YUM!
My third (and final) cup: Because I noticed that the texture was lightening up in my second cup, I decided that my third cup would be the last for me. Oh, don’t get me wrong – the flavors are still there and still ABUNDANT! This tea is delivering many wonderful infusions, just like a good Oolong should.
And this third cup is probably my favorite of the three! Yes, the flavor and texture is lighter than the first and second cups, but I like the way the flavors have all melded together. It’s sweet with just enough savory flavor to bring a nice contrast to the palate. I’m picking up on light buttery notes and I find those to be so lovely! There is a light creaminess to this cup that I didn’t taste in the previous two cups – the texture is lighter but it’s creamier.
A really lovely cuppa. If you’re into Oolong teas (or even if you’re not!) this is a tea you should try. Those early fruit and honey flavors as well as the creamy, buttery notes of the later infusions make this a tea journey definitely worth the trip!
Raspberry Cocoa Flavored Black Tea from Tippy’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tippy’s Tea
Tea Description:
A bold, malty blended black tea with a taste of raspberry and dark chocolate notes at the end. We highly recommend sweetening slightly to bring out the chocolate and raspberry. Delectable.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Hmm … after experiencing their wonderful Not so Vanilla Tea, I had high expectations from the Raspberry Cocoa Tea from Tippy’s Tea. And while it didn’t quite live up to those expectations, I still found this tea to be quite enjoyable overall. And based upon some of the tasting notes for this tea on Steepster, I think I might be a minority in my thoughts on this tea.
To brew this tea, I used my Kati tumbler. I measured a bamboo scoop into the basket of the tumbler and poured 12 ounces of boiling water into the tumbler. Then I let the tea steep for 3 minutes. I let the tea cool a couple of minutes before taking a sip. That very first sip was not only still quite hot but also a little ‘muddied’ so I let it cool a few more minutes.
After the tea had cooled to a drinkable temperature, the flavors were much more distinguished. The raspberry is strong. It’s sweet with notes of tart. But it doesn’t taste quite as authentic as I would want from a raspberry flavor. It seems a little contrived, and I’m not sure if that’s because of the Keemun’s presence in this blend.
The black tea base is a blend of Assam and Keemun. I’m getting lovely notes of malt and I like the way these notes play with the chocolate-y flavors. The Keemun offers a hint of smoke to the cup as well as a hint of wine-like flavor. The wine notes interact with the raspberry and I’m not sure that it does so in a good way. I’m not sure if it’s the raspberry flavoring itself or if it’s the way the Keemun tastes with the strawberry, it just tastes a little bit off to me.
The smoke from the Keemun adds some interest to the cup as well, although I can’t say that it’s my favorite thing about this tea. It adds interest, but does it improve the flavors? Not really. It almost seems like an odd note, standing out a little in the crowd, it’s just kind of different and doesn’t seem to meld with the other flavors quite right.
So, maybe it’s the Keemun in this tea and not so much the flavoring? I’m not quite sure.
As the tea cools slightly, I pick up on more chocolate-y notes and that’s a plus. The chocolate reminds me of a dark, powdery cocoa, as if it were derived from Dutch powdered cocoa. I can taste the bitter and the sweet. I think I’m just wanting more of it.
Interestingly enough, I needed to leave my cup for a while and when I returned, it was quite cold. I found this to be a much tastier cup of tea when it was cold than when served hot. I don’t usually find this with a chocolate tea (and maybe that’s my own perception because I think of “hot chocolate” when I think of a chocolate drink).
Overall, it was an enjoyable beverage, but there was something just a wee bit off with either the raspberry or the Keemun … or possibly both. I’m still unsure.
Asian Beauty Oolong Tea from Beautiful Taiwan Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Beautiful Taiwan Tea Company
Tea Description:
Delicious! This tea is probably unlike any you’ve tried before. We think it’s absolutely pleasant and sophisticated. Lighter bodied and very smooth, you might get hints of honey and cinnamon and there’s plenty of room to explore with multiple infusions. This tea is perfect for a cold winter day or equally at home in the heat of summer. This tea is also known as Oriental Beauty or Beggars Tea. We suggest you don’t add anything to this tea as it will take from it what is already there!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I absolutely adore a good Oriental Beauty Oolong, and this Asian Beauty Oolong from Beautiful Taiwan Tea Company is very good, indeed!
If you’re familiar with my Oolong reviews, you’re probably familiar with how I approach brewing most Oolong teas, but for those who aren’t: I steeped this in my gaiwan. I measured out a bamboo scoop of tea into my gaiwan, and heated freshly filtered water to 180°F. I carefully poured into the gaiwan enough water to cover the leaves and I let them steep for about 15 seconds. Then I strained off the liquid and discarded it. I call this the “rinse” and I think that this simple little process greatly improves the flavor of Oolong teas and some other teas (such as Lapsang Souchong and Pu-erh).
Then I pour more water into the gaiwan, and allow this to steep for 45 seconds and strain the liquid into my serving cup. The cup I use holds two infusions perfectly, so I steep the leaves again, this time for 1 minute, and strain the tea into my cup. I continue this process until I feel like I’ve either had my fill of the tea for that day or until the leaves are spent, adding 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion.
My first cup (infusions 1 and 2) is light and refreshing. It has a smooth note of honey and hints of peach. I taste a slightly woody note and notes of earth and spice. There is some astringency toward the tail. It’s a very pleasant and relaxing cup.
The second cup (infusions 3 and 4) offers a stronger flavor than the first cup. The notes of wood and earth are beginning to emerge a little more. The honey is present throughout the sip and I’m noticing the sweetness in the aftertaste. The same is true of the peach. The warm spice is still a hint of a flavor at the start of the sip, but toward the finish I taste a little more and it does linger a little into the aftertaste as well. As the tea cools slightly, I pick up on more honey notes. Nice!
With the third cup, the flavors seemed to mellow into a very seamless, united taste. The lines between the layers of flavor have been blurred to create a unified flavor that is sweet, fruity, a little bit earthy and a little bit warm. I think this third cup is my favorite, because the flavors have all become a little less less focused, so I’m able to enjoy the soft texture of the cup and the sweetness seems to be emphasized more now.
I really enjoyed this tea. It was beautifully flavored. This is the tea I’d recommend to those that find Oolong to be a little too “flowery” for their taste. This is more fruity and honeyed than it is floral. It’s best served hot, but allow the cup to cool slightly so that those honey notes pop. It’s alright when it’s cold/iced … but the flavors are much more distinct when the tea is warm.
Formosa Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
A darker oolong tea from Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa (which means ‘Beautiful’, given by the Portuguese explorers of the island). Deep raisiny and ripe fruit aroma, autumn ‘leafy’ note. Lingering flavor and smooth, refreshingly fruity astringency. A lovely introduction to Taiwanese tea.
Learn more about May’s Selection Club Menu Options here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve mentioned my adoration for Formosa Oolong teas in the past here on this blog, so when Simple Loose Leaf included this Formosa Oolong Tea as part of their May Selection Club Menu, I was a happy sipper!
Ali Shan Oolong is my favorite type of Oolong, but I’ll always have a place in my heart for Formosa Oolong. It was the very first type of Oolong that I ever tried, and for a long time, I didn’t know that there was any other type of Oolong out there. For me, it was Formosa Oolong forever. Since that time, my horizons have expanded and I’ve learned a lot more about Oolong teas, but, I still do love a good cup of Formosa Oolong tea.
And this Formosa Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf is really good. The aroma is sweet and reminiscent of dried fruits with an earthy background. There is a distinct autumn-ish essence to it: the warmth of the toasty color and fragrance of the leaves, and the sweet fruity notes give it a very autumnal feel.
The flavor is also seems to evoke thoughts of autumn. There is a toasty, nutty flavor that makes me think of roasting chestnuts over the roaring fire in the fireplace, and the sweet, raisin-like flavor also has a distinct autumn-like flavor.
The overall flavor is sweet. It isn’t an overly floral Oolong. I find this to be true with most darker Oolong teas, it would seem that the darker the leaves, the floral notes diminish while the fruity notes emerge. I like that while this does have a sweet, raisin-y flavor to it, it doesn’t have that sugar-y sweetness of the dry fruit. There are some woody notes that seem to even those sweeter flavors out enough so that the cup doesn’t become cloying.
A really wonderful, rewarding cup of Oolong. Formosa Oolong teas also offer many infusions, and I find that the later infusions (especially the third and fourth infusions) tend to be my favorite. This is true of this tea as well. The astringency has tapered somewhat, and the flavors are not quite as sharp as in the first couple infusions, allowing for some of the sweeter notes to emerge fully.
Simple Loose Leaf offers a great program to those who are looking to enjoy some really good teas at excellent prices! Check out their Selection Club and use this code: SISTERSELECTION25 to get 25% off when you sign up for the Selection Club! (This discount is not applicable on the retail selection of teas, and is only good for the selection club subscription.)
And through June 20th, all new subscribers will also receive a new teapot! What a great gift idea! Here are the details of this nifty offer.
Hunan Dark Tea from Tea Source
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Dark Tea
Where to Buy: Tea Source
Tea Description:
This loose Hunan dark tea is very fragrant and steeps up medium-bodied, slightly sweet, and meadowy. Good for multiple infusions. This is a great introduction to Hunan dark teas.
Learn more about this tea here.
To subscribe to Steepster Select, click here.
Taster’s Review:
I am not sure exactly what the difference is between “dark” teas and pu-erh teas, but, Tea Source explains it like this:
The category of China dark tea is shrouded in mystery. They are almost never seen in the West. Dark teas from Hunan Province steep up medium-bodied, very smooth, and usually with a natural sweet note as opposed to the dark earthiness of puer. Technically, dark tea is a tea that has gone through a secondary fermentation process. Like puer, dark teas age well and are probiotic.
Since it would seem that it is similar to, but different from pu-erh, I have created a new category under the “parent” category of pu-erh called “Dark Tea,” and this Hunan Dark Tea from Tea Source is the first tea that is being categorized as a Dark Tea here on the SororiTea Sisters Blog.
However, since it is similar to pu-erh, I gave the leaves a quick rinse before I brewed the tea, just as I would a pu-erh.
I will say that this doesn’t taste as earthy as pu-erh, nor does it have that sometimes “fishy” taste that pu-erh can have. This tea is what I’d categorize as a medium-bodied tea and the additional fermentation has given this tea an almost “vinegar” like note. Not so much a sour taste like vinegar, but I can taste a fermented note, tasting perhaps like a grape-y balsamic vinegar that’s been thinned with wine. But that’s just one dimension in this complex tea.
There is also a sweet, creamy sort of taste to this, and that is something I can’t recall tasting in a pu-erh! It’s almost like a vanilla frosting note! Wow! Notes of sweet honey and molasses, but again … lighter than these. Almost like a thinned molasses. Notes of earth, but I like that the earth tones aren’t dominating the cup, instead, I’m experiencing more of the grape-y and sweeter flavors of vanilla cream.
What an enjoyable tea experience! This is remarkably smooth and mild.
My second infusion proved to be sweeter than the first. It was a little less creamy than the first infusion. Not quite as “vanilla frosting” as the first, but I still taste the honey notes and the fruit notes are emerging. I am also noticing a mineral-y sort of taste that imparts a slightly dry note toward the tail. I’m also noticing an ever so slight grassy tone to this cup.
The mineral notes seem to have replaced the “fermented” note that I tasted in the first cup, because I’m not getting that fermented wine/balsamic flavor that I experienced in the first cup, but, as I said, the fruit notes become more focused in this second cup.
It’s hard to say which cup I preferred – the first or the second! Both were delightful. This is a really good tea, I highly recommend it.