Is it possible that tea tastes differently for each person?
Dong Ding is a roasted leaf and said to have hickory, roasted notes. I’m on my third steeping and I’m still not finding much in the way of roasted notes.
Oh wait! I tasted some roasted notes just now!
Much longer steeping was needed in order to acquire the flavor. This is a fly by the seat of your pants steeping as the site doesn’t provide any steeping notes, nor does the bag.
However, I feel that this is the best way to drink oolong. Tasting at various times in order to fully cherish all of the flavors. The roasted notes are faint but delightful. Remind me somewhat of a hojicha.
In each sip there is a sweetness that follows into the after taste. This sweetness can also be found in the aroma. The liquid is a clear, pale yellow that looks as silky as it’s mouth feel.
Besides the roasted notes we also find slight nutty notes mixed in with floral flavors. I wouldn’t say it blows my socks off but it’s a very enjoyable brew.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Eco-Cha
Description :
Rich, hickory smoke, sweet aroma. Robust, tangy, complex roasted character. Lingering heady aftertaste.
Garden: This batch of tea comes from Yonglong Village, just above Dong Ding Mountain. Yonglong is known for its rich soil which differs from other locales in Lu Gu Township. The unique flavor of the Dong Ding Oolong produced here is attributed to this soil quality, along with the fact this region is home to the most concentrated population of skilled oolong tea artisans in Taiwan. This farm is managed by a father and son team who inherited their family tradition as artisans of Dong Ding Oolong. Their tea has been awarded first prize in the world’s largest Oolong tea competition, and they consistently achieve top awards in their local competition of traditionally made Dong Ding Oolong.
Harvest: Hand picked in small batches. Winter 2018. Yonglong, Nantou.
Elevation: 700m
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Greek Mountain Tea from Klio. . . .
Trying to figure out what to do with Greek Mountain tea is a research adventure from the get-go. It’s not your average “tea” where you take your tea scoop, grab some, and toss it into a steeper for however long. There’s a process. You have to get, basically, a handful, boil it a bit, then let it steep. There are videos online that will help you figure out the amount.
Think of yourself as Indiana Jones, discovering new territory and learning about history.
The tea looks a little sketchy to carry around in a Ziploc bag.
There are flowers and leaves inside, and it’ll look like this in your gravity steeper.
The end color is a light amber. The taste is a vegetal lemon/mint taste with floral and earth elements, which stands to reason.
It’s actually all right, which surprised me, because I’d put this aside in fear for about a month before actually steeping it up. (I was a picky child who grew up into a fussy adult.) It’s not really my favorite thing of all time, but that’s because I love a rich black tea. If you’re feeling up to an herbal-flavored adventure, though, you should totally try this out.
If nothing else, this tea might be good for you. The site boasts that: “A range of biological effects has been attributed to Sideritis extracts and infusions in multiple research studies, such as antioxidant, oxidative stress reduction, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective activities. In ethnobotanical practices, Greek mountain tea has been used to alleviate gastrointestinal problems, inflammation, as well as common cold and cough symptoms. A recent study shows that Greek mountain tea is as potent as Green tea at inducing cellular antioxidant defense and preventing oxidative stress.”
I’ll let you know if my cold goes away!
Happy adventuring, Indiana Jones fans!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Klio Tea
Description
This offering of Greek Mountain Tea comes from Mount Othrys in the Magnesia region of Central Greece. It is the variety known as Sideritis Raeseri.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
