Thank you Infussion Tea for this generous sample!
When Infussion’s parcel arrived, my parents took one look at the Polish address and said you didn’t… No! I didn’t! This was a kind free sample from the company. I haven’t ordered a big box of expensive teas from overseas… Yet. I’m looking at you, Mariage Frères
I’ve had Dragonwell from a few places now so I was stoked (do people still use that word?) to try another! Infussion’s Longjing reminds me the most of Silk Road- not too dry and not too buttery. The Dragonwell from David’s Tea is so dry and nutty it makes my mouth pucker, while a cup from Andrews & Dunham’s is like butter on my tongue. The first steep of this caused neither of those reactions.
I don’t have a gongfu pot here or own a gaiwan so it was Western brewin’ style for me. The first steep was noticeably roasted and vegetal with some slight nuttiness (don’t ask me to name the nuts). The cup was also somewhat astringent as the water temperature was likely too high. Not bad for a kick. It came off a little strong but this is one of those teas that taste a lot better if you let it sit for a few minutes before drinking. Lowering the temperature sometimes helps with reducing astringency or bitterness.
At this point I was thinking it was OK but not sure if I would want to order this particular one again. Then I second steeped it. More roasted butter nut soft veggies!!! This is how I like my Dragonwell- mellow. I’m a wimp.
Preparation
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I nearly had this yesterday! but with dragon well I like to be able to take my time making it.
I really like to make time for this tea too and relax with it although I don’t do anything special. How do you prepare yours usually?
Usually with dragon well I like to do several steeps and try to pay real attention to temperature and time. A little teapot, warmed, mineral water, and several steeps. This morning made some though not with all due care, been craving some dragon well and your review made me decide to just have it, so just had it relatively easy, normal tap water, a generous ammount on my favorite little pot, water about 80 degrees, and about 3-4 minutes. I am not feeling much difference between the first and second steeps, though will try for a third!
I think I butchered my first steep to be honest. The water temperature, at least was very different between the two.
I’ve never steeped my tea in anything but the tap water here but if any tea deserved fine water it’s dragonwell.
Water taste can vary – in some places it can be awful! And depends a lot on weather and everything. I swear some bergamotish teas can pick up any hint of bleach taste (for example Harney´s Paris blend. horrible chemistry with my tap water). And I do not like filtered water, tastes too sweet and all. But mineral water in 5 or 6 liter bottles is less than 1 euro, I got a couple around for tea and visits and stuff. I feel bad about the packaging, but a large bottle lasts me weeks and it´s always reused or recycled.
I should do some water comparison tests because you’re right, water does taste very different. I know the tap water in the city I go to school in is atrocious. Too alkaline and smells “off”. I tend not to notice the difference in water unless I have been traveling around from city to city, or country to country. I never thought bergamot in particular could be affected so drastically though. Thank you for the advice! :)
The bergamot thing might be a quirk of mine – but some teas can handle any water just fine, others no. I think I notice differences in some bergamot teas sometime, but not a perfect correlation. Maybe jasmine as well.
Water can be horrible on some places. In Barcelona you could even taste the bleach in coffee!
I nearly had this yesterday! but with dragon well I like to be able to take my time making it.
I really like to make time for this tea too and relax with it although I don’t do anything special. How do you prepare yours usually?
Usually with dragon well I like to do several steeps and try to pay real attention to temperature and time. A little teapot, warmed, mineral water, and several steeps. This morning made some though not with all due care, been craving some dragon well and your review made me decide to just have it, so just had it relatively easy, normal tap water, a generous ammount on my favorite little pot, water about 80 degrees, and about 3-4 minutes. I am not feeling much difference between the first and second steeps, though will try for a third!
I think I butchered my first steep to be honest. The water temperature, at least was very different between the two.
I’ve never steeped my tea in anything but the tap water here but if any tea deserved fine water it’s dragonwell.
Water taste can vary – in some places it can be awful! And depends a lot on weather and everything. I swear some bergamotish teas can pick up any hint of bleach taste (for example Harney´s Paris blend. horrible chemistry with my tap water). And I do not like filtered water, tastes too sweet and all. But mineral water in 5 or 6 liter bottles is less than 1 euro, I got a couple around for tea and visits and stuff. I feel bad about the packaging, but a large bottle lasts me weeks and it´s always reused or recycled.
I should do some water comparison tests because you’re right, water does taste very different. I know the tap water in the city I go to school in is atrocious. Too alkaline and smells “off”. I tend not to notice the difference in water unless I have been traveling around from city to city, or country to country. I never thought bergamot in particular could be affected so drastically though. Thank you for the advice! :)
The bergamot thing might be a quirk of mine – but some teas can handle any water just fine, others no. I think I notice differences in some bergamot teas sometime, but not a perfect correlation. Maybe jasmine as well.
Water can be horrible on some places. In Barcelona you could even taste the bleach in coffee!