[Spring 2021 harvest]
At over 1$/g, this one certainly ranks among the most expensive teas in my stash. Today I tried it for the first time and it certainly didn’t disappoint. It just underscores the fact that Song Zhong is the type of Dan Cong I tend to connect with a lot. This instance is unique in that it is more vegetal than most Dan Cong oolongs, which sets it apart but also makes the profile quite likable for me personally.
The dry leaf aroma is floral and herbaceous, while wet leaves smell more green and fruity. Overall, the aroma is well-defined with great depth to it. One funny note that surprised me is the scent of black peppercorns. In the empty cup, I could also detect a fairly distinct smell of citrus flowers.
The tea has a super smooth and buttery texture with almost no astringency – very unusual for a Dan Cong. The taste is bitter, mineral and juicy with a spicy finish. I found it to be associated with kale, sorrel, passion fruit, grapefruit, sugar beets. Such a set of flavour notes certainly tells you this is not the most standard tea. The aftertaste is very long and warming, but it doesn’t bring any strongly pronounced flavours as such.
Flavors: Bitter, Black Pepper, Floral, Grapefruit, Herbaceous, Juicy, Kale, Mineral, Oily, Orange Blossom, Passion Fruit, Pleasantly Sour, Smooth, Spicy, Sugar, Vegetal
