Dan Cong is a single bush Oolong. Many tea people keep Oolongs for a very long time, as it believed that Oolongs age well. Sometimes they are gently re-roasted before drinking. I don’t know if that happened to this one, but I suspect not, or Gingko, the proprietor, would have said so.
The dry leaves are very, very dark, only a few shades away from black. They somewhat resemble pebbles, but there are some larger leaves as well. They have a somewhat woodsy, earthy aroma. I brewed the first wash for 2 minutes about 180 degrees, after rinsing. The second wash was a bit hotter and longer.
Life in a Teacup describes this tea as:
Production Year: 1960s (specific year unknown)
Production Region: Chaozhou, Guangdong Province
Style: Traditional roast
Pack Size: 0.18 oz. (5g pack), 0.9 oz. (25g)
Price per unit: $6, $26
Product #: 1ddc1960s
The first brew was a very pretty golden amber overlayed with rosiness. There was an almost, but not really floral aroma, very faint. It had a very mild somewhat salmon-like flavor, with again, a faint floral trace. There was a bit of astringency at the end.
The second cup was a deeper rose amber and seemed to have more of a forest floor aroma, with a hint of grassy/green on the edges. This was an excellent cup, tasting of minerals, very, very refreshing. It reminded me of the deep well water we drank on the farm. I loved it and I think it would be excellent cold, on a hot summer day. No ice, though.
When you have tea from a single bush, such as this, you are, as you may imagine, getting something very special and rare. It probably is not a bush as we think of it, but more a tree, as tea plants can grow to be 60 feet high, some with single trunks, some with multiples. Sometimes they are very closely guarded secrets, known only to one family. I am honored to have been able to taste and appreciate this tea.
This is not on Gingko’s website, but I am sure if you asked, she would be happy to send you some, or try to find some from her sources.
Comment by May 14, 2012 @ 9:24 pm
Sebastien said:
Hi, thanks for this finding!
Rare tea if it is
Do you have any clue about how it was stored?
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