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“Sipdown? Well, I received this Taiwanese Oolong as a 6g gift sample with my January order, and I used it all in one session. Brewed western style, almost as directed: 6.4g leaf in 8 oz boiling...” Read full tasting note
As our knowledge of cultivation and craft grows, so does our ability to play with each successive step, dialing a tea’s final character specifically to our liking, and this April 30 Oolong is one of a handful of teas that Song has had a direct hand in during every stage of production, from field to finish.
In 2023, we landed upon this specific iteration of this tea by chance – the result of a midnight spent working alongside tea makers on an entirely different, dark charcoal-roasted oolong. Just out of the drum ovens following a day of withering and oxidation, these leaves were a wonderful surprise of their own. What was intended as one tea became two: and Gold is the lighter of the two.
Unlike last year’s harvest, the morning these leaves were picked dawned clear and bright, allowing us to process the leaves in the early morning sunshine. In the initial withering period, direct sunlight draws forth a specific floral aroma from tea leaves that’s absent in shade withered teas. It’s these chance variables that provide an unexpected and delight nuance to tea making from year to year – and sets this year’s tea apart from its 2023 counterpart.
After sun withering and hours of oxidation inside temperature-controlled rooms, these leaves are tossed in large bamboo drums to lightly bruise and further oxidize the tea. During this stage, the leaves begin to undergo an aromatic transformation from lightly verdant, to floral, to tropical, and on to sugary stone fruit sweetness. We halted oxidation just as it reached peak tropical profile, killing the green, (stopping the oxidation by heating in rotating drum roasters) to hold these scents and flavors in place. We finished the tea with the most imperceptible of charcoal bakes – just enough to set the leaves, and concentrate the plant’s innate sugars. The end result is a rich and fruit-forward, a wonderful counterpart to its amber roasted twin.
Type: Oolong
Region: Taiwan
Elevation: 1300m
Cultivar: Qing xin
Harvest: April 2024
Organic Status: Unsprayed
Roast: Light Charcoal
Company description not available.
Sipdown? Well, I received this Taiwanese Oolong as a 6g gift sample with my January order, and I used it all in one session. Brewed western style, almost as directed: 6.4g leaf in 8 oz boiling water in a stainless steel infusion basket for 2 min. Dry leaf had a wonderful fragrance, which intensified while steeping. But this was way too much leaf, as it expanded out to fill my basket and poke out over the top! The aromatic, golden-colored liquor was sweet, smooth, non-astringent, and like a mouthful of flowers! Song claims flavor of Magnolia x alba, and so I’ll go with that, though I can’t say I truly know what White Fragrant Himalayan Champaca is, let alone what it tastes or smells like. It sure is lovely, and reminiscent of a dong ding I drank recently. This oolong is said to be the Qing xin cultivar (also known as “green heart”) which is well known among the high mountain oolongs, as are hybrids from it. The finish is extended, lasting several minutes on the tongue and in the nose, only finally tailing off in a mineral taste with a hint of skunkiness. Each sip was enjoyable as the cup cooled over the course of ~30 min. I never detected anything remotely of the claimed pistachio or cantaloupe (both of which are very familiar to me). A second infusion was also nice, but not as delightful as the first. Perhaps if I’d used a slightly cooler water and shorter steep the leaf might have given more, but I really liked it my way anyhow. I’ll never know because it is now sold out and next year may differ. Rating this as a 95. The third infusion continued to satisfy, as notes of cardboard and stronger minerality crept in alongside the floral sweetness. Long finishes continued here, and the cardboard notes gave way to a slight cantaloupe flavor way in the back of my mouth! Score another point for Song’s tasting skills. A fourth infusion was unpalatable and discarded. I hope other Steepsters got to try it!
Flavors: Cantaloupe, Floral, Magnolia, Mineral, Smooth, Sweet
Still counts! XD