This is a while since I posted anything. I had a month rather busy lately but things should improve now. Today I will talk a bit about dan cong, Wulong these incredibly intoxicating aroma. Many of the data used here are from the blog Teaobsession of Imen of TeaHabitat . Reference.
These teas are a bit above the rest of Wulong in my mind. They come from very special trees, located in Guangdong, China, Mountain Phoenix. There are just under 10,000 of these trees, about 80 different cultivars, each giving a tea with a specific taste. Examples:
Yu Lan Xiang - Parfum de fleur de magnolia 玉兰 香
Huang Zhi Xiang - Parfum de fleur d'oranger 黄 枝 香
Zhi Lan Xiang - Parfum d'orchidée 芝兰 香
You Hua Xiang - fleur de Parfum pamplemousse / pomelo 柚 花香
Jiang Hua Xiang - fleur de Parfum gingembre 姜 花香
Rou Gui Xiang - fleur de Parfum cannelle (pas la meme que le Wuyi Rou Gui) 肉桂 香
The
dan cong most wanted, is more expensive, come from trees several centuries old, could have 600 or 900 years. The most prestigious of them are monitored day and night. Owning a secular tea is no mean feat.
Today, faced with growing demand and greed, the 10,000 tea plants are no longer sufficient. Productivity was increased by cloning the old trees, a bit like the Da Hong Pao in Fujian. This method keeps the entire gene pool of the tree stump, without loss or degradation, that was the case of natural reproduction - the only consideration here is the quality of tea obtained.
But nothing will replace the tree age and experience shows that an old tea plants will always more things to tell a young clone. For their name, there will be a distinction between two main grades: the single bush, which are harvested individually tree by tree, on tea plants which have at least 50 years, and sales, including tea will consist of a mixture of leaves of different clones. Prices will obviously depending, as well as quality.
The single tea bush are harvested usually once in the spring, but sometimes in winter, while those of commercial grade can be several times throughout the year. It is estimated that a tree dan cong productivity peaked at around 50 years, just when it starts to give an interesting tea. In other words, a tree begins to give a tea more elaborate, more complex, when production begins to decline.
Like other Wulong, you can drink the harvest this year or in recent years . But it is also a tea custody, why he should receive one or more roasts.
I had the chance to test a series of dan cong sent by an individual who bought them from a master in China. It was described to me as a kind of hermit who lived on his mountain, which closes the piece of work an incredible number of bags, all filled with tea leaves that strives to be roasted by what he wants to do. A kind of laboratory personnel in a way. Each tea is produced in small quantities which makes marketing difficult. What is good, it keeps track of all stages. Thus, of the samples I received, records the dates of collection, the pedigree of the tree (age, family), and the dates of roast (sometimes even hours!)
C ' is a pleasure to know all this, to have such a traceability. One imagines the work: the collection, waiting to promote the oxidation of the leaves, again more or less long time between two roasts for older folks. When you have this kind of information about tea, we want everyone to be like that. Thank you god is a trend we encounter more and more frequently in quality dealers. For it must also have confidence in the person giving such info. There are so many scams on the market for Chinese tea. Fortunately my source is reliable.
Various dan cong I have worked so far come from three sources: the one I just mentioned, the house of 3 teas and TeaHabitat. For M3T, unfortunately like all teas, and especially since the departure of Gilles, have information on what lies behind their references - year pedigree of the tree, the date of the last roasting, etc. - is difficult. I will not elaborate.
Teahabitat is an American store owner whose charming, Imen, has a very nice selection Both grades dan cong. It also sells pottery teapots Chao Zhou (Wu family) who have very good reputation. I ordered a few months ago a pack of samples, the fragrance compound dan cong I single bush, and it was a real pleasure to drink. Among them, hiding perhaps what is so far my best memory of tasting. A real delight. I definitely recommend this shop: Imen answer all your questions in a sincere way, do not push you to buy and deliver good advice. The prices here are very good and the selection once again impressive. On its site, a short summary is done on each tea. Please note that we can request more info at Imen if desired.
Let's talk about the preparation. The zhong is your friend for these teas. It will be difficult to compete with a teapot for most dan cong charges. These specimens are indeed very aromatic and air. I would reserve the teapot, and not just any, for dan cong from a little older / roasted. For all the teas mentioned, at least I could do two tastings. I then tried a second time zhong tea in general, but have also started sessions with the porcelain leaves then pour in a teapot when the tea was weakening a bit.
I had posted my little Yang Wen Ji. But comparative tasting with my new Yixing (Meng Chen) it was not the weight, the latter allowing a greater extraction of flavor. I intend to invest long term in a teapot Chao Zhou, Meng Chen I usually work on tea rocks. These teapots Chao Zhou are made with clay that comes from the mountains on which push dan cong. This association seems logical. They are also supposed to give very good results with young puerh sheng and some roasted oolong. In France, a lot of people practice the Lin Guo Xian. I could try at home of 3 teas. It is frankly a very good tea, but three times more expensive than Chao Zhou potter sold by Imen. So, I think I do without it and pay me some bush with the single difference.
Level infusion parameters, I personally use a generous ratio of leaves, or about 5g for 10cl. The traditional way to prepare - as practiced for many teas in China - using more leaves (about 7g for 10cl). The time is short enough the first infusion, less than 30 seconds, especially for dan cong s year or recent. An aged or older dan cong roasted may take longer for the flavors do not diffuse into the water.
A tea will be very cool for me better with a generous dose infusions and shorter than the reverse. Tea more chastened, often older and roasted, to gain what extends the time (cf. the long infusions of Thomas.)
Bitterness is a big problem for some in regards dan Cong. A single bush in particular issues of tannins that can be powerful enough for the layman. As with any tea, playing on the temperature is then a good solution to work around the problem without necessarily sacrificing quality. The infusion should be a little longer to compensate. It is a method I experience a lot these days, even on other teas, such as young puerh. It comes to something interesting. Here you can descend to 80 ° C but personally I find that staying around 90 ° C is not bad. Basically, I pay my water in a jug kettle and looks a little water to cool before pouring. If no problem with bitterness, I grow more eager to boiling point.
After we learn of his essays and his mistakes. Each tea has its temperature (and its parameters in general) of choice to suit his palate. Everything is looking. But do not too take the lead, the difference between a few degrees will not be huge. Not need a thermometer. The preparation should be simple and fun. Just try and get his bearings.
In all cases, the leaves provide valuable clues and brews will draw conclusions about what to do for all others. And this is not an infusion missed it, eg too long, then that will mess of the session. These teas, particularly the young specimens, are very tough.
That's what I can say about these dan cong. This is definitely a high class family that provided the sensations intense. Enthusiasts aftertaste intoxicating, it's here!
you soon!
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