This is a very good example of what "almond aroma" dan cong can and should taste like. Soft, creamy, buttery smooth with rounded edges yet still maintaining a potency in the mouthfeel and sweet floral overtones.
The first half of the session has some cooling undertones with a faint fruitiness that is nuanced and creates a really pleasant
...Read MoreRead more about This is a very good example of whatcontrast in the flavor profile. The second half is incredibly clean with a distinct sweetness that reminds me of caramel and vanilla beans. It's a very solid 8-10 cups of thoroughly enjoyable tea that I find myself getting every time I brew this up.
Cha qi is pretty strong although I think the young age of the trees and bushes shows itself in this regard, as it isn't quite as refined as I've come to expect from older plants. Old age really tempers the cha qi that good dan cong delivers. The young age of the plants makes this dan cong a bit trickier to brew in the first half. It's a little easier to throw an otherwise exquisite experience off track if you don't have your technique dialed in.
I also find the flavor profile flattens out a lot if I don't add water to the teapot between every steeping. Maybe it's just my opinion, but I think that getting dan cong brewing techniques dialed in is more like writing out a mathematical proof for a multi-dimensional universe than it is like putting a square peg into a square hole.
20, 25, 35, and 50 seconds at 195, 197, 201, and 205 *F respectively for the first 4 cups, replenishing the water each time, then another 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, and 300 seconds all with freshly boiled water, poured slowly to let the oxygen work its way into the teapot and coax the flavors out of these leaves. Read LessRead less about This is a very good example of what