Country of Origin: Taiwan
Leaf Appearance: dark, tightly rolled
Ingredients: oolong tea
Steep time: 30 seconds
Water Temperature: 212 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: brassy gold
Sometimes I do a happy dance when I reach into my “to do” pile and pull out something really awesome. That’s exactly what happened when I grabbed this offering from Happy Earth Tea. Who wouldn’t get excited about a highly oxidized concubine oolong from Dong Ding? The very same leaf hoppers that bring us Oriental Beauty have bitten the leaves which are then processed like a typical rolled oolong. The result is an intensely sweet and aromatic treat for the senses. I rarely rinse oolongs so I got right to drinking with this one. Nutty and sweet toasted notes were followed by hints of apricot and orchid. The aftertaste reminded me of brown sugar or the caramelized topping of a crème brûlée. In short, this tea was absolutely delicious. Once unfurled, the leaves looked quite dark and almost leathery. Part of me gets a little thrill when I find bug bites on my tea. Believe it or not, that means it’s the good stuff! I drank through at least six infusions and lost count after that. While I wouldn’t call this selection a daily drinker, you definitely do get a lot of bang for your buck.
Concubine Oolong Spring 2013 sample provided by Happy Earth Tea.