Country of Origin: China
Leaf Appearance: dark, long and spindly
Water Temperature: 212 degrees
Steep Time: 30 seconds
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: brassy gold
Dancong oolongs are some of my favorites so I’ve been on a mission to try every variety. That is why I was super excited when White2Tea shared a sample of their Parasol Dancong. It was made with the new-to-me Niangzaisan varietal. The name, roughly translated as “young girl with an umbrella”, is inspired by the shape of the trees. Dancong oolongs are typically categorized by aroma so this tea is a bit unusual in that respect. Let’s get sipping!
Leaf
The dry leaves of Parasol Dancong were dark in color with a long and spindly shape. Some stems were scattered throughout, but this tea mostly consisted of whole leaves. There was a sweet, fruity aroma that somehow reminded me of very dark chocolate. I prepared this tea gongfu style in a porcelain gaiwan with 212℉ water and an infusion time of 30 seconds. This type of tea is famously quite astringent so I opted not to extend the brews for subsequent infusions.
Liquor
Parasol Dancong brewed up a brassy gold liquor. The taste was very fruity with notes of grapefruit and jasmine. It came across as quite perfumy but not in an unpleasant way. An expansive honey-like finish lingered for a long time after each sip. Much to my surprise this tea wasn’t very astringent or fussy. Later infusions were less intensely aromatic but still tasty. It ceases to amaze me that a tea can taste like this without anything being added to it other than master craftsmanship.
I would definitely recommend giving this tea a try, especially if you are already a fan of fruity or floral teas. White2Tea has a well-earned reputation as a puerh vendor. I’ve also been very impressed with the oolongs and black teas that I’ve tried from them. Their monthly tea club can’t be beat as a way to explore new and interesting things.
Have you tried Parasol Dancong? How do you like to brew it? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
Parasol Dancong sample provided for review by White2Tea.
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