Tea: Tulip Fragrance Type: Yu Jin Xiang Dancong Oolong (郁金香单丛乌龙) Style: Qingxiang Dancong Roast: Light Harvest: Spring 2024 Region: Wudong Village, Phoenix Mountains, Chaozhou Producers: Wen Zitong Tasting Notes: Sweet Cream, Sourdough Toast, Pomello, Tulip, Cinnamon The Tulip fragrance is a new cultivar to us. We have never carried it before, so thought we would try it out this year. After consulting our Big Book of Dancong Oolong, we found that it is a member of the Rougui Xiang (or cinnamon fragrance) family. This fits right in with the aromas we get from the dry leaves in the bag, but there is certainly something more floral than purely cinnamon. This tea was produced in the Qingxiang or light roast style, thus we get more cream, butter, and flower fragrances when the leaves are placed in the warm gaiwan, instead of the heavier cinnamon and caramel we often get on the Nongxiang, or heavy roasted teas. Once hit with boiling water, the leaves begin to exude their spicy nature, we get more fresh cinnamon and sage. While some dancong oolongs become much more vegetal or sweet when they begin to be infused, this exudes a whole cabinet of cooking spices The brew is a pale gold like many other qingxiang style dancong oolongs. There is a decent amount of sweetness in the brew itself that we didn't notice in the aroma, making this tea a pleasant refreshing brew. This tea isn't as thick or heavy on the tongue as many other dancong oolongs, making it a great choice for those that really prefer the lighter side of dancong.
