This tea initiated my tea swap with Carolyn, because I’d been having such a crappy time of trying out Dragonwell. Let me say that if this is how Dragonwell is supposed to taste, either I was doing something horribly wrong before or this one is simply far superior. I’m going to have to revisit Tavalon’s Dragonwell and maybe, if I’m feeling brave, I’ll try Adagio’s again.
Carolyn mentioned in her review that this has a nutty scent to it, and that’s what I smell, too. The nutty aspect is absent in the taste for me, though.
Dragonwell Spring is light, smooth, clean and overall very refreshing. It’s got a sweet edge to it that seems chlorophyll-like, but it doesn’t read like a grassy tea to me. I can’t really relate the taste it has to…anything. Not anything that’s not pretty abstract anyway. So I’m going to try to explain what this tastes like to me.
It makes me think of those days during the summer when you come in from running around or doing yard work or whatever and you are HOT and DEHYDRATED. So you grab a glass and gulp down water like you’ve been in a desert for a week and holy H2O, Batman, water has never tasted SO GOOD before. It’s cool and quenching and it almost tastes sweet. It’s like in books, when they talk about characters arriving at springs and drinking from it. This tea makes me think of the way that they describe how that water tastes.
It also reminds me of the citron teas that I’ve been trying, but without the citron. It’s breezy and subtle, but at the same time very much present. Soothing and relaxing. I really like this tea. The aftertaste has a lingering, almost nectar-y sweetness to it. If I were drinking it blind, I’d almost think it was a white tea, but it’s got a smidge more oomph. I can see it becoming my default tea for when I want something simple, bright, and without a lot of flavor.
So thanks, Carolyn, for turning me around to Dragonwell. It makes me a little sad to think that I almost gave up on it because this is pretty fantastic. Lesson learned.
Preparation
People who liked this
Comments
Everyone’s been drinking Dragonwell lately. I think I might have to pick some up myself.
I find it deeply strange that a tea can taste so good when bought from one company and so bad when bought from another even when it shares the name. This happens over and over. I am beginning to believe that there are evil tea fairies who switch the tea with something base before they send it to merchants who have displeased them in some way.
It has confirmed in me the idea that the true mission in tea hunting is not to find out what you like, but to find someone who sells tea that you can trust utterly. I think Dream About Tea is that sort of merchant. I wish, wish, wish I lived in Chicago and could visit his shop regularly.
@Ricky It would seem that way. I’ve seen a ton of Dragonwell reviews, too. Get it while it’s hot, I guess! [I’ve only tried three, but this is easily the best one.]
@Carolyn I know! Those companies clearly have people making good choices behind them. Samovar is one of those companies for me. Rishi is becoming one. And if this is any indication of what Dream About Tea’s inventory is like, they’re going to be one as well.
@kat No worries, it’s all thanks to Carolyn, really. She visited their shop when she was out in Chicago. Now I’m going to have to order from them.
When you do order from them, ask them to send you a bit of their Yunnan Chi Tse Beeng Puerh (Spring Bud). It is to die for. Or you could wait for me to figure out how I’m going to get a full beeng of this and I’ll send you a bit of that to try.
There is a reason why I heart you.
I’ll see how my ordering goes this month. I’ll let you know if I decide to put one through sooner rather than later, but otherwise I’d love a bit. Anything else of their’s you’d recommend?
Damn, now I totally regretting that my sample of Dragonwell from Specifically Tea is gone. :(
I’ve only had three of their teas. Their Jasmine pearls are marvelous but since I’ve never actually had a bad version of Jasmine pearls I’m not sure that it’s special enough to send you to them for. The other two are definitely special enough.
@Jillian Bummer!
@Carolyn Good to know. I’ve already got two that I like, but I saw your 100 on it and I thought, hmm…maybe these are magic. I’ll take a look through what else they have and see if anything catches my eye.
Everyone’s been drinking Dragonwell lately. I think I might have to pick some up myself.
I find it deeply strange that a tea can taste so good when bought from one company and so bad when bought from another even when it shares the name. This happens over and over. I am beginning to believe that there are evil tea fairies who switch the tea with something base before they send it to merchants who have displeased them in some way.
It has confirmed in me the idea that the true mission in tea hunting is not to find out what you like, but to find someone who sells tea that you can trust utterly. I think Dream About Tea is that sort of merchant. I wish, wish, wish I lived in Chicago and could visit his shop regularly.
@Ricky It would seem that way. I’ve seen a ton of Dragonwell reviews, too. Get it while it’s hot, I guess! [I’ve only tried three, but this is easily the best one.]
@Carolyn I know! Those companies clearly have people making good choices behind them. Samovar is one of those companies for me. Rishi is becoming one. And if this is any indication of what Dream About Tea’s inventory is like, they’re going to be one as well.
@kat No worries, it’s all thanks to Carolyn, really. She visited their shop when she was out in Chicago. Now I’m going to have to order from them.
When you do order from them, ask them to send you a bit of their Yunnan Chi Tse Beeng Puerh (Spring Bud). It is to die for. Or you could wait for me to figure out how I’m going to get a full beeng of this and I’ll send you a bit of that to try.
There is a reason why I heart you.
I’ll see how my ordering goes this month. I’ll let you know if I decide to put one through sooner rather than later, but otherwise I’d love a bit. Anything else of their’s you’d recommend?
Damn, now I totally regretting that my sample of Dragonwell from Specifically Tea is gone. :(
I’ve only had three of their teas. Their Jasmine pearls are marvelous but since I’ve never actually had a bad version of Jasmine pearls I’m not sure that it’s special enough to send you to them for. The other two are definitely special enough.
@Jillian Bummer!
@Carolyn Good to know. I’ve already got two that I like, but I saw your 100 on it and I thought, hmm…maybe these are magic. I’ll take a look through what else they have and see if anything catches my eye.