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“November 2023 Sipdown Challenge – an oolong tea Spring 2022 harvest In China, we processed some tea leaves we picked one morning into red tea. I was surprised at how many tea leaves were discarded...” Read full tasting note
Presenting one of our most exclusive teas from the Manipur old tree region, the Charcoal Roasted Wild Oolong from Spring 2022 harvest! We made the first batch in 2019 and it has been a steep learning curve since. We have finally arrived at this level of refinement starting 2020 when we modified the roasting process and eliminated smoke absorption completely. We continue to tweak it a little every year. This year, we have gone back to using bigger leaves for this tea as we felt that leads to a more energetic cup and we’ve been loving it! Works especially well in our Indian Red Clay Gaiwan. Another interesting thing about this tea is that we have made the 2022 Manipur Young Tree Oolong on the same day and from younger plants in the same area as well, so that will be an interesting comparison to make! We have rested this one for only 3 months this year instead of the usual 6 months and while we feel it is ready for consumption, we also feel this will give you a nice perspective on the way the taste drastically transforms in the first year of this tea.
This tea is withered in the sun and then in shade after which it undergoes yáo qīng(process of shaking the leaves to bruise the edges) for 5 mins each hour overnight, the leaves are then pan fried for 15 minutes and handrolled on a bamboo tray. After the hand rolling comes the process which makes this tea so unique, it is ball rolled inside cotton cloth and left like that for at least 2 hours giving it the distinctive twisted leaf appearance. Upon completion it is oxidised for 3 hours. After the oxidation, it is sun dried and finally charcoal roasted.
The dry leaf has notes of Indian gooseberry, slightly tangy right now because its very young. We expect this to become much sweeter after some more resting in our storage. The wet leaf has an earthy aroma after the rinse. The first infusion has a honey and sugarcane note with a hint of pepper on the finish. The second one is much sweeter with the sugarcane note being more prominent, there are also notes of guava and mango on the finish. They carry on to the very long aftertaste which has been a signature of 2022 Spring harvest from Manipur, especially the oolongs. Second infusion onwards, you start to feel the liquor having a thick mouthfeel which evenly coats your throat, we find that experience very comforting and it adds to the deliciousness. The third infusion is pretty similar, with the addition of a pear like note along with sugarcane, guava and mango. The aftertaste, along with being fruity, also leaves a betel leaf taste in the mouth. The fourth infusion has hints of caramel and honey, yet again with a fruity finish. Fifth infusion onwards, the caramel and honey notes intensify while the fresh fruit notes subside and later remain just in the aftertaste. Our feeling with these very special teas from Manipur is that, it is always more about how these tastes come together in the thick liquor the tea makes, than the individual notes. It is like the perfect set of ingredients coming together to make something much more than just the sum of its products! We hope you enjoy this tea we are excited the most about, every year!
Appearance : Yellow
Taste : Honey, sugarcane, mango, guava, Indian gooseberry, caramel, betel leaf, pear
Steeping Time : 3 minutes western style, 25 seconds gongfu style adding 5 seconds every subsequent steep
Leaf to water ratio : 0.6 gram per 100ml for western style, 4.25 grams per 100ml for gongfu style
Recommended Steeping Temperature : 100°C
Recommended Steeping Method : Works better gongfu style
Harvest Season : Spring 2022
November 2023 Sipdown Challenge – an oolong tea
Spring 2022 harvest
In China, we processed some tea leaves we picked one morning into red tea. I was surprised at how many tea leaves were discarded after the hand-rolling and oven-drying phases due to malformation, or simply that many of the leaves we picked were too old/leathery to wilt and bruise properly. Taking a look at this tea, it could’ve used some of that attention. It’s very rudimentary looking in hand, lots of misshapen and discolored leaf. In the wet leaf, there are multiple long stems that are denuded.
The dry leaf aroma impresses me more than the taste, and so does preparing in a steeper basket than in a tiny teapot. It’s sweet and woody (also papery) much like the Manipuri black teas and with a strong, sweet finish but it possesses a tangier taste and more brisk body. Something about the dryness combines with the sweetness to create a sticky texture after the swallow and a taste reminiscent of caramel. I do get well integrated fruity notes like dried mango, gooseberry and strawberry jam. A bare hint of agarwood incense in the distance. Also, some kind of humid taste that seems to be a hallmark of oxidized Manipuri teas. I can’t tell much difference between the oolong, red and sheng puerh styles I’ve sampled from Ketlee. Despite the similarities in profile, these teas all have a certain sense of place. This oolong isn’t quite doing it for me, though. Can’t pinpoint why.
Flavors: Brisk, Caramel, Dates, Dried Fruit, Drying, Gooseberry, Honey, Incense, Jam, Mango, Paper, Petrichor, Rainforest, Strawberry, Sweet, Tangy, Wet Wood, Woody
