Phoenix Mountain Dan Cong Oolong

I liked this at the parameters I used initially, the ones recommended by thepuriTea. But Teavana’s steep parameters are slightly different, so I thought I’d give it a try just as an experiment. As I set the Breville it turns out that they think oolongs should go at 195 degrees, too, so hopefully this won’t be the mistake I think it will…

Steeped liquor is a lighter caramel color, and the scent is a little different this steep. I get mostly a roasted note that at times seems almost burnt (uh oh), but there’s a little fruity/peach/apricot hint hiding beneath all of it, so that’s encouraging.

As for the taste – I will say that peach is the foremost flavor here, followed by a roasted nut undertone and a tinge of astringence coming at the very end of the sip. But, the mouthfeel is a bit thinner than the cooler temp/longer steep that I tried originally, which pretty much seals the deal that I prefer the other parameters more.

This seems like it would be a very finicky tea to mess with if you didn’t a.)have something to do the work for you, or b.) weren’t that experienced with tea brewing. That said, when you do figure it out it is so worth it. Or, maybe I just like high maintenance things. :)

I had not been in the local Teavana for more than a year, but saw their signage for their Heavenly Tea sale, and thought I would check them out. Most items of my taste were already gone, but the salesperson did a good sell on this Oolong, which was 75% off and did smell fantastic. I brewed up a gaiwan full when I arrived home, and am mighty glad for the purchase.

1st steep: 4 minutes at 200 F, yields a nice amber brew with nice aroma of roasted bamboo. Taste is really surprising. Honey and toasted almonds… a bit like the Honiglebkuchen cookies that I had as a child. Faint wisp of floral notes are there waaay in the background.

2nd steep: 3 minutes at 190 F. Stronger aroma, wonderful flavor. Less sweet, more toasty, and definitely a well defined oolong flavor. Quite surprised by the excellent quality, and beautiful color.

More steeps to follow, and can recommend picking this one up at this deeply discounted price.

This looks like a more official post for the dan cong so I’ll be putting the rest of my tasting notes here.
I steeped this a bit long today (~40 sec.). The liquor is a light amber color and has some really prominent honeysuckle notes to it. It also has some interesting nutty notes to it as well. I am really missing the mineral notes that are so unique that were in the Asha Teahouse dan cong. This is a really good dan cong and I can’t wait to try more varieties!

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 12 ounces, boiling
Tool: kati loose tea system 12oz
Steep Time: a little over 2 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: vegetal, toasty
Steeped Tea Smell: vegetal, slight toasty
Flavor: toasty, vegetal
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: slight astringency
Liquor: translucent dark brown-green

I know I should not use boiling water, but I am at work and busy / lazy / distracted

Resteep:
2 minutes+, boiling, 12 ounces

Usually a little better (less astringency)

This tea puts up with 2+ steeps, boiling water, irregular steeping times and is still consistent and a great drink at work.

Rating: 3/4 leaves

Blog: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2012/02/teavana-loose-leaf-oolong-tea-phoenix.html

*Quick Note.

I’ve had this for a while but I don’t drink it too often. I experimented a lot with this tea, as I received a big batch as a gift.

Brewing it Teavana’s way (1tsp per 8oz water at 195F), I found it a little flavorless and uninteresting. I tried brewing it gong-fu style and got a much better result.

Using lots of leaves and short steep times, this tea makes a very interesting cup. The wet leaf smells fantastic, like hot raisins mixed with other dried fruit. The taste is lightly toasty, with sweet (dried) fruity undertones.

I enjoyed this tea even though I feel it’s a little pricey.

The more I drink this, the more I like it. I’m trying gaiwan style. Delicious.

Bought this on a steep (bahahah!) discount from Teavana this new year. Brewed pseudo-Gongfu style in my Finum.

First, I have a cold and feel crummy. I can’t smell much of anything and my tastebuds are somewhat compromised. I just wanted something a bit bolder that might break through all this crap. With that said, I’m not going to number rate this tea until I have a chance to revisit it when I’m feeling well.

I brewed this with just-boiled water, so I gather it was about 195-200ºF, a bit over what was recommended by Teavana. I did a quick rinse and then brewed only for about 2 mins, as the 3 min directions seemed excessive. I’d say I was right. A deep amber color, the tea came out quite bitter, but had a nice lingering aftertaste. Again, I’m pretty shredded from this cold, so what I got was a nice warming full-mouth feel sweet aftertaste that lingered over my palate. It invigorated my dull achiness and gave me some caffeinated life.

The 2nd infusion I rolled things back and went more traditional with a 30 sec steep. The things I liked about the 1st steep remained, but without the bitterness, replaced by a light dryness. I think I’m going to like this tea when I’m feeling better… Hey, I’m feeling better! That’s what I was hoping for with this tea and that’s what I got. Usually a green tea drinker, down deep I wanted something warming and invigorating, without being ridiculous. Check!

3rd infusion continues the theme, and I’m hoping when I do this tea again it will reflect subtle nuances. Had I not brewed the heck out of this on the first steep, I bet I could get 10+ infusions out of this stuff. But right now I’m going to end this review, keep steeping and keep feeling better!

This tea has a smooth body and a unique flavor in my opinion. The leaves of this tea is dark so you can see it was well roasted. I get 4-5 good steepings with different experiences with each cup like it should be. What do I get out of this tea in a nut shell? Well, I get a light sweetness almost floral and a nice dose of a nutty or woody flavor. Picture drinking some hot liquid off of a older darker and rich tree bark that has a flower on the bark too and you are surrounded by a lush full green forest that just brings peace to your surrounding that is how this tea comes off. I would recommend this more for a dark oolong lover or someone that wants to try different teas. I would not recommend paying Teavana’s premium price of $25/ 2 oz but well worth it on sale like it was not to long ago.

Thanks to JoonSusanna for generously sending me this tea! I finally got a chance to try this one out this morning. I’ve been trying a lot of straight oolongs these days, and just when I feel like I’ve tasted the range of them, I find a new one! This oolong has a roasted taste, and it also tasted peppery? I thought I was going crazy, so I scanned through some other tasting notes and no one else seems to have mentioned it, so I’m not entirely sure what’s going on there with my taste buds. Anyway, a lovely oolong for the day!

I just don’t get this tea. I’ve had a phoenix mountain before from another source and this isn’t much different, which must mean, Dear Tea, that it’s me, not you :p

I just can’t get into your strange weediness, like flowers gone bad. I never was fond of the popular crowd in school and especially not of popular guys. The more the other girls swooned, the more I gagged. Lucky for you and them, my dislike is hardly a cause for concern. :)

ETA: just as I remember last time I had this type of tea, the flavor does become more tolerable as it cools. I can finish the cup without struggle, but I’m still not a fan.

Oops! I almost forgot to say thanks to Meeka for this sample. (#^^#)