Roast: Medium-heavy
Source: Fujian province, Wuyi (not the scenic area, but nearby)
Description/background
This is roasted Wuyi oolong of the Bei Dou #1 varietal made in 2008.
Tasting notes
This oolong has aged beautifully, developing a rich, sweet taste of toasted grains and plum, with an intoxicating aroma that is hard to describe as anything but an aged oolong scent. Not a helpful description if you haven’t had aged roasted oolongs, I know; but rather than try to seduce you with flowery words, I would rather you try it
Storage: This oolong was purchased by us in 2009 and aged in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Seattle in sealed foil bags. It has never been re-roasted.
More about this tea
The Bei Dou #1 varietal was propagated from cuttings taken from the supposed “original” Da Hong Pao tea bushes by a researcher working before China’s cultural revolution. When you buy a tea labeled “Da Hong Pao”, you’re likely getting this varietal, although with the unscrupulous practices surrounding labeling teas as “Da Hong Pao”, you might be getting the vendor/grower’s tea they consider their best Wuyi oolong, rather than a specific varietal.