Imen for the Win!

[Maitre_Tea]

I just tried the 2008 Zhi Lan Xiang from Tea Habitat, and the above basically sums up what I feel about DC and Teahabitat. All I can say is...
I'm totally speechless. Up until this point, I had only sampled the occasional commercial DC, which wasn't that impressive. They all had a nice aroma, but they lacked in the taste department, and could be pretty astringent. But this though, it's like taking a cool refreshing shower in my mouth, with orchid scented soap that permeates my entire body...and the hui gan is amazing too....it's been a hour and I can still feel the freshness in my mouth.

I can't wait to see how this tastes in my Chao Zhou pot tomorrow...

Note: If this is excessive promotion of a vendor that breaks forum rules, feel free to to delete it Chip, but people have the right to know how awesome DC from Tea Habitat can be.

[Tead Off]

Yes, big difference in quality and usually the price. The cheaper dancongs are not worth the time. Once you have tasted a good one, the light bulb goes on.

[Maitre_Tea]

Yes, big difference in quality and usually the price. The cheaper dancongs are not worth the time. Once you have tasted a good one, the light bulb goes on.

agreed, I think I'm buying all my DC from Imen only. They're definitely pricey, but think about the number of brews I can get from a single session of tea? I paid $30 for about 28 grams, and I use about 3-4 grams each time. Each session lasts for about 15+ steepings...I'm not that good at math but I can tell that this is a great deal.

After trying this absolutely heavenly DC, I agree with you that the DC samples you gave me from Funalliance are not worth it.

[Oni]

There is really cheap Dancong, and there is the real Single bush Dancong, those are expencieve, specially those picked from a single tree, the total amount available is 3 pounds a year, so that explains the high price, so it is a rare treat to enjoy those, and bery few shops are so dedicated to Dancongs as teahabitat, I am planning to try their Dancongs, but first I need to buy the equipment for it.

[ABx]

I am planning to try their Dancongs, but first I need to buy the equipment for it.

All you really need is a glass or thin porcelain gaiwan (the latter being Imen's recommendation for dancong), some good alkaline water, and knowing how to brew (ask Imen about how to pour the hot water in). Anything more than that will produce diminishing returns. IMO, focusing that heavily on gear (gadgets, really) takes your attention away from the tea. Your brewing skills are going to be the biggest factor in getting the most from a tea, and your intuition will help far more with that than the "authenticity."

[Oni]

Sometimes I get so carried away by teaware, that I forget about the tea, the most important part of any tea ceremony is to make good tea, how you make it, it is up to you, my theory about teaware is that once you buy it you can use it a long time, I didn`t break any of my teaware, I take really special attention while handeling them, but once I get a new addition to my collection, I am immediately thinking about the next, it is really a viscous circle, I am addicted to collecting teaware, but as the guy from terebess pointed out it is no use of buying very expencieve teaware if you are not a collector, the main concern should be to buy such teaware that makes good tea, the minor details are not worth the extra cash, functionality should come first before beauty.

[Herb_Master]

. . . . . , functionality should come first before beauty.

In her blog Imen dsecribes the clay

Chao Zhou red clay pots are made of clay from Feng Xi located on the Feng Huang (Phoenix) Mountain. They are hand thrown on wheels with fine grains of red clay imitating YiXing style. Walls are made very thin.

But in her reply to one of Maitre's questions says

Today, the common ones are red clay and red clay mixed with sand from the same mine. There are abundance of CZ clays, mixing of other clay is not necessary. The more expansive ones are made of sandy clay, won't crack with temperature fluctuation. The styles are slightly coarse. The fine clay ones are more common and less expansive, more prone to crack, but much better refined looking.

So here we have reverse pricing -

The common and cheaper ones look finer

Is this because they break more often and need replacing, or do the coarser sandy ones perform better?

Imen is selling sandy brown ones at the same price

[Herb_Master]

Imen is in the process of translating from Chinese a book about Fenghuang DanCong Tea. Unfortunately it is a time consuming process.

http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2009/ ... -book.html

Perhaps those who intend to purchase the book, could give her some encouragement to proceed with the translation.

[Tead Off]

I am planning to try their Dancongs, but first I need to buy the equipment for it.

All you really need is a glass or thin porcelain gaiwan (the latter being Imen's recommendation for dancong), some good alkaline water, and knowing how to brew (ask Imen about how to pour the hot water in). Anything more than that will produce diminishing returns. IMO, focusing that heavily on gear (gadgets, really) takes your attention away from the tea. Your brewing skills are going to be the biggest factor in getting the most from a tea, and your intuition will help far more with that than the "authenticity."

There are the teachings for the masses and the teachings for the initiated. There is not a gaiwan or glass brewer that can stand up to a good clay teapot. Would you choose a glass teapot over a beautiful zisha yixing teapot?

[tea fish]

I just tried the 2008 Zhi Lan Xiang from Tea Habitat, and the above basically sums up what I feel about DC and Teahabitat. All I can say is...
I'm totally speechless.

I tried this same tea, albeit a 2009 version, and I got it at Camellia Sinensis. I didn't know for sure that it's a DC, so thanks for confirming that. It is miraculously good. Utterly unastringent (which is why I wasn't sure whether it's a DC). Smooth, buttery, floral--but not in that cloying way that some greener oolongs are floral.

Nice to read that other people are enjoying it too...

[ABx]

Would you choose a glass teapot over a beautiful zisha yixing teapot?

If the tea I'm brewing turns out better in it, then I would choose a Mickey Mouse shaped glass pot over the most aesthetically pleasing yixing in existence

This isn't religion - there are no "initiates." Imen herself states that she uses an eggshell gaiwan. When I have a very expensive dancong, I prefer not to use anything that might change it, and do want something that will accentuate the high, fragrant notes.

If you know how to brew well then you will be able to get more from a tea than the vast majority. If you don't, then no teaware, no matter how "authentic" you think it is, will make up for that.

The bottom line is that you don't need special teaware to brew dancong; knowing how to bring the most out of the leaf will do far more than spending a bundle on supposedly traditional teaware. Beyond a certain point you're just collecting "stuff." If you really want to be "traditional" then grind your tea into powder and brew it similar to matcha

[Zanaspus]

Would you choose a glass teapot over a beautiful zisha yixing teapot?

If the tea I'm brewing turns out better in it, then I would choose a Mickey Mouse shaped glass pot over the most aesthetically pleasing yixing in existence

This isn't religion - there are no "initiates." Imen herself states that she uses an eggshell gaiwan. When I have a very expensive dancong, I prefer not to use anything that might change it, and do want something that will accentuate the high, fragrant notes.

If you know how to brew well then you will be able to get more from a tea than the vast majority. If you don't, then no teaware, no matter how "authentic" you think it is, will make up for that.

The bottom line is that you don't need special teaware to brew dancong; knowing how to bring the most out of the leaf will do far more than spending a bundle on supposedly traditional teaware. Beyond a certain point you're just collecting "stuff." If you really want to be "traditional" then grind your tea into powder and brew it similar to matcha

+1

[Herb_Master]

Much of the discussion precludes that we are all looking for the same attributes in our DanCong. The wonder of DanCong is that in 2 different pairs of hands it can be brewed to produce 2 different but superb brews.

For those who find that the beauty of DanCong lies in it's fragrance, then the Gaiwan does indeed rule supreme.

For those who find the beauty of DanCong lies in a generous level of layered tastes and textures then a clay teapot produces better results.

I place myself in the latter camp, but occasionally brew in a Gaiwan when I feel the purchased DC is not exhibiting it's advertised fragrance.

When I use a gaiwan I often find that the floral elements are too intense.
So when I have detected and confirmed the Xiang I inevitably return to clay. Which reminds me, a Yulan that was sickly sweet scented 9 months ago, is now performing wonders in my teapot, the fragrance has mellowed to non-existence and the flavour and mouthfeel are wonderful, perhaps I will get the gaiwan out to sample it's aroma once more.

I believe some people really do go to any length to get high fragrance from their DC, they need young DC and a Gaiwan. But for me the beauty in DC is when it has aged into a meaningful adult and needs brewing in clay.

It should not be a problem, we are all different and have different tastes.
Enjoy what you like.

[Zanaspus]

I should shut up, but the statement "needs brewing in clay".....no.

[Herb_Master]

I should shut up, but the statement "needs brewing in clay".....no.

Why?

But for me the beauty in DC is when it has aged into a meaningful adult and needs brewing in clay.