Da Wu Ye - DTH

[puerhking]

Has anyone tried the Da Wu Ye dancong from Dragon Tea House?

What did you think?

Thanks

Brian

[thanks]

I believe Herb Master has. I have some on the way that should be here any day now, I'll let you know if it's better than Imen's. So far Imen's is really really good, though.

[Herb_Master]

Yes, I have had it a couple of times this week. Mainly in practice sessions as I get used to using a gaiwan. I have had it alongside Big Yellow Leaf in gaiwan, and alongside itself in a Gaiwan and Yixing. The early Gaiwan infusions are really fragrant compared to the Yixing, but I find the yixing infusions are softer whilst giving a full body and absolutely no bitterness in any infusion no matter how long. I recently upped my last 7th or 8th Yixing infusion to 7 minutes (starting 15secs and working up) and I think it was probably my favourite.

I did not write anything down, I am waiting for "Thanks" to get his then I will try and brew using the same parameters that he does for his 2 different Da Wu Ye.

I was confused by Imen's naming of different Da Wu Ye teas so posted a comment, to which she gave an interesting reply, so I used the Yixing that I have dedicated to Ginger Flower Fragrance teas, I did not not notice any ginger flower fragrance (although I have never come across a Ginger Flower, but perhaps a little touch of something like ginger rootin that 7 minute infusion.

Imen's post
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/ ... -cong.html

[thanks]

Yes, I have had it a couple of times this week. Mainly in practice sessions as I get used to using a gaiwan. I have had it alongside Big Yellow Leaf in gaiwan, and alongside itself in a Gaiwan and Yixing. The early Gaiwan infusions are really fragrant compared to the Yixing, but I find the yixing infusions are softer whilst giving a full body and absolutely no bitterness in any infusion no matter how long. I recently upped my last 7th or 8th Yixing infusion to 7 minutes (starting 15secs and working up) and I think it was probably my favourite.

I did not write anything down, I am waiting for "Thanks" to get his then I will try and brew using the same parameters that he does for his 2 different Da Wu Ye.

I was confused by Imen's naming of different Da Wu Ye teas so posted a comment, to which she gave an interesting reply, so I used the Yixing that I have dedicated to Ginger Flower Fragrance teas, I did not not notice any ginger flower fragrance (although I have never come across a Ginger Flower, but perhaps a little touch of something like ginger rootin that 7 minute infusion.

Imen's post
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/ ... -cong.html

I just got mine today, so I will be posting notes within the next few days. The Da Wu Ye from Imen though, I'm still playing around with. I've only had two sessions with it, where the first was using enough leaf to half fill my 100ml gaiwan, boiling water for the first two infusions, then 175f for the rest. 30s, 15s, 12s, 30s, 45s, 1m produced a pretty floral cup, with a little bit of bitterness and almost a sencha-like flavor. My second session used a stuffed 100ml gaiwan all with boiling water, 10s, 12s, 15s, 25s, 22s, 30s, 45s, 1:15, 2m and was really delicious. Smooth mouthfeel, a little huigan, very sweet chewy flavor throughout. I was able to keep it aromatic yet also have a very good flavor this way. Very good, and I highly recommend it.

[thanks]

Well only four infusions in and I am not liking the Da Wu Ye from DTH at all. It's very confusing tea. I half filled my 100ml gaiwan with dry leaf, used boiling water on the first infusion and realized immediately this was a mistake. This leaf is too delicate for boiling water. When I tasted baozhong in the aftertaste I knew the temperature had to be lowered. After the second infusion the taste became almost like wheat bread, or something? Very odd, and not very tasty. The smell is like a floral baozhong, the leaves look like baozhong, and in general Imen's Da Wu Ye blows this one out of the water. I don't think I can finish out the session. I'll retry it tomorrow and use lower temp water, less leaf, and different infusion times than my usual for dancong.

[puerhking]

post at 4:40pm

I just got mine today, so I will be posting notes within the next few days.

post at 5:05pm

Well only four infusions in and I am not liking the Da Wu Ye from DTH at all. It's very confusing tea.

Looks like someone couldn't wait.......lol! I never trust the taste of anything that comes from China on the first day. I would wait a couple of days and try again. I have tried Imen's.......and it is fantastic. Thanks for the notes. Ill be interested to see what else you come up with. I hope it improves.

[puerhking]

Yes, I have had it a couple of times this week. Mainly in practice sessions as I get used to using a gaiwan. I have had it alongside Big Yellow Leaf in gaiwan, and alongside itself in a Gaiwan and Yixing. The early Gaiwan infusions are really fragrant compared to the Yixing, but I find the yixing infusions are softer whilst giving a full body and absolutely no bitterness in any infusion no matter how long. I recently upped my last 7th or 8th Yixing infusion to 7 minutes (starting 15secs and working up) and I think it was probably my favourite.

I did not write anything down, I am waiting for "Thanks" to get his then I will try and brew using the same parameters that he does for his 2 different Da Wu Ye.

I was confused by Imen's naming of different Da Wu Ye teas so posted a comment, to which she gave an interesting reply, so I used the Yixing that I have dedicated to Ginger Flower Fragrance teas, I did not not notice any ginger flower fragrance (although I have never come across a Ginger Flower, but perhaps a little touch of something like ginger rootin that 7 minute infusion.

Imen's post
http://tea-obsession.blogspot.com/2008/ ... -cong.html

Thanks for the notes and the link.......interesting. Dan cong can be somewhat frustrating in that regard.....at least for me. Hope you both add your notes on subsequent sessions!

[Herb_Master]

I have tried Imen's.......and it is fantastic.

The pair of you are making me jealous now, I wish she had online ordering with international rates available.

Maybe I should email her for a quote!

But 2 months ago someone said she was about to start online ordering, and I have been on tenterhooks!

[Salsero]

The pair of you are making me jealous now, I wish she had online ordering with international rates available.

Maybe I should email her for a quote!

Just send her an email. In my experience, she is very sweet and always ready to make special arrangements.

[gingkoseto]

Well only four infusions in and I am not liking the Da Wu Ye from DTH at all. It's very confusing tea. I half filled my 100ml gaiwan with dry leaf, used boiling water on the first infusion and realized immediately this was a mistake. This leaf is too delicate for boiling water. When I tasted baozhong in the aftertaste I knew the temperature had to be lowered. After the second infusion the taste became almost like wheat bread, or something? Very odd, and not very tasty. The smell is like a floral baozhong, the leaves look like baozhong, and in general Imen's Da Wu Ye blows this one out of the water. I don't think I can finish out the session. I'll retry it tomorrow and use lower temp water, less leaf, and different infusion times than my usual for dancong.

Ah! That's interesting! I thought boiling water is always good for oolong, especially dan cong. Baozhong, since it's very much green-ized, I can understand sometimes sub-boiling temperature is preferred. But dan cong is supposed to be much tougher. DTH website suggests low temperature water and long infusions. But I guess most other people use boiling water and infusions of like 5 seconds. What infusion time did you use? If you use boiling water, I guess you can no longer follow DTH's infusion time. Or, as you said, try lower temperature, and let us know

Oh and the DTH da wu ye looks like winter tea (did they specify it on their website? I just think it looks like), which is usually not comparable to spring tea.

[Herb_Master]

Thanks, I hope you enjoy it more second try. By the way

Oh and the DTH da wu ye looks like winter tea (did they specify it on their website? I just think it looks like), which is usually not comparable to spring tea.

I see that Imen has a 'Winter Snow' Da Yu We, I imagine that is Winter Puck also.

Which of Imen's do you all have?

[Proinsias]

Herb Master: If you are interested in Dan Cong I would definitely drop Imem an email. I got ten or so dan congs from her earlier last year and whilst I don't recall what the shipping was, I'm in Glasgow, I don't recall it being too painful and I was very happy with what I got for the overall price.

I got three aged Dan Congs which knocked my socks off. The Da Wu stuff I don't recall standing out but I don't think I ordered a particularly high grade of it .

Unfortunately for anyone hoping to glean anything of use from my little dan cong adventure I took the approach of paying no attention to what was written on the packet of each one, brewing them all in the same little yixing and hoping that by the time I had finished I had a better appreciation of dan cong in general, it worked.

One thing I did learn was that the next time I get some Honey Orchid I will order a small pack of high grade stuff and treat it like it's shincha, degrading by the second.

[Herb_Master]

Herb Master: If you are interested in Dan Cong I would definitely drop Imem an email. I got ten or so dan congs from her earlier last year and whilst I don't recall what the shipping was, I'm in Glasgow, I don't recall it being too painful and I was very happy with what I got for the overall price.

I got three aged Dan Congs which knocked my socks off. The Da Wu stuff I don't recall standing out but I don't think I ordered a particularly high grade of it .

Unfortunately for anyone hoping to glean anything of use from my little dan cong adventure I took the approach of paying no attention to what was written on the packet of each one, brewing them all in the same little yixing and hoping that by the time I had finished I had a better appreciation of dan cong in general, it worked.

One thing I did learn was that the next time I get some Honey Orchid I will order a small pack of high grade stuff and treat it like it's shincha, degrading by the second.

Good to hear!

Also good to hear that you enjoyed them in a Yixing. I am getting strong encouragement to ditch my yixings where DAN congs are concerned. I have begun to use a Gaiwan and am thoroughly enjoying using them but I find I get something different and equally enjoyable using a yixing.

[wyardley]

Ah! That's interesting! I thought boiling water is always good for oolong, especially dan cong. Baozhong, since it's very much green-ized, I can understand sometimes sub-boiling temperature is preferred. But dan cong is supposed to be much tougher.

You can do a lot with technique too - whether you hit the tea directly, and whether you're pouring around the rim or directly in the middle. Imen yelled at me for "cooking" some dancong the other day when I was using boiling water from maybe 4" up, in a fairly thin stream, then she was doing what looked to me like pretty much the same thing but pouring from a bit higher (maybe 6" up) with a new, but very similar tea, and it came out much more fragrant. And as I learned recently when at another tea shop, "full boil" can mean different things to different people. Anyway, I think it really depends on the tea. Unless the tea is really amazing, I've been getting better results recently with a slow, high, thin pour, which should probably result in the water being slightly cooler than boiling.

All that said, I usually do dancongs pretty close to a full boil. I usually rest the water for a few seconds after it comes off too, and of course the type of kettle you have might affect how quickly it cools off.

[thanks]

The one I have from Imen is just her commercial grade one 22$ for 3oz. Anyways I'm about to try the DTH Da Wu Ye again, I hope it goes better than last time.

Yes Brian I'm very impatient hahaha. I was hoping no one would notice