Fishing for opinions on DTH's Dan Congs

[Herb_Master]

Your photo of the leaves look as I would expect, at that price if it tastes good, then it seems to be good value for money.

The photos on your link show very green leaves, I would have been wary buying it from those photos.

[oak]

Your photo of the leaves look as I would expect, at that price if it tastes good, then it seems to be good value for money.

The photos on your link show very green leaves, I would have been wary buying it from those photos.

I took the photos in the kitchen of my house just before writing here.

Why "ware"?. I don't understand and I would like to learn a bit. Because there are green leaves?, and which is the problem?

It is curious because his smell and flavor resemble enough, maybe too much to gyokuro, but not completely since it seems as if it had something of the darjeeling, since it tastes similarly to the raisin and muscatel. Thank you.

[Herb_Master]

Oolongs, are partially oxidised, and the greener the dried leaf then I would have assumed they are extremely lightly oxidised if at all. Even when brewed Oolongs that show green leaf, usually show as much darker in their dry state before brewing.

I like my Dan Congs to have a fair degree of oxidisation which provides me with the body and flavour that I look for in my Oolongs. The photos that you took show nicely darkened leaves, but the photos of the web site show very green leaves, that are a lot greener looking than any of the 50 or so Dan Congs that I have bought.

[Tead Off]

Oolongs, are partially oxidised, and the greener the dried leaf then I would have assumed they are extremely lightly oxidised if at all. Even when brewed Oolongs that show green leaf, usually show as much darker in their dry state before brewing.

I like my Dan Congs to have a fair degree of oxidisation which provides me with the body and flavour that I look for in my Oolongs. The photos that you took show nicely darkened leaves, but the photos of the web site show very green leaves, that are a lot greener looking than any of the 50 or so Dan Congs that I have bought.

This is a reply from Tim in another Dancong thread addressing oxidation and roasting.

The higher the grade the greener the DC is, just like TGY from Anxi. These are both high aroma tea, and roasting will take away those delicate favor. Roasting and oxidation is only for long storage intension. High grade DC and TGY might have under 10% of oxidation and no roasting at all.

I also notice the high end DC's have little roasting and are quite green but then again, I've seen green leaves also in poor quality DC.

[Herb_Master]

Tead, I saw Tim's comments, and pondered them as I wrote. At the price these are selling if they are high end then they are exceptional value.

There is a startling difference in colour between the sites photos and the photos that Oak took, having been startled I then reflected that my personal taste in DC is for something bolder than others may like.

From Oak's photos I would have been tempted, from the site's photos I would have moved on - unless of course the site was Tim's and he was promising a wonderful experience

[TIM]

http://www.ebay.es/itm/300462156629?ssP ... 1439.l2649
What kind of a Micky mouse business is this?! What's in the vendor's pictures are totally different then what the poor customer got! And showing a 700 yrs old plus dancong tree as a trap while selling something else is less then crocker.



This is how those leaves should look like if its the real old bush tree. 2.5 inches long at least, and brew up to 30 plus steepings.

[oak]

Oolongs, are partially oxidised, and the greener the dried leaf then I would have assumed they are extremely lightly oxidised if at all. Even when brewed Oolongs that show green leaf, usually show as much darker in their dry state before brewing.

I like my Dan Congs to have a fair degree of oxidisation which provides me with the body and flavour that I look for in my Oolongs. The photos that you took show nicely darkened leaves, but the photos of the web site show very green leaves, that are a lot greener looking than any of the 50 or so Dan Congs that I have bought.

Yes, already I understand, the oxidation apart from getting dark gives tea a few special flavors, and in case of Oolongs different processes of oxidation are combined, I suppose that some kind of fermentation, roast, dried, that must change in many cases. I think that this one is one of the attractions of the tea.

http://www.ebay.es/itm/300462156629?ssP ... 1439.l2649
What kind of a Micky mouse business is this?! What's in the vendor's pictures are totally different then what the poor customer got! And showing a 700 yrs old plus dancong tree as a trap while selling something else is less then crocker.



This is how those leaves should look like if its the real old bush tree. 2.5 inches long at least, and brew up to 30 plus steepings.

The near time I will go with more care, but I have proved the DC that I bought and it seems to me that inside the different smells and flavors (gyokuro and darjeeling) there is a certain unit that characterizes it. We will continue proving other oolongs.

I am going to put some photos that I would like that you see, for if you wants to give your opinion. Thank you

[TIM]

Hi Oak ~ The point here is, the vendor is selling a phoenix old tree oolong that is much greener and less oxidized then that one you get. Hope that make sense

[oak]

Hi Oak ~ The point here is, the vendor is selling a phoenix old tree oolong that is much greener and less oxidized then that one you get. Hope that make sense

Ah¡, excuse me, I don't understood. My english is not very good. I will have to look for surer sites, which is not not easy at all. Thank you

[Splinters]

To respond to the original poster's question, here are my thoughts.

I've tried DTH's Bai Ye, Almond, and Elegant Beauty Dan Congs. I thought the first was lifeless and not worth ordering. I thought the second could be nudged into a pleasant brew, and was worthwhile. And I thought the last was quite solid, but more like a Wu Yi than a classic Dan Cong. If you take a look at the thread on Impressions of a few Feng Huang/Dan Congs, you'll get my fuller impressions.

I've decided to order a few more to try out, but I don't expect them to compare to the much pricier Dan Congs available from fancier joints. That's ok by me. I can order pricier Dan Congs when I want them.

Also, I've found the quality of DTH's greens to be very high on the whole. I've tried many of these over the years and have rarely been disappointed. My current favorite is their E Mei E Rui. And I have more on the way!

And, I recommend avoiding DTH's herbals. The few I've gotten over the years have been old and flavorless.

[wh&yel-apprentice]

http://www.ebay.es/itm/300462156629?ssP ... 1439.l2649
What kind of a Micky mouse business is this?! What's in the vendor's pictures are totally different then what the poor customer got! And showing a 700 yrs old plus dancong tree as a trap while selling something else is less then crocker.



This is how those leaves should look like if its the real old bush tree. 2.5 inches long at least, and brew up to 30 plus steepings.

http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz29 ... G_9935.jpg

How exactly does one determine a 700+ yr old Pheonix Mtn DC? From the image above, I surely can't tell...not sure how TIM does it? Much like the exact date to the year, on the oldest Pu-erh tree in his blog...I suppose

Are there any 700+ old DC's that are not now of the 'protected' type that are fenced in to exclude tourists?

Does size matter? Can't recall where, but perhaps it was Hojo? Some site mentions DC tea leaves of some varietal/cultivar that are upwards of 6+in, though you probably do not get these leaves being made into tea???

In that link, they mention "low oxidized", from the pictures it almost looks as though that is 'green' processed with no oxidation or roasting at all

Dried tea color: bloom dark brown color

...surely doesn't look like it's dark brown in anyway. Keep in mind, various shades will appear differently on any given users monitors, and people see color differently owning to their own eye's abilities.

light-roasted Dancong

...I'll say! ... looks unroasted almost, just how TIM thinks they should be.

brew up to 30 plus steepings.

I kind of hate these self-appointed experts . With Imen brewing, at her old store, the 1978 DC that is pretty darned expensive, starts to lose something past 12 steeps, gets a little thinner/watery at ~12-15steeps.

Don't know how old the tree used for that '78 is, but unless you really like very mild/subtle infusions, I couldn't see how anyone could get 30+ steeps from any tea, 50's red mark Pu-erh included. That has to be a personal preference and using a boatload of leaves in a completely stuffed large sized Yixing pot...maybe?, not a factual written in stone everyday occurrence. Tim is welcome of course to brew me up 30+ steeps and try to convince me otherwise...he might be disappointed when I call it quits at a dozen or so

[AdamMY]

http://www.ebay.es/itm/300462156629?ssP ... 1439.l2649
What kind of a Micky mouse business is this?! What's in the vendor's pictures are totally different then what the poor customer got! And showing a 700 yrs old plus dancong tree as a trap while selling something else is less then crocker.



This is how those leaves should look like if its the real old bush tree. 2.5 inches long at least, and brew up to 30 plus steepings.

http://i836.photobucket.com/albums/zz29 ... G_9935.jpg

How exactly does one determine a 700+ yr old Pheonix Mtn DC? From the image above, I surely can't tell...not sure how TIM does it? Much like the exact date to the year, on the oldest Pu-erh tree in his blog...I suppose

Are there any 700+ old DC's that are not now of the 'protected' type that are fenced in to exclude tourists?

Does size matter? Can't recall where, but perhaps it was Hojo? Some site mentions DC tea leaves of some varietal/cultivar that are upwards of 6+in, though you probably do not get these leaves being made into tea???

In that link, they mention "low oxidized", from the pictures it almost looks as though that is 'green' processed with no oxidation or roasting at all

Dried tea color: bloom dark brown color

...surely doesn't look like it's dark brown in anyway. Keep in mind, various shades will appear differently on any given users monitors, and people see color differently owning to their own eye's abilities.

light-roasted Dancong

...I'll say! ... looks unroasted almost, just how TIM thinks they should be.

brew up to 30 plus steepings.

I kind of hate these self-appointed experts . With Imen brewing, at her old store, the 1978 DC that is pretty darned expensive, starts to lose something past 12 steeps, gets a little thinner/watery at ~12-15steeps.

Don't know how old the tree used for that '78 is, but unless you really like very mild/subtle infusions, I couldn't see how anyone could get 30+ steeps from any tea, 50's red mark Pu-erh included. That has to be a personal preference and using a boatload of leaves in a completely stuffed large sized Yixing pot...maybe?, not a factual written in stone everyday occurrence. Tim is welcome of course to brew me up 30+ steeps and try to convince me otherwise...he might be disappointed when I call it quits at a dozen or so

There are teas you can get 30+ steeps from, and they often do not even need to be aged, they just have to be created with great care. I find it amazing that you go to so many sources to pull together all these random "facts", which I could probably pour through dozens or more sites and easily come up with equally valid "facts" which contradict yours. In the end you have to realize that there are very few absolutes in this world, and the best you can do is try and make sense for yourself based on your experience.

I having tried some of the teas Tim sells, can say that he does not exaggerate the number of brews when it comes to teas, and no they are not colored water. I have had a fair few number of colored water brews in my days, and usually I scrap the tea before it even reaches that point. I am currently drinking one of his Refined Fire Shui Xians with 6 grams to 50ml yixing, it is on its 10th day of brewing, and I would say I have had upwards of 24 infusions currently, and its not even stuffed as much as Tim stuffs his pots, and the leaves are only just starting to taste like its run out of things to give. In fact yesterday it tasted about as strong as I would expect a typical 4th infusion from a more standard Yancha.

Also while it is not unheard of for old tea trees to have incredibly large leaves, as in 6+ inches or so, but even puerh tea is made almost exclusively with buds and the newest few leaves(2,3 or maybe 4) on each branch. None of which would have had the chance to get anywhere close to 6 inches in the few weeks even the oldest leaves have been growing.

[wh&yel-apprentice]

Of course, depends on your price limit, but I really think Tea Habitat's commercial grade offerings are a good value. Sure, some of their stuff is very expensive, but the commercial grade stuff is better than a lot of stuff people sell at much higher prices. I (and some other folks I've talked to) also find it a bit more forgiving to brew.

[disclaimer: the owner is a friend]

A few years ago, at least, the Honey Orchid (milan) dancong from Bird Pick / Wing Hop Fung was pretty decent for the price. Other ones not as much. It's cheaper locally than online

I assume it's this one... $60/lb online, and maybe $40/lb at Wing Hop Fung.

http://www.birdpick.com/our-teas/loose- ... olong.html

I can't read Chinese characters, so didn't look at the ones on the labels in the acrylic clear round containers they store most of the tea for dispensing @WHF, but they have two DC's priced in their Monterey Park store on Garvey & Atlantic shopping center. One is the lower roasted/oxidized style that when they brewed it for me, I just did not care for it...tasted like a Taiwanese puchong/baozhong to me . The other, along with all of WHF teas are on sale today until closing for 20% off.

Interesting was the owner/manager of the Bird Pick stores, daughter of the family, was in the MP store when I visited in back in Dec, when I bought the $40/lb Honey Orchid DC @$40/lb as rec'd by will.

Her name is Lan, I talked to her for a bit. When asked if she knew of the TC forum, she said she wasn't very computer/ internet savvy...which is kind of strange given the amount of Bird Pick Facebook & Tweets she's done Anyway, she had the employee's brew up in a inexpensive Yixing style pot, some of what she said was her tea she drinks at home, the $138/lb IIRC "supreme" Phoenix Honey Orchid from supposedly upwards of 800yr old trees and one of only 2 labeled DC's that are supposedly grown at an indicated 800m+ elevation, sku# 1158 (not the same # as any listed on their websites). This is certainly better than the $40/lb, but not 3x . More complex, perhaps thicker mouthfeel, but not a huge difference to me; both of these are of the traditional higher roast type.<<<think that one should compare more favorably to Imen's 'commercial' grade, though I've never had any of TH's commercial grade teas, just the high-end stuff.

Had a chance to try the more floral style, lighter oxidized/roasted "Phoenix Honey Iris" DC that is $110/lb, also from higher elevation as indicated, and supposedly from 700yr old trees, or from an area of tree where some are 700yr old :p. Not sure I'm a fan of lighter roasted/oxidized DC's, but this one was nicely floral from the opened bag, and you could get some of that in the infused tea...except, that happened at home, in my porcelain Celadon tp. The same tea I tasted a few days ago @WHF when an employee brewed several times in a Gaiwan with near boiling water, the 1st infusion was a bit bitter, tasting more of a lightly oxidized green style tea, with little noticeable roasting , You can see from the spent leaves, this is a lighter oxidized/roasted tea.

Btw, I also purchased the highest grade of TGY they have @$68/lb which is a traditional heavier roast. Did not care for it, tasted of too much caramel of the odd sort of flavor you might get from eating Cracker Jacks >>>not pleasing to me.

Also foolishly bought a few ounces of the 2011 Spring Long Jing- which looked too dry/faded, lacking in more vivid color...and it tasted as such. LG sitting in acrylic containers at room temps doesn't keep...lesson learned. Clearance sale priced 2009 Da Fo Long Jing Jiu Keng cultivar in sealed packet from Seven Cups I bought in Dec., had more flavor but surprisingly less nuttiness than the WHF LG, even if 2yrs older.

[debunix]

I enjoyed the Phoenix Honey Iris from WHF, as it happens, better than one of the 'commercial' grade Phoenix oolongs I got from Imen, but that was a rare exception, the only tea I got from Imen that really didn't work for me. I have gradually limited the varieties of tea I buy at WHF, as I've tried other versions from different suppliers. I think those big jars and open bins are not good for most delicate teas.

I still buy An Ji "precious rare white tea" (I presume this is what is otherwise called An Ji Bai Cha, which oddly enough seems to withstand the jars just fine); and 'Supreme Big Red Robe' is a decent everyday yancha suitable for brewing up a thermos full at a time; and I've gotten some nice shu puerh there in the past. Overall, I find it rather hit or miss, and since the staff tends to overbrew for my preferences when offering samples, it's hard to know in advance what I'm getting.

[TIM]

How exactly does one determine a 700+ yr old Pheonix Mtn DC? From the image above, I surely can't tell...not sure how TIM does it? Much like the exact date to the year, on the oldest Pu-erh tree in his blog...I suppose

SITTING IN FRONT OF A SCREEN ALL YOUR LIFE AND GOOGLE-FACTING THE REAL WORLD WILL NOT GET YOU ANYWHERE, BUT ONLY RESULTING IN IGNORANT, MADE-BELIEVE, IRRITATING COMMENTS LIKE YOU DO.

http://www.themandarinstea.blogspot.com ... -bush.html

Are there any 700+ old DC's that are not now of the 'protected' type that are fenced in to exclude tourists?

THERE ARE MANY TEA TREES OVER THAT AGE IN THE AREA, AND AGAIN HOW WOULD YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE A FROG UNDER THE WELL AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW BIG THE SKY IS?

brew up to 30 plus steepings.

I kind of hate these self-appointed experts .

I SHOULD KNOW BY NOW NOT TO FEED THE TROLL. I AM NOT AN EXPERT BUT JUST SOMEONE PASSIONATE ENOUGH TO GO TO THE ORIGIN AND LOOK FOR THE TRUTH.

...Tim is welcome of course to brew me up 30+ steeps and try to convince me otherwise...he might be disappointed when I call it quits at a dozen or so

UNFORTUNATELY, IT WILL BE HARD FOR YOU TO EXPERIENCE THESE RARE GIFT OF NATURE AND HUMANITY FROM ME. IT WILL BE A HUGH WASTE OF TIME FOR YOU.

Happy New Year to you. Save those tea you wish to understand for someone else. It will do a much greater GOOD for those who seek the truth with a humble heart. Save a trip to China also.

OK, I will take the kind advices from my fellow Tea Chat friends. This is the last time i fed a troll.