Tea: Dawuye (Big Dark Leaf) Dancong
Type: Charcoal Roasted Dancong Oolong
Harvest: Spring 2021
Region: Phoenix Village, Guangdong, China
Producers: Xie Family
Tasting Notes: Berries, Bubble Gum, Rock Sugar, Sage, Cinnamon
Wudong Mountain, the navel of the Phoenix mountain range and Mecca for all things Dancong is named for the dark volcanic soil of it slopes. The Big Dark Leaf Dancong Oolong varietal is likewise named for the dark soil from which it grows (the Wu meaning dark is common between Wulong, Wudong, and Dawuye).
The Big Dark Leaf varietal is one so adapted and expressive of the environment that it is one of the most commonly cultivated varietals. Nearly every farmer grows and makes a Dawuye. Thus, while it can be easy to find a Big Dark Leaf Dancong Oolong, it can be quite another struggle to find a good one.
Our Big Dark Leaf has been properly slow roasted in a bamboo basket over a bed of charcoal tree times and has had a year for the roast to meld into the leaves. We always prefer roasted teas with a little bit of age on them, as they are the more true expressions of the leaf married to the roast.
The dry leaves give off a berry bubblegum aroma, mixed with a bit of rock sugar. The roast has done a lot to caramelize some of the sugars in the leaves, and the tea is surprisingly sweet. The wet leaves have much more spice than the dry leaves, reminding me of sage and other cooking spices. The soup is a rich red, evincing the heavier roast this tea has seen, and the soup has notes of blueberry jam, elderberry syrup, and something much meatier besides.
