Tea: Bamboo Leaf Fragrance
Type: Zhuye Xiang Dancong Oolong (竹叶香单丛乌龙)
Style: Classic Dancong
Roast: Qingxiang (Light Roast)
Harvest: Spring 2024
Region: Wudong Village, Phoenix Mountains, Chaozhou
Producers: Wen Zitong
Tasting Notes: Buttered Toast, Raspberry Jam, Wild Orchid, Honeysuckle, Rock Sugar
The Bamboo Leaf Fragrance, also sometimes referred to as the Orchid King, is a new cultivar to the website. While we have had this cultivar dozens of times over the past 8 years of sourcing Dancong, we have rarely found one that truly stands out. As typical for Wen Zitong, his touch makes this cultivar come to life, and we finally see what we believe to be the true nature of the Bamboo Leaf Fragrance in this tea.
The dry leaves in a warmed gaiwan exude a lovely mix of buttered toast and raspberry compote. Once hit with warm water, a floral forward fragrance emerges redolent of wild orchid and honeysuckle. The brew is a light gold, reflecting the lighter processing of this tea, in comparison to the heavier roasts of the Eight Immortals or the Apricot Kernal Fragrance.
The brew is soft and sweet, a challenge to those who consider most dancong oolongs to be strong and bitter. The tea sits soft on the tongue, but has an oily texture that lingers after the tea has been drunk. While there are some fruity notes in the fragrance of this tea, both on the leaves and in the cup, the dominant flavor of sweetness presented is that of a more pure saccharine, similar to crystalized rock sugar.
When drunk in quick succession, this tea leaves the tongue tingling, evincing the older age of Wen Zitong's tea trees. We find this tea just as wonderful as Wen's Orchid Fragrance, however perhaps it is even sweeter and more delicate. If you're interested in the Bamboo Leaf Fragrance, be sure to check out the very limited stock of leaves we acquired from Wen Zitong's Bamboo Leaf Fragrance Mother Bush.
