The Ginger Flower Fragrance is one of our more favorite lesser-known dancong oolong cultivars. Often times it can be as fragrant and engaging as a high-shelf Milanxiang, but it comes with a nice spiciness that is unique to this cultivar. This was one of the first teas Wen Zitong brought out for us to try, because he was very proud of how it turned out this year.
This tea walks the line between spiciness and floral fragrances very well. When the leaves are placed in a warmed gaiwan, they exude a buttery and berry fragrance, with the slightest hint of ginger spice.This becomes much more sappy once infused with water, redolent of a fresh snapped pine bough.
The brew is a clean gold which is thick and oily on the tongue.We are pleasantly surprised by the thick mouthfeel of this tea, as the fragrances and flavors are much more nuanced and refined than some of the more overtly fragrant dancong cultivars.There is a sweetness in the tea soup that reminds us of candied ginger, sweet and yet undeniably spicy.When cooled, a creaminess which we first smelled on the dry leaves returns to the brew.
Lu’an Guapian was a lovely surprise when I tried it for the first time a year ago, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting its return this year. This green tea, with its fresh, grassy aroma, is, as far as I’m concerned, absolutely delicious.
