Comparing exceptional Vietnamese and Taiwanese white teas

 

Vietnamese tea left, Taiwanese right, in all photos

I'm comparison reviewing Vietnamese and Taiwanese white teas, a Lai Chau Deep Forest White, from 2024, from Viet Sun, and a Lishan Taiwanese White, from 2022, from Tea Mania.

After getting a bit bogged down in describing how medium level aging concerns work out for sheng pu'er in a last post I want to keep this simple.  It will be about what I think of the experienced aspects, not about aging, trueness to type, regional background differences, or anything else beyond what is in the cups.  One of these is two years old, and one is from this year, and I won't really speculate on whatever difference that might have made.

There's some risk I'll like one more than the other, then maybe I'll complicate this talking about varying preferences for aspects, but I don't want to take that sort of theme very far either.  Writing a simple review would be nice.  As usual vendor page citations say what they are:

Lai Châu Deep Forest White Spring 2024  ($29 per 100 grams)

A beautiful and unique tea from ancient non-Sinensis varietal tea trees growing wild at altitudes of 2200-2500m in Phong Thổ, Lai Châu. The people living and making tea in this area are of the Dao ethnicity.

The raw leaves used to make this tea take on shades of red, purple and green with a glossy look and every tree produces leaves with a different appearance. You can also find leaves that look different on individual trees. Picking the leaves to make this tea requires a long walk into the forest and climbing up very tall tea trees. This is only possible on days with good weather.

This tea brews up into a clear golden soup. The fragrance and flavor is stone fruit fruity and floral with cane sugar, orchid and mountain forest notes. This tea has a lingering “purple effect” common in many wild varietal white teas like this and a strong but relaxing qi. No bitterness or astringency.

I like to brew this one at 90C for the first few steeps and then gradually increase to 100C during later steeps.

Interesting, that this isn't from Camelia Sinensis.  It definitely tastes unique.  For once my flavor description of it is pretty close to Steve's.  Very similar descriptions can relate to slightly different interpretations of the same flavors, but this matches better than usual.  

I don't know about the relaxing qi; I tried it along with another tea.  I suppose it was nice not getting blasted as I do when comparing sheng versions, but that experience is nice in a different sense too.

Lishan White (25 CHF / $29.44 for 50 grams)

This white tea is also an absolute rarity and we were only able to get hold of a few grams. The tea leaves come from Qingxin bushes which grow on the Lishan. The tea has an abundance of pleasant aromas with a floral and full-bodied character. The high altitude results in a much more intense and complex aroma which is normally not found in a white tea.

Harvest: Summer 2022

Taste: Full-bodied and complex

Terroir: Lishan, Taiwan

Preparation: Per serving approx. 2g, temperature approx. 75°C,  time 1 – 2 minutes

There are a few things to unpack there.  I'd brew it hotter; why not?  It really is one of the most unique white teas I've tried, maybe even more novel than this Vietnamese version, although both were absolutely different than any versions I remember trying before.  

60 cents a gram is a bit much, but then this tea probably is a type that barely even exists.  And it's unusually high in quality level, pleasant to experience, and from a high demand production area, where above average oolongs would command a decent price.  That price seems reasonable.

Review:

Lai Chau Deep Forest White:  the dry leaf scent is very deep, rich, sweet, and fruity.  Brewed it doesn't match that dry scent intensity; I may need to go a little longer on the next round.  I did brew these for 20-some seconds, so a bit, but I can push them for 30 to 40, given proportion is a little lower than I usually use.

Sweetness and fruit is evident in this.  It's complex; it tastes a bit like peach or apricot, but there's a lot more going on than that.  It might include grape as well, but not the modern grocery store grape range, more like the older Concord type used to make juice in the past.  Or I think that was a broad type range; I'm not completely caught up on types of grapes.  Mineral range includes a touch of savory quality, and significant sweetness makes it all balance well.

Lishan White:  I was concerned this might just be too subtle to hold its own but the opposite occurred instead; there's a strong spice range in this that's more intense than all of the character of the other.  It includes cinnamon, but it may extend beyond cinnamon.  Sweetness is pleasant; that works.  Beyond that there is other range but it's hard to identify at this stage, maybe a few minor supporting themes.  I'll push both a little harder and try to add more breakdown.

Lai Chai #2:  that picks up a lot of warmth and depth.  Flavors are so complex that it's hard to get it to separate out as a list of impressions.  There's a lot of fruit, all mixing together as one theme.  Again one part is in between peach and apricot, and grape doesn't stand out as much, but a hint of citrus does.  Warm tones are along the line of dry autumn leaf.  Sweetness is good, and feel is rich enough that it adds to the experience of overall complexity.  It would be a shame to swap out those brighter tones by aging this but it has enough depth already that it might work well to; that might increase further.

It's strange how when I try a little later, after tasting the other, when it's quite cool, the grape flavor comes back.  It tastes like grape bubblegum, more than actual grapes, like the old Hubba-Bubba version, or something such.

Lishan:  it's crazy tasting this much spice in a white tea.  This could actually include some cinnamon (it doesn't; I mean the impression is that clear and strong).  Feel might be even a little richer and fuller than for the other version, kind of velvety.  Sweetness level is comparable for the two, high enough to add to overall complexity, and a good level to support the balance.

It's strange how complex this comes across, even though the set of flavors is kind of bundled within a limited range.  There might be a general floral range beyond the spice, and a touch of fruit.  Warm tones are a main part of the overall balance, that spice range, and some mineral, with floral and fruit brighter.  Then as a secondary supporting input the floral and fruit range is less distinct, but it still plays a pronounced role in the overall impression.  Spice seems to include a hint of fennel seed, other warmer, towards-savory range.  These are some pretty interesting teas.

Lai Chau, #3:  there's a depth to this that's hard to describe.  I probably mean different things by that when I say it about different teas; that probably doesn't help.  There's a good bit of fruit, shifting now to warmer tones, but other deeper warm range really picks up, from the earlier mineral base and autumn leaf aspects.  It gives up some higher end, sweeter and more forward notes related to that shift, but it's pleasant.

Lishan:  this stays more consistent, evolving less.  I suppose there may be a shift to slightly warmer tones, brought on by round transition, and probably going slightly longer on the infusion time, but it's not so different than earlier.  It's interesting how flavor complexity and fullness of feel work together to make this seem complex.  That's true of the other tea version too, but in a different way, and a different sense.  

This includes fullness of feel more like oolong range can express.  There's a bright, sweet floral and mineral oriented note--a flavor set, I guess--that seems to tie it together with local origin oolong flavor range.  The other tea might be more complex, in terms of covering more flavor scope, and other aspect range, but this has a good bit more depth.  Some warmer range fills in complexity, and it comes across as quite refined.

They both brewed a few more pleasant rounds, but I left off taking notes here.

Conclusions:

These are both unusually good.  I kind of didn't expect that, since I didn't read the descriptions before trying them.  The Vietnamese version shows that interesting character in dry leaf scent, so much fruit, but the Lishan version doesn't as much.  It's interesting considering how they seem in light of those descriptions.  

The Vietnamese version does seem novel enough that it makes sense that's it's different plant type, but it doesn't include any of the sourness edge that can come up in those, even purple leaf versions, which I think are just a variant of Assamica.  Purple tea can taste a little like grapes, sometimes.

The Lishan version was really unique, complex, and refined.  White teas can lack flavor complexity and intensity, but these didn't.  Feel structure is often quite limited, but the Lishan version even covered that.  Both expressed so much depth that I didn't necessarily miss the intensity and edge that I usually experience drinking sheng more often.  

Someone could have drank a lot of more standard form Chinese white teas in the past, and like them, and feel that either of these really opened a door on new experience range for them.

Tea Tracks Zhang Jia Wan (2018) and Nan Nuo Shan (2016) sheng pu'er

 

Nan Nuo right, in all photos

I'm reviewing two more sheng pu'er from Tea Tracks, passed on by Jan, a friend who owns that (many thanks!).  

One part that looked interesting about these was how aging would factor in, since they're from 2016 and 2018, definitely not fully aged teas.  It should be interesting seeing how far along they are, and how it affects the experience at this point.  I broke normal form and checked the product descriptions before trying them, in order to avoid trying two teas together that make no sense as a tasting session set, which comes up sometimes.  They are these:

Zhang Jia Wan 2018 - 张家湾  ($127 USD, 114 Euro for 200 gram cake, also sold by sample)

Zhang Jia Wan is a village in the Yiwu mountains close to the border to Laos. This tea is made of ancient tree material (gu shu, 古树). This is an exciting tea! While it has the fruity characteristics of other Yiwu teas,  it can show a bit bolder side after a few steeps. It starts off mildly and flowery and turns into a bitter sweet fruity brew. 

After a few years of natural storage in Jinghong, in the southern part of Yunnan, it has hardly any astringency and produces a light, yet long lasting aftertaste.

Nan Nuo Shan 南糯山 2016  ($47 USD, 42.50 Euro for 200 gram cake, also sold per 25 grams)

This tea is from younger bushes in Nan Nuo Shan. Seven years of controlled storage in Jinghong has smoothed out the edges of it and it makes now a very enjoyable brew. 

It has a sweet and flowery aroma and a fruity taste. In the long aftertaste are hints of citrus. This tea has a nice uplifting energy. 

Taste:  Fruity with a long aftertaste

Trees:  Bushes （小木 xiao mu)

Origin:  Nan Nuo Shan, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China

Harvest:  Early spring 2016

The description of the Nan Nuo version character is just what I like in sheng; this may not be a fair test for this tea, in comparison with that one.  To some extent I can break down other quality level oriented factors, beyond my own preference, but it's easiest to describe what I like or don't like about the teas.

Review:

Zhan Jia Wan:  it's ok initially, but it's also seemingly in an odd place for transition.  Bitterness and astringency is gone, to the extent these had been present, but sweeter floral tones don't stand out either.  It's headed into a flatter sort of character, I suppose closest to wood flavor range, but that's really not it.  Mineral base is still nice, and there is some complexity, and decent balance, but early on overall range is a bit limited.

Six years along for a tea is well beyond the initial partial aging cycle, where teas vary in character some over the first 2 or 3 years, or maybe 4, but still express an altered early form.  People describe what they see as "awkward teen years" for sheng aging differently, and that really depends on the tea, and on the storage conditions.  If you want a 6 year old tea to seem younger dry storage input could be better.  If you want it to resemble a decade worth of age (under cooler and drier storage conditions) then warmer and more humid storage would be better.  I think in the long run a gradual middle ground is best, as in Taiwan and Hong Kong, but then you often need to allow for 15 to 20 years for a relatively full transition cycle to occur, and probably longer in some cases.

Yunnan storage can be fine, as this mentions.  I suppose conditions right where it was would factor in, since elevation could change temperature, micro-climate can affect humidity, and so on.

Nan Nuo:  warm mineral stands out in this too.  It's stronger; I may well have used slightly more, but it also seems to just be brewing a little faster.  I have really liked some versions of Nan Nuo origin sheng related to those being very fruity, but I'm not noticing it so much in this.  8 years is a long time for transition; even more of the earlier character range would have shifted, from lighter and sweeter floral and fruity range on to heavier earthier range, maybe not earthy in the sense of peat, but on to more spice tones and such.

I have some teas that are around that middle range, 6 to 8 years old, that I try from time to time, but it's not the most familiar range to me.  I lose track of what versions were like earlier, or in some cases what teas even are, if labeling is extra plain.  This leads back to the theme of making it hard to judge these against my personal preference; I drink medium aged sheng, but I usually like brand new or versions at or under 4 years old better.  That's for more drinkable teas, of course; I'll drink Xiaguan tuo tea when it's 6 to 10 years old to have an atypical experience, sometimes, but that's a bit harsh.

Zhang Jia Wan #2:  depth and complexity really pick up; this may not be fully hitting its stride until next round.  It's still in that subtle, somewhat narrow range though.  To me this is just how Yiwu often works out; it transitions to taste like cured hay, or mild floral range, like chrysanthemum, with good depth, and pleasant fullness and supporting mineral base, but also limited flavor range.  Then there's always the concern that maybe I've not tried the best of the best Yiwu versions yet, and that's almost certainly the case, but I've tried a lot of Yiwu presented as quite good quality versions, many of them aged to different degrees.

Sweetness is pretty good for it falling into this character type, of course nothing like in younger versions.  Feel is rich enough.  Aftertaste experience is significant, but with flavor range so limited there isn't that much to carry over.  I think pretty good medium aged Yiwu can often be like this; it can age to lose a lot of intensity.  It comes up in discussion that some of that can come back, that once a tea switches over to a different character later, after more aging transition, the effect can be higher intensity across a completely different aspect range.

Nan Nuo:  complexity and intensity pick up a little in this version in this round too (I guess that I said depth in the last case; it's similar, if still a little different).  I really want to notice fruit in this, but at most it leans a little towards dried fruit range, like apricot.  A tone that's in between warm mineral, spice, and a medicinal character is stronger; it hints towards how older, more transitioned teas work out.  

This isn't rough-edged at all, although it will smooth out some more and gain more depth over the following years.  Body is more structured than in the other version; it comes across more as a dryness.  This would probably be a good tea version to get to drink a little of now, to experience how it is, but to hold onto for 2 or 3 more years.  It's really close to having a more fully aged character; it won't take long.  For being 8 years old that seems to relate to transitioning relatively fast.

Quality level seems pretty good for both of these; it's more about where the character ends up right now in an aging transition cycle, related to how much someone would like either.  For a lot of sheng drinkers it's also about how they might like either in the future.  I probably would have liked this version more 4 years ago, as it had been at the end of its youth.  It's probably shifting towards having a new form of appeal, and it's ok now, but it also seems a bit in-between, hence that teen analogy.  

My son is 15, soon to be 16, right in the middle, and teenagers can get an unfairly bad image.  Sure he's a bit silly, and can be annoying, but it's a fascinating life phase, pulling it all together as he is now.  He's still a sweet boy.  Maybe he is awkward in some ways that are similar to this tea, still sorting out what he's going to be, and what he is right now.

ZJW #3:  there is a depth to this tea that I've not done justice to describing.  Adding a lot of flavor and feel related adjectives may or may clarify that.  So far I've said that the flavor resembles cured hay, and mild floral range, probably understating a mineral input.  

I clicked through to another blog review cited on the vendor listing (might as well, since I've parted with the standard limited input approach), and that cited "mossy" as a main flavor input.  That works.  I could imagine others interpreting it as tied to forest floor, or even some variation of autumn leaf, but to me mossy works better.  It's not vegetal, but to me moss stands in between the vegetal, earthy, and spice ranges, drawing on mineral input as well.

Nan Nuo:  actual bitterness enters in, along with a varied form of vegetal input, more towards a woody tone.  Feel is much more structured and drier.  That's probably better than it sounds, but I'm still thinking that this has the potential to bridge to an interesting and pleasant aged character relatively quickly, within another 3 or 4 years.  I had said 2 to 3 last round; intensity and structure picked up a little.

I suppose there would be sheng drinkers who have learned to really appreciate medium-aged tea versions, and then they would have their own individual preferences, and either of these could be regarded as very pleasant, right now.  It could be that only one would be judged as such, and the other not, and that different people would land on opposite conclusions, liking a different one better.  

They're fine, to me, but I've adjusted to younger sheng preference, to appreciating high sweetness and floral and fruit flavor level, at the cost of that adjoining more intense bitterness and astringency.  These probably never were quite bitter teas, in the sense standard Lincang or Menghai versions more often are.  That's just a guess, of course, and I'm not the best person for that sort of speculation.

ZJW #4:  I drank a good bit of water to clear my palate after that last round, not noticing that intensity of bitterness and residual sweetness had built up so much.  I took a break then, out checking on the garden.

This reminded me of considering why I like sheng pu'er more than other tea types, in part related to drinking really good Dan Cong recently, a review I'll finish and post here first.  That tea was just as complex in flavor as almost any sheng, more so than these, with great intensity and depth, and quite good refined character.  To some extent overall intensity isn't the same across pretty much all oolongs  though, the way that sheng builds up to be such an intense experience, even beyond the frequent intense flavors and mouthfeel.  

For that sampling experience, and maybe for drinking 50 to 100 grams of a tea, that Dan Cong was just as interesting and pleasant as any kind would be, in relation to my preference, but later on I would crave the other levels of intensity.  That happens with black tea too, but for whatever reason I keep returning to black tea, as a favorite simpler form to experience in between whatever else I get to.

Back to this tea, mineral depth seems all the stronger.  That mossy description fits even better for that.  Still, sweetness and other complexity is fine, it's just subtle, more of the cured hay or mild floral flavor range.  It's odd how one might associate that with having more of an aged character than the other tea, which is two years older.  It definitely shifted to an age-progressed form a little faster, maybe related to being less challenging in character earlier on.

Nan Nuo:  mineral tone is stronger in this too, but in a completely different form.  It's more along the line of rusted metal.  It works better than it sounds, because there is other range adding depth to that primary experience input.  Aftertaste experience is pretty decent for both, but then if someone doesn't love the flavor range while drinking the tea they might not love what carries over either.  

Again I'm guessing that this has good potential as a more aged version, in not so long, within a few more years.  It might be better yet in 5 or 6, more refined, not the most intense or complex form of aged sheng, but in a range that works.  All depending on preference, of course.  

Higher quality, more boutique style oriented teas tend to be more approachable and to land in a much different place than "factory teas" after significant aging.  I just re-tried a CNNP / Zhongcha sheng pu'er version from way back when that's familiar to many, a 2007 CNNP 8891 cake, one Yunnan Sourcing must have sold a shipping container worth of by now, that I first reviewed in April of 2019.  It's finally ready to drink, 17 years after it was made, after spending 5 years in Bangkok and at least most of a dozen in Guangdong, in relatively humid conditions, just not like here.

ZJW #5:  a more distinct floral note emerges; this is interesting.  It's pretty much in the range one might expect, light and sweet, but with some intensity and complexity.  I wonder why that stands out a little more now?  Natural variation in what extracts across rounds, I guess.  But in general that sort of range would be more pronounced earlier, shifting to warmer and deeper scope later on.  Sometimes early astringency or harsher edges can wear off, but that usually happens fast, in the first few rounds, and this wasn't really harsh at all.  

Nan Nuo:  a medicinal spice range tone picks up in this version, starting to shift a little towards aromatic bark spice, or incense spices.  This is more or less what I was guessing this might show in another 2 or 3 years of aging, but I just needed to wait a couple of rounds to get to an early version of it.  It's interesting how that relates to a different mouthfeel and aftertaste range, how this coats your tongue and mouth in an interesting way.  I wonder when the product review was written?  If those notes are from this year I suppose that I just disagree with that interpretation, but if it ties to an earlier and less age-transitioned form it tells a different story, of a tea going through some changes.

Interpreting the aftertaste as including citrus makes more sense now, in reference to that product listing description.  For this changing as much as it has over the last three rounds it might shift a bit more yet.  The other version goes through a more limited and subtle cycle of changes across rounds.  Tied directly to experienced aspects the drier feel range and heavier mineral input in this version (warmer in tone; maybe less different in terms of intensity) there is aspect range and limitations to like or dislike in both, again depending on preference.  

I would expect the Yiwu / Zhang Jia Wan to just keep fading from here, retaining good depth for an extended time, but already being limited in flavor intensity.  This Nan Nuo version should shift in character; to me that edgier dryness of feel and heavier mineral could represent potential.

Conclusions:

These probably have one more shift in character to express, in this infusion sequence, but ten cups of them is a lot.  I discount, or even reject, valuing drug-like feel experience in teas, cha qi, or however one puts that, but to some extent I probably value that too, along with other intensity.  But it can also be too much, and I can never write notes on trying a full cycle of two sheng versions at the same time.

Quality seems good for these teas, and character seems in order for what they are.  Age transition might be a little ahead of normal schedule, related to some teas being stored drier, but in general that's probably a good thing.  They're not rushed for age transition as occurs here in Bangkok, where intense heat and humidity push that pace, probably a little beyond what is optimum.  The story of these teas seems to be about where they'll be in another 2 or 3 years, although it's quite possible that someone might love them at this stage.

Adding a little more about the pros and cons of partly aged teas seems in order.  One part I've stated; someone could prefer tea aspects at that stage, but others would not.  Then it's an alternative to buying fully aged tea versions, which could be problematic related to both available selection and price.  I've tried more older teas that weren't great than that were quite positive, and buying really good versions from a reliable curator vendor would come at a premium cost.  

Gambling on inexpensive medium-level aged versions, not presented as exceptional quality, has also not landed on great results, typically.  That one CNNP 8891 cake was pretty good, when I last tried it, but it probably wouldn't be ready yet if held in dry storage.  I really meant buying inexpensive cakes; that CNNP would be more mid-range.  These teas are of better quality, and a different style range; it's a different kind of case.  I personally don't love aged Yiwu enough to justify the cost of one, but others do, and the Nan Nuo version shows a lot of promise.  If it does age-transition to become exceptional, over however many years that takes, it's value would be significantly higher, and it may not take that many more years.

These are part of a Tea Tracks pu'er sampler set; I guess trying different versions to see what they think would make sense, versus buying one of these based on someone else's impression.  There are black teas in that set, which I think Jan passed on samples of; those should be interesting too.

Tea Mania Da Wu Ye Dan Cong oolong

I'm reviewing a Dan Cong sample passed on by Peter, the owner of Tea Mania, on his visit here not so long ago.  I expected this tea version to be pretty good but it exceeded my expectations.  It's this:

 

Da Wu Ye, 2020,  $28 for 50 grams

Da Wu Ye is a little known Dan Cong oolong from Fenghuang. That’s too bad because Da Wu Ye is one of our favorites. It is characterized by its particularly fruity aroma which is underlaid with a subtle fragrance of flowers. This type of oolong is also called Phoenix Dan Cong and can be infused several times.

Dan Cong Oolong is grown on the slopes of the Pheonix mountains around the city Fenghuang together with other crops and is partly wild. Through this high biodiversity are pest naturaly controlled and the use of pesticides is unnecessary. The Phoenix Mountain range extends between a height of 300 and up to 1500m. The climate with an average temperature of 22°C is considered mild.

Tea production in Chaozhou has a thousand year old tradition and the historical knowledge of the art of tea is passed on from generation to generation. This tea is grown by the family Cha Xiang Si Hai from Fenghuang and thanks to a centuries-old knowledge processed to a superior oolong. The whole family is involved in the harvest and also in the entire tea production. The tea is still traditionally processed like in times of Lu Yu: The leaves are withered and dried in bamboo trays and then roasted over charcoal fire.

Through the high oxidation and the strong roasting is this Dan Cong good storable and particularly interesting for connoisseurs who like to mature vintage teas.

Harvest: Spring 2020

Taste: fruity and flowery-fresh

Oxidation: approx. 50%

Origin: Tianzhukeng in Fenghuang, Chaozhou, China

I don't go into detail on it in the review, indirectly mentioning it, but producers will sometimes age oolong versions with a slightly higher roast level, because that can fade in a more optimum way over time.  Not for 5 or 10 years, nothing like a sheng pu'er transition; the teas settle over a few years.  I think that's one part of why the balance of this version seems pretty close to ideal right now.  

Review:

First infusion:  just wonderful, fruity, intense, smooth, refined, with great depth.  And this is just the first round.  Dan Cong is a special category range to me, and good Dan Cong is almost a different kind of thing than just decent Dan Cong.

Floral range is strong; this has that perfume-like quality that marks out better Dan Cong versions.  It also leans towards the flavor of a very ripe peach.  Astringency input is quite moderate.  That may be due in part to this being four years old, to aging a bit, but then the harsh astringency that people sometimes associate with Dan Cong has more to do with average or below average quality versions.  My guess is that lower elevation, higher production versions are pushed a bit for output, requiring use of more chemical fertilizer input, which doesn't help the overall character.  But I really don't know.

Oxidation level and roast input are so well balanced in this that it's hard to even notice those parts.  It couldn't integrate any better than it does; it also couldn't express more refinement or depth.  It makes you wonder just how good this is, on the scale of all that's out there.  I couldn't say, but I'd guess that it's pretty far up that scale.  Sweetness is perfect, feel is rich, a pleasant fruit and warm floral range hangs around after you drink the tea.  It's complex but it comes across as simple, because it's all so integrated.

#2:  Intensity picks up, even though I brewed this quickly.  It's odd not having negative character aspects to brew around, but flavor intensity itself potentially being higher than optimum, needing to adjust brewing time to limit it related to that.  Floral range is something else this round.  It's complex floral scope; the right person could list a few flower types that go into it.  I would guess that orchids and lavender stand out, but taste-memory of floral tones isn't one of my strengths.

So why don't I drink more Dan Cong?  I don't buy tea that costs over 50 cents a gram, due to budget limitations, and this really should run a good bit higher than that [later edit:  it's right about that; a pretty good deal, for as good as this is].  I can get more moderate quality versions here in my favorite Chinatown shop (Jip Eu) at pretty standard specialty tea pricing, maybe $15 for 100 grams.  

Also sheng pu'er ruins me for oolong experience.  I think it's due to the intensity being dialed up for that type in a different way; flavor hits hard, feel is intense, sweetness and bitterness balance each other, and there might even be a cha qi / body feel theme that I tend to discount, but probably really do appreciate, on some level.  

This Dan Cong experience is probably more amazing because it's been awhile since I've had Dan Cong, probably longer since I've had a really good version of it.  But if I drank this a half dozen times I'd probably crave that other intensity.  It's like anything else, that if a little is good more is better; the rush from intense exercise, food experience going further and further, movie taste turning to more and more intense characters, more developed stories and action.  

It's probably all a bad habit, on some level, always wanting more.  Varying forms of resets could offset developed tolerance, that causes this pattern.  I do keep food experience simple; there's that.  I'm concerned about maintaining my body, so I eat a plain but balanced input of fruits, vegetables, grains, limited meat, dairy, eggs, and some nuts and seeds.  But then even trying to be healthier and healthier could get a little out of control.

Infusion 3:  brewed faster, under 10 seconds this time, even though this must be about 6 or 7 grams, it's also pleasant lighter.  Floral and fruit range is still intense.  That would offset astringency input, if there was more of that.  It's down to rich feel, which works.  Aftertaste still comes out, even brewed light.

It's hard for me to imagine anyone not loving this.  For lots of tea versions I get a bit tripped up explaining how I either do or don't like an aspects set and overall experience, but others may or may not.  I guess if someone acclimated to a limited, heavier, more challenging range maybe they just couldn't relate.  If they mostly drank shou pu'er maybe it would be too light, and too sweet.  Who would mostly drink shou pu'er?  It can be fine as a main preference but not as a main basis for a tea habit.

Again oxidation and roast inputs are so well balanced in this that they're invisible.  Of course it should balance exactly like this.  I wonder how it would've been different 4 years ago?  Maybe it included a touch more edge, and forward intensity stood out, now swapped out for that plus depth?

#4:  I'll brew this a little longer and let note taking go.  The point of these posts is to tell the main story, not all of the story.  It could transition a little but I doubt that's a main theme for this tea version.  For sure the quality level will hold up, and it will be worth it to keep stretching rounds as long as they keep up.

Stronger flavors are drawn out brewing it stronger (approaching 20 seconds).  Not just more intensity, but depth of warm mineral and richer aromatic spice range extract, and feel gains some structure, maybe even a limited edge.  For a sheng drinker not much edge, but it gives it a different form of balance.  

I've spoken in the past about a liqueur-like quality that some better twisted style oolongs express, along the lines of cognac, and this exhibits that.  I see it as a "quality marker."  All the aspects in this are quality markers; it falls into a great balance, with good intensity in all the right spots.  I could write a few poetic sentences on aftertaste experience alone, but it's hard to capture, even using symbolic language.  

As I walk out in the driveway here, filled with walls of plants, and fragrant flowering tropical vines, at certain times of the day, when rain input is right, the scent is so strong that you almost feel it in addition to smelling it.  It's a bit like that.  My mother-in-law, the owner and creator of these gardens, after her earlier family started them generations ago, sees that sweet floral intensity as too strong, as unpleasant for being too much.  I really don't; the plants have their own reasons for expressing themselves with so much intensity, and that's a marvel to me.

you can't see it in this but the plant in the front-center is loaded with chili peppers

In conclusion the tea is great.

It's odd saying it but for about 50 cents a gram this tea is also a great value, or so it seems to me.  You could probably buy plenty of other versions from curator vendors, going on and on about how special, complex, refined, and rare their Dan Cong versions were, and not experience tea this good. Some aspect in it could be dialed up just a little, here or there, but the refinement, complexity, depth, and balance are really something.

To play the devil's advocate, to turn that around and consider possible limitations, no individual aspects are all that unusual in this, and it's not that far off normal Mi Lan Xiang character, so I could imagine someone seeing this as better than average but still ordinary.  In a sense I would even agree.  It's how it all balances that really makes the experience, how every part is really nice, and they combine well together.