Tea Talk » Tea

1. jesse
   Member

   Does anyone have any experience with this variety? I bought a couple of ounces from Teavana and found it to have a very strong, smoky flavor. This was odd to me at first, but I started to enjoy it after a couple of cups. When I did more research on dragonwell, I discovered that "smoky" is not a common flavor associated with this particular kind of tea. I then found that a local tea shop served it and tried it. I found this cup to have a subtle barley flavor to it. Not smoky at all. Still confused, I ventured to China town and bought two different grades of dragonwell from Ten Ren Tea. The highest grade tasted even different from the previous kinds. This one tasted very similiar to the Silver Needles white tea I had purchased from Teavana about a month earlier.

   Now, I know that teas of the same variety have subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) differences in taste, but the smoky flavor of the Teavana dragonwell has me really scratching my head. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

   Jesse

   Posted 4 years ago #

2. aaron
   

   Unfortunately I do not remember trying Dragonwell. But I have had similar experiences with some black tea flavors. Pu-erh and Keemun (both black) for instance. I have purchase both of the these from different vendors and in various grades and gotten the same kinds of results. The Pu-Erh is always smokey, but it varies by brand, grade. The Keemun, sometimes it has a smokey flavor, and somtimes it doesnt. I love the flavor of this tea, but sometimes it has varried so much I have wondered if I was given the wrong one by accident.

   The thing that I have found really interesting is, that I have found the greatest variety by buying from bulk vendors. But I have found greater consistancy from the prepackaged loose, although the the flavor is almost always better from the bulk even with the changes in taste.

   Posted 4 years ago #

3. karla
   Moderator

   I don't remember having dragonwell in particular but also the brewing time makes a big difference too on the taste. Especially on green teas.

   Posted 4 years ago #

4. jesse
   Member

   Hi Karla,

   I'm usually careful about my water temp and steep time, but you're right. It can make a huge difference. But this dragonwell even smells of smoke from the tin. Really odd. o_o

   Jesse

   Posted 4 years ago #

5. karla
   Moderator

   I wonder if maybe you bought a bad batch of tea or if it was old tea perhaps. It could have also been that particualr brand too. I will try and go out and see if I can try a cup of dragonwell tea and see what I get sometime soon. ;)

   Posted 4 years ago #

6. jesse
   Member

   One other factor I should mention is that this dragonwell is organic (or, at least they claim it is). I know that will make a difference in aroma and taste since it has to be grown on a certified organic site.

   But you did hit upon something that I think I'm starting to encounter in other varieties. Age. Case in point: I read about Pi Lo Chun green tea and it's light, sweet taste, and wanted to give it a shot. Well, I went back to Teavana and bought a couple of ounces, and found it was anything but sweet. Even out of the tin, it had an......'off' smell to it. I know this will sound a bit strange, but it has kind of a faint garlic bread smell. The flavor was a bit 'off' as well. Perhaps I am ending up with very old or just bad batches of tea. I have been, of course, buying under the assumption that such an established business would deal in only fresh, high quality tea. Guess not, I suppose. Next time I should ask for a sample glass or just stick my nose in the big tin before buying.

   Ah well, the road to experience is paved with such encounters. ^_^;;;

   Posted 4 years ago #

7. susan
   Member

   Hello, Green tea lovers. I can hardly drink dragonwell. The one time I purchased it, it was smokey and very weedy tasting. Maybe the smokey taste comes from the roasting of the leaves? I will do some research.OK?
   The only way for me to drink it was to doctor it up with other teas and mint.

   Posted 4 years ago #

8. karla
   Moderator

   Hello

   I went to Ten Ren this weekend and pick up some bags of Dragonwell tea. Its was actually pretty good. It was mild and from a distance it had a little bit of a smokey taste but it was not overpowering. It quite delicious. It did have a bit of a weedy smell but it was also not over powering. I can see how the tea can taste bad if it is not fresh and maybe brewed for too long. That would be my guess on the different taste you might get from one batch from another. It got to be the freshness. ;)

   Posted 4 years ago #

9. chip
   Member

   Dragonwell or Long Jing is probably the most popular tea in China and perhaps the world...it is also a fav of mine. A lot will depend on the quality and source of your Dragonwell and whether it was stored properly before you even received it. But even lower grades can brew a good cup. Perhaps your brew methods are off...that will ruin even the finest dragonwell.

   Posted 3 years ago #

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