Today’s review is a 2020 Mi Lan Xiang Dancong oolong tea from Huang Ruiguang and sold by Verdant Tea.
Table of Contents
Tea Specifications
Brand: Verdant Tea / Huang Ruiguang
Tea: Mi Lan Xiang Dancong
Harvest: Spring, 2020
Location: Wudong Shan, Guangdong, China
Elevation: 600 Meters
Tea Varietal: Mi Lan Xiang
Mi Lan Xiang translates to ‘honey orchid fragrance’ and it is a famous varietal of Pheonix dan cong tea.
The reason for the name is that the tea has a unique honey orchid aroma and flavor.
Review
For this review, I brewed 7 grams of this tea in a small glass pitcher using distilled water because I don’t have any spring water right now.
The directions for the tea say to use 10 grams in a gaiwan, but that seemed like a little to much tea for one person to drink, so I opted to use 7 grams.
I soaked the tea for 10 seconds in hot water and discarded the wash.
First Steep
Since I used a little less tea then directed, I increased the steep time to 15 seconds.
It’s a little lighter then I would like it to be, but the leaves haven’t really awakened yet.
The tea has a nice roasted flavor, resembling toasted wood, fruit, and flowers.
Notes of smoked applewood, stonefruit, orchid, wildflower honey, and a sense of minerality.
Second Steep
Steeped for 20 seconds.
A slight bitterness has appeared, so I think the leaves are unfurled now.
You can tell the leaves have a reasonably high oxidation level, but there is still a bit of green to them.
The tea has developed some spice notes in addition to the flavor notes described in the first steep.
There is a lingering cooling sensation on the palette after each sip.
The tea seems quite fragrant, as the scent in the room is noticeable upon reentry.
Third Steep
Steeped for 30 seconds.
I let the tea sit a little while before brewing the third steep, which I think is important to mention because there is a little astringency in this steep, but that could possibly be from the leaves sweating a bit between steeps.
Other then that, the flavor is nearly the same as the second steep, perhaps with a more intense floral note.
There is a bit of a stickiness on the palette after drinking this cup, and less of a cooling sensation.
Fourth Steep
Steeped for 40 seconds.
There is definitely a certain astringency to it, as it tastes a little sharp and seems to dry the back of the throat, but the flavor is quite nice and it takes a while to dissipate.
Conclusion
In my opinion, this is a very decent tea and I think the strong cooling sensation and clinging taste it provides is proof of it’s quality.
After trying this tea, I would love to review some of Huang Ruiguang’s higher-end options, so if you’re reading this Verdant Tea, feel free to email me and send me some.
