Dragon Well Tea Wang Grade - Truly Unusual!

by Stig
(Copenhagen)

Stig from Copenhange rates Wang grade 5 out of 5.

1. Having now tasted the Wang grade Dragon Well tea twice (it's in my cup while I write this), my verdict is:

A truly unusual tea, difficult to grasp at first, but distinctly of a higher grade than the Jipin.

In the first infusion the smell of chicken broth is strong, almost dominating, only slowly giving way to a more complex array of slightly perfumed nuances, that in the second infusion reveal themselves as spices such as cinnamon, clove and ginger with just a touch of sweetness (evoking memories of Xmas!).

In the third infusion this gives way to a hint of citrus peel, the bitterness of which was anticipated already when the first infusion came to an end.

The fourth infusion (where I am now) gives more than a whiff of kelp washed up on the open beach, maybe mixed with hay from nearby meadows? - And tomorrow it may taste differently, I guess!

2. I also owe you my tasting notes of the TGY grade A-AAA (the grade A test result was also sent to you on 22 February):

When opening the packet I am met by a scent of kelp and dried seaweed on the beach, a rusticality borne out by the taste with its light notes of fried egg (is that really a sign of high quality in tea?), green cabbage and a little spinach.

Few nuances - could represent base 1 from where the higher grades ascend to variations and elegance (like fine perfumes with their three principal layers: flowery, animal and lower scents - a balance of all is indispensible for high quality).

Maybe iron, but not much goddess!

Grade AA is much the same, only mellower and more harmonious, whereas grade AAA shows a clear distinction as to the quality of taste - I find a note of pine or a trace of ecalyptus in the first infusion and in general this grade gives a more nuanced and better balanced impression.

This is where the enjoyable paths toward tea peaks start.

3. And last but not least: The Jipin grade Tieguanyin tea I had the good fortune to win seems to me a little less mellow and harmonious than the first batch shipped, but then with a somewhat sharper profile - maybe maturing will change the picture and bring Shen's to the top?