Multiple Infusions

Wuyi week got off to a rocky start, in part because my camera would have you believe that today’s tea is blue. I suppose this isn’t altogether incorrect, considering the literal translation of qing cha. But it’s not that blue, and I really hate posting inaccurate pictures.

I intended to review a total of four yanchas this week–we’ll see what I can do by the end of the day.

Regardless of steeping method, I consistently managed to find worthy qualities in Jing Tea’s Wuyi Iron Arhat. No, not just worthy. Striking. Exquisite. And a different revelation with each method. There are some who say that an oolong can’t be fully appreciated unless it’s brewed gongfu. Personally, I don’t think an oolong can be wholly appreciated until it’s been brewed both gongfu and Western, and I’m not sure I see a reason to choose one style over the other.

I took notes on three different sessions with this Tie Luo Han. First, I covered the bottom of a 150-mL gaiwan with leaves and used long infusions beginning at one minute. For the next session I used 3 grams per 100 mL, starting at 10 seconds. For the third, I packed a 100-mL gaiwan nearly full of leaf and began with several flash infusions.

The first session revealed a light but flavorful liquor. A sweet Kona coffee flavor mingled with the malty notes of a Yunnan Gold, enhanced by a flowery undercurrent that shifted upward in the next couple of steeps.

The opening infusion of session two blew me away. The Kona taste deepened and harmonized with a lush, creamy tone to create an arresting coffee-with-cream flavor and feel–sugary with minute florals at the edge. The second infusion showed burnt almond, rough but pleasant, with a floral parallel. Creamy coffee notes peaked and subsided for the remainder of the brief session, somewhat obscured by the tea’s roasty-burnt character.

The last session was an attempt to prolong the deliciousness of that unbelievable first infusion. Rather than reproduce the Kona and cream emulation exactly, it resulted in something all its own. The first steep was dark and really thick, but in no way bitter. Almost like a tea espresso, it was heavy with the flavors of coffee, cream, flowers and malt. Subsequent infusions followed the general pattern of the second session, but maintained deeper flavor tones for longer, going nine infusions instead of five.

Jing Tea’s Tie Luo Han wasn’t perfect. At times it was too edgy, and it seemed to give up most of its flavor too early. Still, its high points were as good as any tea I’ve had. I know there are ardent proponents on both sides of the brewing-style debate, but I’m finding that there’s really no wrong way to brew a yancha.