Jin Mu Dan Oolong Tea 50g

Jin Mu Dan is a little-known rock oolong that has been gaining popularity recently in China. The name of this tea translates to Golden Peony and its origin is complex, since it derives from the crossing of two camellia cultivars quite unusual for the Wuyi Mountains area.

The two precursors of this oolong, in fact, are the Tie Guan Yin and the Huang Jin Gui, which are found and produced mainly in the Anxi region (always within Fujian as the Wuyi mountains area). Then, once these two cultivars mentioned above are hybridized, the result is planted in the Wuyi mountains where the plant can benefit from the rocky soil to give even more depth to its flavors.

Compared to other rock oolongs, this tea is generally more delicate on the palate, not putting in the foreground the characteristic roasting and revealing, instead, immediately the sweetness of dried fruit and a slight floral scent. It is a really complex tea, with a very wide aromatic range, which makes a real journey of taste ranging from sweet and floral notes to darker, mineral and intense tones.

Tasting – Sight and smell

Jin Mu Dan oolong tea leaves are medium-sized, rolled in shape, and deep brown in color with some shades between brown and reddish. Once infused, they release a truly remarkable variety of aromas: charcoal, caramel, orchid, black bread crust, cocoa, blackcurrant and berries. The liquor in the cup is amber orange, medium dense, velvety and enveloping on the palate.

Tasting Notes

GONG FU CHA

The first infusion of Jin Mu Dan oolong tea gives a floral liquor that tastes of orchid and white flowers. Followed by sweet notes of molasses and brown sugar and toasted hints of nuts. A good minerality also emerges, typical of rock oolongs. The second infusion brings with it sweet notes of vanilla and custard while the liqueur becomes thicker and darker. To the distinctly floral notes is now added the taste of rye bread crust. The third infusion and the following ones have more gentle hints: the soft, fruity and floral sweetness now recalls exotic landscapes, with banana tips and monoi.

WESTERN

The first sip of Jin Mu Dan oolong tea has elegant hints of aquatic flowers, followed by the sweetness of caramel and vanilla. The notes of toasted almond and walnut appear immediately after, together with a salty and mineral tip that perfectly balances the sweetness encountered so far. Hints of rye bran and black bread remain in closing, without astringency or bitterness.

Place of origin

Wuyi Shan, Fujian – China

Production

After harvesting, Jin Mu Dan tea leaves wither in the sun for some time before moving to a resting phase on bamboo trays under cover. Here it’s where the oxidation starts thanks to a manipulation of the leaves (the shaking) made by the tea master. Once the tea reaches the desired oxidation level (here there is approximately a 60% oxidation) the leaves pass into a charcoal-heated oven where the enzymatic activity is blocked. After this stage in the oven, the leaf is given its final shape using a special machine before moving on to the leaf roasting cycles, which allow the product to finish drying and enhance its flavours.

How to prepare

We strongly recommend infusing Jin Mu Dan tea in the traditional Chinese method (Gong Fu Cha) with a gaiwan with a capacity of about 150 ml. By following this preparation, multiple infusions can be made with 5 grams of leaves that are useful to best capture all the flavor nuances of the tea.

Heat the water to a temperature of 90°C: proceed by briefly rinsing the leaves and then an initial 15-second infusion. Keeping the water at the same temperature, you can then continue to exploit the same leaves by adding more water and increasing the infusion time by 5 seconds each time (15 – 20 – 25…).

This tea has a longevity of about 6 brewings.

For a more classic preparation according to the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves in a 200-mL cup with water at 90°C for an infusion time of 3 minutes.

For a better tasting experience, we suggest that you strain the tea as soon as the brewing time is over. The infusion timings we suggest can be slightly modified to your liking to achieve a more or less intense taste.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

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