The weather is still really nice here in Belgium so I wanted a refreshing tea that feels like summer. That’s why I picked a 2020 Baiye Dancong from Characteas. I’ve had this sample for a while and I never got around to drinking it. I didn’t read what the tea was about before tasting so it was a blind session!
2020 Baiye Dancong
The story behind this tea is quite interesting. It’s a tea from 2020 and it was harvested around the 3rd Chinese solar term when the temperature was getting hotter and hibernation ended. This is when the earth is full of energy.
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This 2020 Baiye Dancong has the nickname “tea tiger”, which has to do with the local slang of the Fenghuang dialect. It comes from Zimao village in the Fenghuang area and was grown at an altitude of around 800m. The varietal that was used for this tea is the Baiye varietal, hence its name.
Tea Tasting
- 4g for a 100ml zhuni teapot
- 90°C water
The leaves are long and twisted and the colour is really dark. If I look more closely, I think I can see a kind of yellowish hue. The aroma is an intense floral sweetness that reminds me of passion fruits. There is also honey and butter.
Infusion 1 (12 sec): this 2020 Baiye Dancong has a vibrant yellow colour. It’s not that intense and the flavours are slowly coming through. It starts out with floral notes of orchids and some fruity notes as well. Towards the finish, honey starts creeping up and really shines in the aftertaste. So long and intense!
Infusion 2 (15 sec): the colour is darker yellow than infusion 1. It starts out on a floral note and slowly becomes sweeter and warmer towards the end. I’m getting more of the exotic summer fruits in the finish. Honey is coming through as well and it is quite intense in the aftertaste. There are also some floral hints in the aftertaste but it feels sweet and warm.
Infusion 3 (20 sec): the liquor looks thicker and some bubbles are floating in my cup. This one is more focused on floral and fruity notes. It’s gentle and fresh at the same time. The aftertaste has less honey and is more floral than before and it lasts really long.
Infusion 4 (25 sec): delicate and pleasant floral notes with a buttery and sweet touch. The finish and aftertaste are sweeter again and have more honey and exotic fruits to them. The aftertaste just keeps on giving…
Infusion 5 (30 sec): very similar to the previous infusion. Smelling the empty cup is a real treat! Butter in combination with passion fruits and other exotic summer fruits. It’s almost like smelling a basket full of fresh summer fruits!
Infusion 6 (40): more floral notes and less of that sweet honey. The aftertaste is still really nice and long-lasting. It still feels like summer.
Conclusion
This 2020 Baiye Dancong was a really enjoyable and delicious tea. It was exactly what I needed! It was gentle and delicate, but full of flavour.
Mostly floral and fruity with sweet honey in the finish and aftertaste. Exotic fruits were definitely noticeable as well. The aftertaste was really intense and long-lasting. I’m happy I finally drank this tea because it’s a nice change from my usual puerh and Liu Bao.
If you’re interested in this tea, click here.
