These cakes are made by the family of tea farmers who supply Sparrowtail with Dancong oolong teas. In this case, the cakes are made from about equal parts black and white tea, the black tea being made from Mi Lan Xiang "Honey Orchid" bushes, and the white portion from leaves that would normally be made into Da Wu Ye oolong.
It's a very tasty blend. The Honey Orchid taste predominates, especially in early steeps, but the Da Wu Ye flavor is always there underneath and is more pronounced in later steeps. The overall taste is honey-sweet, bold, and floral with notes of dried fruit. The tea brews up a rich orange-brown color, and it will last through many infusions. When Dancong tea is processed as a white tea it's more robust than typical white teas, and these cakes can take somewhat higher temperatures than would normally be used for white tea. It's recommended to brew this tea at temperatures between 190-200f.
Spring 2023 harvest.
