Chinese Name: Mannong Dong Fang Mei Ren

Profile

Leaf:	Silver buds and light to dark brown slightly curled leaves
Infusion:	Highly transparent, dark golden infusion
Aroma:	Robust, warm honey and slightly smoked aroma
Taste:	Very light, honey sweet and smooth smoked texture

Harvest Season:	Spring 2007
Origin:	Mannong, Yunnan Province
Processing Method:	Roasted
Leaf Form:	One bud, two leaves
Organic Cert:	NOP, EU 2092/91

Description of Tea

Oriental Beauty, Taiwan’s most praised Oolong tea, was first made known to the western world during the 19th century when Queen Elizabeth II referred to the tea as “Oriental Beauty” or Dang Fang Mei Ren as it is known in Chinese. In recent years however many Taiwanese tea producers have ventured beyond the shores of Taiwan toward mainland China in search of new tea varieties to be used in the processing of this famous Oolong tea. The Mannong Tea Garden of southern Yunnan Province is but one of the many mainland Chinese tea farms which has explored into this new and innovative territory. This first grade, large leaf variety tea, although cultivated entirely from ancient large leaf variety tea trees from the Mannong ancient tea gardens is produced using techniques taken from traditional Taiwanese Oolong processing methods. This Dong Fang Mei Ren, like its Taiwanese counterpart, offers signature Taiwanese Oolong traits such as beautifully fermented light to dark brown leaves and silvery tipped buds. Its smooth, sweet and subtle flavors accompanied by hearty leaf characteristics are the combination of its characteristic Taiwanese deep fermentation and bold, Yunnan large leaf features. With its sweet honey like aromas and its lingering bitterless aftertaste this tea offers a marriage of two worlds well worth exploring.

 

Note: Although made in the likeness of traditional Taiwanese Bai Hao Oolong it would be unwise to claim this tea an exact duplicate of the famous Taiwanese Oolong. This varietal is good based on its own right; it represents a portion of the best both Taiwan and Yunnan have to offer.

 

Preferred Method:	Yixing Teapot 200ml
Acceptable Method:	Gaiwan 200ml
If You Must:	Teapot
Quantity of Tea:	5-7 grams
Water Temp:	212°F, 100°C
Infusion Time:	1 minute first and second brew; increase by 1 minute each consecutive brew

How to Brew?

The preferred method of brewing is an Yixing teapot or a gaiwan. After boiling the water to 212° F (100° C ) rinse the gaiwan or teapot once. By rinsing we ensure the teaware is free of any unwanted matter as well as create optimal heat conditions for brewing. We suggest 5-7 grams of tea per 200 ml of water. However, these parameters have more to do with personal tastes than any sort of scientific groundings. The lengths of the infusions are also dependent upon personal preference for either a weaker or stronger infusion. As such we suggest starting with shorter infusion times of up to one minute for the first and second brew while gradually increasing infusion times by one minute for each consecutive brew.