A Beautiful Bouquet: Black Jade Wulong from Volition Tea

A bouquet of jasmine and gardenia flowers float from this lightly astringent wulong.

Preparation

Flavors

Attributes

Black Jade from Volition Tea

When I read the tasting notes from Volition Tea for their Black Jade Wulong, I expected some floral notes to be masked by a roasted sweetness. But this tea was much more floral than I imagined it would be. In fact, it was more floral than I’ve ever tasted in a tea that wasn’t scented by or mixed with actual flowers. It was a beautiful bouquet of jasmine and gardenia flowers wrapped up in a balanced, slightly astringent brew that was pretty much spring in a cup.

What is a Wulong?

Wulong teas are partially oxidized teas, often roasted, and very complex. They are produced mostly in China and Taiwan. They can be dark and sweet, light and playful, and everything in between. This particular tea is very floral, and that can be thanks to many aspects of the tea’s life and production. For example, elevation and cultivar play a large role in the development of volatile oils in the leaves. When the tea is picked also impacts flavor. And, maybe most influential, is the way the tea is processed, steamed, dried, oxidized, roasted, and rolled. A tea farmer or producer will know exactly the steps needed to create the flavor profile they want to achieve.

What is Dan Cong Wulong?

Dan Cong wulong tea is a varietal grown in the Phoenix Mountain region of Guangdong Province, China. There are a few different understandings of what makes a dan cong. Some say all the leaves in a batch must come from one tree. Some say the leaves must come from a tree with only one trunk. And others say leaves can be mixed from the same garden as long this happens after processing. In any case, dan cong has a long history of flavorful tea coming from old-growth trees around the Phoenix Mountain.