Polka Dots & Moonbeams 2025 Simao Dongfang Meiren Oolong
Price range: $5.00 through $65.00
- Description
- Additional information
- Reviews (4)
Description
We’re happy to bring back a tea that was love at first sight/sip for a second consecutive year.
Originally from Taiwan, Dongfang Meiren production relies on the help of small insects (leafhoppers) to feed on it, which triggers the plant to defensively release juices (we’re not even going to pretend we know the name of the specific chemicals) that contribute to its unique flavour. Furthermore, the small insect bites also kick off oxidization of the leaves and tips.
However, prime examples of this tea often come at a price. This is largely due to the growing and processing requirements, which also result in lower yields.
Since the first time being enchanted by a high-end version this tea, we’ve been in search of an affordable offering that can deliver that same feeling. Grown from the same varietal tea trees and bitten by the same species of insect, this Yunnan-grown version does just that.
Floral and fruity, this high-oxidized tea offers a bouquet of scents that is easy to get lost in. As long as you’re in the same room, it’s impossible not to take notice of the fragrance during the first infusions. There is a pleasant caramel sweetness that follows all the way through, with the lid giving off creamy floral notes and a baked-goods scent.
Although not technically certified organic due to the acreage requirements, this tea comes from an excellent environment, as required by bugs that lend this tea’s unique flavour to thrive.
This tea performs well under any brewing parameters, whether gongfu style, thermos, or cold brew, which we highly recommend.
$0.28/gram
Varietal: Qingxin
Region: Simao Prefecture, Yunnan
Picking Period: Spring 2025
Additional information
| Weight | N/A |
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4 reviews for Polka Dots & Moonbeams 2025 Simao Dongfang Meiren Oolong
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scottericr (verified owner) –
I studied dongfang meiren as part of my PhD and I lived on a farm in Fujian that produced it for a summer, and let me tell you, this is the real deal! Definitely tastes like its made from qin xin da mao (the cultivar typically used in Taiwan for this tea). Dry leaf has a strong cinnamon aroma, but it doesn’t carry through as the dominant flavor in the brew (although it is still there). Warm spice, floral, a little woody, and great thick mouthfeel. I know it’s not everyone’s favorite as dongfang meiren doesn’t typically re-steep as well as other oolongs and maybe isn’t as “dynamic”, but it’s damn tasty and definitely brings me back to summer in Fujian (the good parts, not the waking up at 5:30 am every day to catch and count leafhoppers part).
smokekulture (verified owner) –
Great tea. Starts a bit like an air dried white tea with those dry spice and slightly woody notes. Good body to the brew. Finishes with lovely tropical fruit notes on the palate that last and last and make you really want another steep. 5g/100ml gaiwan and 5 solid steeps before the body started to fall off.
Alexandra Verville-Paris (verified owner) –
So refreshing. Simple but super tasty: orange blossom and floral dough — what a combination!
// Smell: Pastry with fresh fruits, luminous, floral cream, fruit salad, mild spices, floral citrus-and-water concoction
// Texture: Expansive, sticks everywhere in the mouth, thick texture but tends to evaporate quickly
// Taste: Pastry with cream, orange blossom and nuts, dough, wet rock, hot spices
// Body sensation: Dry on the palate, dynamic heartbeat, good mood, eyes awake
mineralitea_E.C. (verified owner) –
Very floral with elegant maltiness. Starts with an almost potpourri-like floral perfume, along with a maltose sweetness. The body drops off with further steeps, but the perfumey floral remains.