Saturday, January 22, 2011

Drinking Oolong Tea For Nasal Congestion: A Tasting of 2010 Teamasters Fall Gao Shan Luanze Bi Li Shi Oolong With a Stuffy Nose


This sample was sent with a few others from Stephane of Tea Masters Blog a few weeks before Christmas- an early Christmas gift no doubt. The label says that is was picked on September 5th, 2010. Fighting a mild cold, one deliberately chooses this tea.
Taiwanese Oolong is said to travel to the nose, opening it with its strong floral fragrances. One has experienced some fatigue over the last few days and today ones sinuses feel completely clogged. The following notes should be taken for what they are, from someone whose sense of smell and taste is compromised. But not for long...

From what one can make of them, the dry leaves smell of deep, gritty raison with a long, barely sweet, chalky smell. There is a slight straw-floral smell in them like that of wildflowers on the prairie- not the vibrant, exotic florals usually associated with Oolong.
The first infusion has a tangy-sweetness that fills the mouth. There is a cool, clean crispness about this tea- slight buttery vegetable flavours, celery flavours underscore faint but creamy florals. The mouth feel is soft and oily in the mouth. The aftertaste is a pasty dry vegetable taste with a gritty sweetness. After the first few cups, the qi of this tea ascends the head and into the scalp. Ones face flushes with a soft heat and a sweat is broken. Ones stuffed up sinuses release and one can breathe again! One gets some tissue while the kettle boils for the second pot.

The second infusion is tangy with a soft bitter sweetness. There is a strong presence of vegetables- celery, corn, daikon in the mouth and aftertaste. The aftertaste is full of nuance with an interesting rubbery vegetable taste containing little sweetness. It almost tastes like bubble gum that has been chewed awhile, most of its taste has past but it remains gummy with faded nuances and just slightly sweet. The mouthfeel continues to be soft and oily, it finishes cakey in the mouth.

The third infusion is prepared with a stiffly nose, loosened from the chaqi first few infusions. The taste contains a tangy- fruitiness which is predominant here. There is a crisp, cleanness about this tea amongst its bitter sweet flavours. A melon tone noticed in the initial sip lingers for a while in the sweet aftertaste.

The fourth infusion sees light florals dominating as they lighten into the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is juicy and light. The aftertaste is an extension of these floral notes.

The fifth infusion sees more dirtier and grittier florals develop. Slight rose is detected under creamy dry buttery notes. The sixth infusion entertains with deeper, spicier notes that are most prominent here. There is soft buttery florals in the distance.
The tea is taken through a few more infusions as well as an overnight steeping. Sweet, chalky, faint creamy florals have just a slight tanginess to them.


Over the next week one never developed that plugged sinus sensation- it took a few more days before the nose would stop running though!

Link to Michal's (Poetry In Tea) Tasting Notes

Link to Petr's (Pots and Tea) Tasting Notes

Peace

11 comments:

  1. I generally find a strong cup of young puerh is better for this sort of thing -- you're less reliant on a smelling nose to gather the sensations of drinking the tea, while still (sometimes) doing the job of clearing the nose. Gaoshan oolong might be a bit of a waste with this sort of thing.

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  2. A simple question: How do you do an overnight steeping? I mean, assuming that you want to drink it hot.

    Martin

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  3. Marshal'N,

    Yeah, it does seem like kind of a waste of such a fragrant tea. But out of experience a fragrant Oolong is the only tea that can unblock sinuses effectively. Young strong puerh is a bit harsh for doing this- surely it is the tea of choice for unblocking things at the other end of the body! Hahhaha

    Martin,

    An overnight steeping is done by simply adding boiling water to the teapot or brewing vessel containing the tea and leaving it overnight. It will be cool in the morning. Warming it up really takes away from the taste so it is just consumed cool. This technique is usually employed when the tea is on its last legs, many nuances are brought out by these long steeps that would otherwise be completely overlooked.

    Peace

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  4. Thanks for your answer.

    I think this shows how tea can be healing when used skillfully.

    However, I would think that the meditative approach of the teadrinker is an essential ingredient in the medicine?

    Martin

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  5. Martin,

    "I would think that the meditative approach of the teadrinker is an essential ingredient in the medicine?"

    It actually has very little to do with the medicine, understanding the function of the kind of tea you are drinking and being aware of what is going on in your own body and in the environment around you is the key to using tea as a medicine. Obviously, a meditative approach makes these realizations much more clear.

    Peace

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  6. Thx for the post Matt. This morning precisely I'm battling a mild cold with ginger... some oolong could be nice too.

    How would a 3y/o ddok behave in a case like this?

    Speaking of traditional methods: this one's tried & tested. After a work-day, at least.
    http://www.mezcalpierdealmas.com/espanol/

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  7. Pedro,

    Take care of that cold and if the traditional Mexican remedy doesn't work the first time, don't keep drinking and drinking it! Hahaha...

    An aged Ddok cha wouldn't be the best for the common cold but is probably better for prevention.

    For nausea with chills you can't beat a good ginger tea.

    Peace

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  8. Wow! That's so interesting. I'm congested this morning and wanted to find out which of my teas would be best for getting this cleared up. Looks like it will be oolong! I didn't know I could steep it so many times and get such interesting and different results... I know what I'm doing today!

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  9. Erin Hutton,

    Hope you kicked your cold with the help of some good tea!

    Peace

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  10. Hi Matt,

    Today with a cold I was doubtful whether to have tea at all, then thinking of having some Fu Zhuan ... when I remembered this post and decided to go for a rolled Oolong . The effect was probably not as pronounced as in your case, but I greatly enjoyed the tea, and I normally am not much of a drinker of light roasted Oolongs. My experience of aromas, taste and mouthfeel was much more differenciated than I had anticipated. Best of all, to go beyond the mindset "With a cold I cannot enjoy tea" and find that my nose has actually some pleasant experience to offer under these circumstances! And my body energy was much more balanced afterwards.
    Thanks for all the inspiring posts you have shared over the years! And I am very curious on the posts you promised, on your experience with water out there in Regina ...

    Best,
    Martin

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  11. Martin,

    Good luck with fighting that cold of yours!

    The water here is bad- thats all there is to it... hahaha.

    I will let you know sooner or later.

    Peace

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