Pictured above is traditional coin shaped ddok cha from different producers in different years. From left to right and top to bottom: 2002 Teamaster Mrs. Beak, 2007 Teamaster Mrs. Jung, 2008 Joytea, 2012 Bohyang. You can see from the photo the change in colour as the coins age from a dark green colour of the 2012 coins to dark slight reddish tinged brown of the 2002 coin. The odour of the dry coins also change considerably from vibrant, sour, slightly pungent, floral notes in the fresh coin to more rich, deeper, fruity, slightly medicinal, odour after five years, to a more grainy, deeper, fermented smelling 10 year coin.
Peace
Matt,
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your future posts on these fine "coins" of tea.
Steve.
Matt, you called some of the producers of these teas "teamaster". Is that a formal title in Korea?
ReplyDeleteSteven,
ReplyDeleteMe too... hahaha.... have never, ever sampled ddok cha that was 10 years aged so this will be new territory.
Hektor Konomi,
Great Question!
No "teamaster" is not a formal title in Korea, like say a "teamaster" of a Japanese tea ceremony lineage. In Korea, they are often referred to as simply "Da In" which translates informally to "tea people/person" and basically refers to any tea drinker, teaist, or follower of the Way of Tea regardless of class or religion. Interestingly, this remained so despite strong historical Confucian influences on Korean tea. Often, teamasters are simply referred to as "teacher".
The teamasters who produced these ddok cha coins are also teachers of Korean Way of Tea.
Peace
How are you brewing them? Traditional toasting and grind : ) ~ T
ReplyDeleteToki,
ReplyDeleteHave been using traditional brewing of coin ddok cha lately. It just feels right and yields a deeper taste.
Peace