Review: Hadong Hwang Cha (Korean tea)

Tea Name: Hadong Hwang Cha

Type: Balhyocha

Origin: Hadong, Korea

Seller: T Shop

Infusions: 5g steeped for 30 seconds at 200F. Add about 20 seconds for each subsequent steep. 6 infusions.

Balhyocha is often called a yellow tea, but it has also been called a black, oolong, or red tea. This is because it doesn't fit easily into any of the normal six tea types. Its production process is different from, but shares similarities with, each of the categories. You can find more detailed information here, and in parts 1 and 2 in that blog series.

In this article, I've decided to avoid categorizing this tea as one of the six types, and will simply refer to it as a balhyocha. There are two types of balhyocha: fruity and spicy, and chocolatey and roasted. This tea is the latter.

Tasting Notes:

The dry leaves in a warm gaiwan smell distinctly, strongly of milk chocolate. There is a sugary aspect to them too.

After steeping, the wet leaves have a very sweet chocolatey smell, with a slightly burnt edge. The liquor has a tawny gold color, or perhaps bronze.

It tastes exactly like hot cocoa made with water instead of milk. While holding it in my mouth, the flavor is weak. If I swallow it quickly, I immediately sense a sweet, milk chocolate aftertaste. It lingers for a long time. If I hold the tea in my mouth for about 5 or more seconds, I notice the slightly bitter taste of cocoa powder. This also makes the aftertaste less sweet. It's interesting to play with the timing, but I think I prefer swallowing it quickly to enjoy the sweetness.

In terms of mouthfeel, it's slightly viscous. There is noticeable astringency that builds with each sip. If I keep the tea in my mouth for a long time, it's so drying that I feel like cocoa powder really is on my tongue.

Overall Impression:

This is not a complex tea. There is one primary note, and it doesn't change much between steepings. But, it’s delicious. It tastes like a dessert. If you like chocolate, I definitely recommend it.

This is the first Korean tea I've had, and I would really like to try more. Hopefully I can find the fruity balhyocha variety.

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