Well, I really must admit that this 12 Days of Christmas box has really brightened my holiday season. Every tea thus far has been new to me, and that alone makes me happy.
I don’t really have anything clever to say right here, so instead, I think I’ll just jump right in to the review of today’s tea from Della Terra Teas.
Orange Brulee Oolong
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tea Description:
On the fifth day, Orange Brulee!
As golden as five golden rings, so is a delicious, juicy orange. That mixed with a wonderful caramel brulee creates a perfect holiday season tea. Enjoy this Oolong tea any time of the day. You’ll thank your personal Santa.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
From the moment I opened the pouch of this tea I knew it was something special … well, actually, I knew that just by reading the name of this tea. Orange Brulee? Um… yes please! Creme Brulee is my favorite dessert, and so the idea of having it recreated in tea form makes me very happy. And while I’ve never actually had an Orange Creme Brulee, I can only imagine what an incredible dessert that would be!
And then when I did open the pouch and smelled the fantastic aroma of the dry leaf, I knew I was in for a real treat. It smells like candy orange slices. Sweet and juicy and distinctly orange, but with a lovely sugar-y note too. I could even smell a hint of cream. I was treated to this fragrance throughout the brewing process.
Once the tea was brewed and poured into my teacup, though, there was less of that amazing scent. Oh, it still smells yummy … just not quite as incredible as it did before or while it was brewing.
But it tastes oh-so-good! The flavor is sweet and creamy … custard-y even! The caramel is a little less distinguishable here than the custard, but, that is also true of every creme brulee I’ve ever eaten. Once you finish that bit of caramelized sugar crust, the caramel notes are pretty much gone. Here, I notice a sweet, burnt-sugar caramel note that arrives at the start of the sip, but wanes toward the finish. The creamy, custard-y note remains from start to finish, and then there is the bright, sunny orange notes that really perk up the whole cup. Every once in a while, I taste a note that reminds me of creamsicle, and this alone is enough to bring a smile on my face.
But this delightful treat would be far less interesting if I didn’t actually taste the tea – and I am glad to say that I do. This Oolong is a darker Oolong, and it offers a lovely texture as well as a pleasing fruit note that seems to enhance the orange notes rather than attempts to emerge as a real individual flavor. There are some woodsy notes as well as a hint … just a hint … of flower.
When I first read the description of this tea, I wondered if Oolong was the best base for these flavors, but after tasting it, I’m really happy with the way this tea turned out. It is certainly different, but, I like the way the smooth, luxurious Oolong interacts with these flavors. It is such a comforting and happy beverage!
