Boy…do I have a unique oolong for you today! It’s Imperial Pearl Oolong from Mountain Tea. It’s considered to be a BRANDY Oolong and is on the more rare side of oolongs you may have (or have not) tasted. If you manage to get your hands on it – I highly recommend it!
A brief overview of Brandy Oolongs are as follows…
It’s made from a special cultivar of the tea plant unique to Taiwan that is highly oxidized (85-90%) and has only recently been introduced to western tea enthusiasts. It’s also known as “Ruby-18″ which is a style of oolong initially created by crossing the Assamica tea varietal with the native tea plant to produce a tea that has become the favorite for tea enthusiasts of every age.
Before infusing I thought the dry leaf of Imperial Pearl Oolong from Mountain Tea smelled a bit like pine. Post infusion Brandy Oolong’s rich and amber brew hints of spice, cinnamon, and sweet-creamy malt notes REALLY come out to play! There is a tinge of crusty and bakey-ness to it that morphs into a sweet yet malty sip. Another thing I find interesting about this tea is when it’s fully brewed it has to be one of the darkest oolongs I have ever sampled!
Imperial Pearl Oolong from Mountain Tea was the winner of the 2012 NATC – Dark Oolong Category – Judge’s Choice Award for Exceptional Tea – as well as the winner of the 2011 NATC – Black Tea Category – 2nd Place. And I can totally understand why! Shame on me for procrastinating on the taste test and review for this one! It’s flipping fantastic and now among my favorite oolongs to date!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Mountain Tea
Description
This rare brandy oolong (what is brandy oolong?) is a must have in your tea chest.
You will be enraptured with notes of molasses, honey and maple syrup. The dry leaf recalls the fragrance of ground red pepper, a splash of hot water and the nose transforms into something more savory and miso-like. We only picked the tenderest leaves of our prized oolong plants to create this exceptional tea; in doing so, we created a tea that is deep amber in color and pointedly sweet in flavor, sans astringency or bitterness.
Hotter water and longer steeping times will brew a more complex and spicier tea. Lower water temperature and shorter steeping times will brew a sweeter tea. Imperial Pearl is also known as Red Oolong in the East.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
An Early Taste of Spring with Mountain Oolong Spring. . . . .
Mountain Oolong Spring from Mountain Tea Co. is truly a springtime tea. In the spring, everything blooms and bursts into life, and you can evoke this feeling by brewing a cup of this tea in your kitchen at home. I’ve had quite a few teas that smell like jasmine or rose, but this tea lights up with the fragrance of less typical flowers, soft and feminine like baby’s breath or lily of the valley.
Putting your nose into a cup of this tea will envelop you with this relaxing, perfumey sensation.
Beyond the flavor of flowers, there are nutty and buttery tones to help fill out the brew and give the tea a smooth, rich mouthfeel. The more I steeped these leaves, the brighter and greener the undertones became.
The most unique and memorable part of this tea is its forward floral accents.
If you’re a lover of flowery oolongs, Mountain Oolong Spring will be a perfect fit for your tastes.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Mountain Tea Co.
Description:
The character of a pot of tea tells a story about the leaf it originated from. Good tea is a mixed blessing for tea farmers; in general, the harder the tea plant struggles to grow, the more flavorful and tempered the finished brew becomes. For this reason higher elevation with colder temperatures and thinner air produces outstanding leaf.
The 2016 spring harvest of Mountain Oolong withstands high temperature water longer without introducing dryness to the flavor, producing a forgiving and well-behaved pot of tea for the busy brewer. The steeped cup reflects a beautifully clear yet deep honey gold color; the nose is creamy sweet over a faint, nostalgic scent of rice flower bud. Notes for this crop are sharp and floral, paired with a robust body. Expect flavors of citrus blossom mostly, nasal and high in the mouth. Properly brewed we found that this tea has even greater re-steep potential than past flushes, up to six or seven.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Mountain Oolong Spring 2016 from Mountain Tea
One never knows what goes thru my mind while choosing my tea-of-the-moment. Today it happened to be me thinking SPRING and hoping for a dancing leaves show in the infuser! Mountain Oolong Spring 2016 from Mountain Tea fulfilled both of those!
Mountain Oolong Spring 2016 from Mountain Tea smells and tastes like…well…SPRING! This has a mellow, creamy, sweet, floral flavor combo going on with the taste on the tongue. It’s also very crisp and clean! I can imagine a breath of fresh air and a cup of this crisp tea at just about anytime! It seems somewhat energizing but then again that could just be me in my own dream world while enjoying this cup! Mountain Oolong Spring 2016 from Mountain Tea is just one of those LOVELY teas!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong Tea
Where to Buy: Mountain Tea
Description:
The character of a pot of tea tells a story about the leaf it originated from. Good tea is a mixed blessing for tea farmers; in general, the harder the tea plant struggles to grow, the more flavorful and tempered the finished brew becomes. For this reason higher elevation with colder temperatures and thinner air produces outstanding leaf.
The 2016 spring harvest of Mountain Oolong withstands high temperature water longer without introducing dryness to the flavor, producing a forgiving and well-behaved pot of tea for the busy brewer. The steeped cup reflects a beautifully clear yet deep honey gold color; the nose is creamy sweet over a faint, nostalgic scent of rice flower bud. Notes for this crop are sharp and floral, paired with a robust body. Expect flavors of citrus blossom mostly, nasal and high in the mouth. Properly brewed we found that this tea has even greater re-steep potential than past flushes, up to six or seven.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!