Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Product Description:
This organic oolong tea is especially rich in GABA, a human enzyme that calms and relaxes. The finest hojary frankincense, with its balsamic notes and citrus undertones, marries beautifully with this full-bodied tea. These rolled leaves provide up to 4 infusions.
Taster’s Review:
I should preface this review by saying that I’ve not had a lot of experience with frankincense. So this shall be quite an adventure!
This is my third tea I’ve sampled from Aftelier Perfumed Teas collection. And each time I try one of these teas, I am amazed. Going in to the experience, I don’t expect to like it; I fear that it’s going to be too strongly perfumed for my liking. But each time, I am surprised at just how much I do like it.
And I like this one too. The aroma is exotic and heady, evoking seductive images of a dimly-lit room that is enveloped with the smoke of incense. It’s very enchanting and I am captivated.
The Oolong is lightly roasted, which creates a faint caramel-y note. The frankincense is not as perfume-y tasting as I thought it would be. It has hints of spice and flower. It is what I would call an androgynous tea as it possesses both masculine and feminine qualities. There are hints of smoke in the background – which may be from the Oolong or from the frankincense. The smooth, buttery essence of the Oolong seems to unite all of these flavors, making this a seamless tea experience.
As with the other teas that I’ve tried from Aftelier, I recommend steeping this in a gaiwan, using short steeps. Too long a steep will result in too strong a perfume-y taste, but with the short steeps the flavor comes out just perfect – no need for additions – it’s just delightful as is. While this is not a tea that I would want to drink every day, it certainly would make a great tea for a special occasion – perhaps a romantic rendezvous? It is a very special tea, indeed!
Ti Quan Yin Oolong with Fresh Ginger and Turkish Rose from Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Product Description:
Monkey-picked Tie Guan Yin oolong tea starts with a roasted-rice aroma and finishes with a fruity taste, blending beautifully with the refined Turkish rose and warm fresh ginger. These rolled leaves provide up to 4 infusions.
Taster’s Review:
Oh … WOW! This tea is absolutely dreamy! Like some sort of euphoric dream that’s been scented with roses and ginger and even a hint of smoke. That’s not only what it smells like, it’s what it tastes like too!
It’s amazing! The sip begins with an introduction from the rose. It is a sweet and almost intoxicating rose flavor that is not bitter, it’s not even what I would consider to be sharp. It is a distinct rose flavor, but, at the same time, it is unlike the rose flavors that I’ve experienced in teas before.
Shortly after your palate has become acquainted with the rose, a smooth yet smoky note from the Ti Quan Yin Oolong comes through and imparts its silky texture. The smoky flavor is not at all off-putting, rather, it seems to unite perfectly with the rose and the ginger to create a complete flavor experience.
The ginger comes in next, and this is not a strong, peppery kind of ginger, but rather, an almost sweet note of warm spice. It doesn’t taste hot or spicy, just mildly warm and enchanting. The sip finishes with a slightly drying astringency, and the aftertaste lingers with the perfumed flavor of rose and whispers of ginger.
This tea is absolutely lovely. Words cannot even begin to adequately describe just how lovely it truly is! It is a tea that must be experienced to appreciate fully. What a delight!
Nostalgia Dong Ding Oolong with Jasmine & Fresh Mint from Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Product Description:
Rich and complex charcoal-roasted Tung-Ting oolong tea produces a fruity aroma that is exquisite with the cool mint and rich jasmine. These rolled leaves provide up to 4 infusions.
Taster’s Review:
This tea is very interesting.
First of all, as a cup of this tea sits before me, it smells amazing. Like intoxicatingly (I don’t know if that was a word before now, but it is one now!) amazing. But with such an enchanting smell … I become a little apprehensive when it comes to taking a sip. What if it’s too perfume-y?
After all, it is a perfumed tea. That alone sort of indicates that it might come across as perfume-y tasting.
However, it doesn’t. The perfume melds with the buttery creaminess of the Oolong tea to create one of the most unusual yet delightful teas I’ve tasted in a very long time. The Oolong has a slightly roasted back note that seems to tie all the flavors together quite nicely. It’s a very unified taste.
That is not to say that the jasmine is not strong, because it is. It is quite strong (this tea is for jasmine lovers only!) and tastes very floral. But it tastes like a natural floral flavor; not a chemical-y, artificial-tasting, lab-recreated perfume.
The mint is quite a bit more subtle, but the flavor of it develops as I continue to sip. Similarly, the scent of the mint develops as I continue to smell the tea. The first couple of times I could barely smell the mint, and now it is more prominent, although it is still not as strong as the jasmine.
I recommend brewing this in a gaiwan – using short steep times. 30 seconds (or less) for the first infusion; increase by 15 seconds for each subsequent infusion. Any longer and you may wind up with a very strong jasmine taste.
If you love jasmine (and I do!) this tea is the ULTIMATE. You really must try it!