Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teatulia
Tea Description:
A stunning, full-bodied cup with hints of fresh pie crust, lemon and sake.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was really excited to learn that Teatulia began offering an Oolong tea! I’ve tried other teas from this company in the past and have enjoyed them so I was eager to try their new Oolong.
What sets Teatulia apart from other tea companies is that their organic teas are grown in Bangladesh. You can learn more about the Teatulia Organic Tea Garden here.
I love the packaging of Teatulia. Their “eco-canisters” are completely biodegradable. And while I prefer my Oolongs loose, I do appreciate that the pyramid sachets are made from corn silk. Another plus: the leaves appear to be large, not chopped into dust the way many teas in sachets or bags are.
Normally, when I steep my Oolong teas, I grab my gaiwan. But because this tea is in a sachet, I didn’t do that. (I suppose I could have cut the sachet and poured the leaf into my gaiwan, but I didn’t do that either. I decided to brew this as the purveyor intended.) However, I did perform a 15 second rinse on the teabag. What can I say? I’m sold on the reawakening of the tea leaves. Oolongs just seem to taste better when I take that extra 15 seconds to do the rinse. After the rinse, I steeped one sachet in 8 ounces of water that had been heated to 180° for 3 minutes.
The aroma is intriguing! I smell notes of smoke. I also smell something sweet … like butterscotch: smoky butterscotch! Notes of earth and wood. I don’t think I’ve smelled an Oolong quite like this one.
The flavor is delightful! Sweet! I taste the notes of butterscotch. The above description suggests notes of fresh pie crust, lemon and sake. I’m not a drinker of alcohol and it’s been years since my one and only cup of sake, so I can’t tell you if I’m actually tasting sake or not. But I do taste notes of lemon!
Bright, sunny lemon. I also taste a slight pastry note. The pastry note really pops when I slurp the sip to aerate it. I can also taste subtle notes of smoke and woodsy tones. It’s a rather interesting Oolong!
And since it is an Oolong, I decided to take it for a resteep. The second cup is just as delicious as the first – maybe even better! I am getting more of that butterscotch-like sweetness with the second cup! Not so much of the smoke this time, but I am picking up on a slight woodsy tone. The pastry notes are more subdued now, but I’m still getting light lemony notes.
A really lovely Oolong!
First Flush Black Tea from Teatulia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teatulia
Tea Description:
Every spring in our Bangladeshi garden, the tea plants awaken from their winter dormancy bursting with new, tender leaves. The very first harvest of these leaves is called “First Flush” and is generally considered to yield the purest and most exquisite cup of tea available.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was a little hesitant to try this First Flush Black Tea from Teatulia, to be honest! A friend had reported back to me that she didn’t find it all that enjoyable, so, I hesitated trying it … but, I guess it just goes to show you that no two palates are the same because I’m really liking this … it’s quite good!
The coppery brown liquid smells sweet. And it tastes sweet. The sweetness here is reminiscent of the sugar-y sweetness of dried fruit … somewhere between raisins and dates. It has a fair amount of astringency toward the tail of the sip, and I’m noticing this astringency more and more as I continue to sip – it develops. It’s slightly dry.
The sip starts out with the dried fruit sweetness, and it moves into a leathery/earthy kind of flavor toward mid-sip, while the sweetness continues to be present throughout the sip. About mid-sip, I notice hints of malt that mingle with the aforementioned sweetness, giving it an almost caramel-y flavor.
Overall, a really good cuppa! And some other important things to note: It’s organic and single estate from Bangladesh! Because it is from Bangladesh, it is a slightly different tea journey … and one well worth experiencing.