Citrus Oolong from Tea Taxi. . .

by VariaTEA

This tea came to me as a sample in one of the monthly subscription packages I got over the past year. It is not one I would have ever picked for myself because I am often hesitant of both oolong and citrus flavors, so I usually avoid a tea boasting both. Yet, for some reason I never brought myself to tossing this into my swap box.

Well today I figured if I wasn’t going to try and get rid of it, it is probably because I actually want to try it so I got to brewing. This steeped for 3 minutes in 190F water, as per the recommended steeping parameters.

The dry leaf smelled like lemony baked goods though the steeped tea is more harshly lemon than that. It leans towards that lemon pledge vibe at first but the ginger and oolong base really pull that back and keep it from being offensive. Instead, it makes for a bright lemon tea with a ginger zing at the end of each sip. The oolong base is heavy enough to support these strong flavors while still holding its own, yet light enough that it doesn’t draw focus away.

This is no longer available on its own on TeaTaxi’s website but it does come as part of the “Remedies” collection and I can see why. This would be a nice cold tea because the flavors are quite warm and comforting. It would also be soothing for other ailments as its got enough flavor to be interesting without being over-the-top and hard to digest. This isn’t a tea I would be drinking everyday but for those who enjoy this flavor profile, this could be something worth looking into.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Oolong
Where to Buy:  Tea Taxi
Description

Let us help you bounce right back with this collection of teas and infusions. Recommended for colds, sore throats and life’s other little discomforts.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

VariaTEA

Hey there! My name is Rachel. I’m a twenty-something from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who loves dogs and has a bit of an obsession with tea. As a child I hated the stuff since all I ever knew was Red Rose (no offense to Red Rose). However, a few years ago that all changed. I was on a diet and desperate for new flavors without adding calories and that’s when I turned to tea. I started off by going to DAVIDsTEA and Teavana for all their dessert-inspired flavors, and since I didn’t know any better, I bought 100 grams each of about twenty-something different teas. This was okay for the teas I liked but for those I didn’t I needed to find some way of getting rid of them. Enter Steepster.com. This is where I met some incredible tea friends, discovered tea swaps, and learned of so many amazing tea companies. My desire to try all the teas grew and since joining three years ago I have tried over a thousand different teas. I have learned what ingredients I love and I have learned what flavors I don’t like. I determined my go-to brewing method is Western-style with no added milk or sweeteners, though I also enjoy cold brewing, iced teas, teapops, lattes, and smoothies. I have yet to brew gong-fu style but I hope to do so just as soon as I get the proper teaware to do it. About a year ago, I actually stopped drinking tea but as my stash of over 200 teas started aging I decided I needed to respark my interest. I chose to take a 365 days of tea challenge on Instagram in which I post a new tea picture every day. So far it has been rather successful as I find myself drinking (and buying) more and more tea each day. Plus it enabled CuppaGeek to find me and invite me here to SororiTea Sisters.

This post was posted in Oolong, Tea Taxi

Da Yu Ling Oolong Tea from Tea from Taiwan. . .

by SuperStarling

I am having a really emotional day*, so I decided to treat myself with the best option available: a bracing cup of tea.

*To be fair, most of my days are emotional. I am a person with a Lot Of Feelings.

This was a more delicate cuppa than I was in the mood for, but no fear, it is still quite the taste sensation.

It’s really LEMONY! Light, and toward the green side of oolong, and there’s a little bit of a sweet-n-sour lemonade twist. I feel like they could serve this in the South, maybe iced, and people would love it.

It comes from a place that translates out to “Pear Mountain.” I have this weird thing where I fear unfamiliar fruit (please don’t make fun of me), so I honestly am not sure if this tastes like a pear. But it definitely IS fruity. It’s got a surprising amount of extra flavor for a straight tea. Wow.

If you were to go to Mount Li, from whence this tea originates, you would be close to — and possibly able to visit — China’s Terracotta Army.

It’s a giant underground tomb-necropolis that houses a miniature version of the first Chinese emperor’s army. They protect his (still unopened) tomb. You really need to read the Wikipedia article about this. It’s fascinating.

 

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Oolong
Where to Buy:  Tea from Taiwan
Description

Da Yu Ling oolong tea (wu-long tea) is a premium-grade oolong tea from the Da Yu Ling area of Taiwan’s Taichung county. Its high altitude (more than 2600 meters) makes this one of the highest tea plantations in the world.

Da Yu Ling has a wonderful fragrance and taste. It is a lightly oxidized oolong tea with a refreshing palate that is sought after by the most demanding tea connoisseurs. Da Yu Ling is produced in limited quantities and is one of the most prized teas of Taiwan.

 

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

SuperStarling

"Hey, everybody! I'm Leah, a graphic designer from Pennsylvania, United States. I live with my husband and rescue mutt in a house with colorful walls. I love fonts, colors, animals, flowers, novels, illustration, geeking out, and -- obviously! -- tea. I've only been heavily into tea for about a year, but I've found I tend to prefer loose blended black dessert teas. I normally drink them hot western style without anything added; if I add in some vanilla almond milk or honey, I promise I'll mention it! When I'm not blogging here, I'm blogging at leahlucci.com/starling or posting to Instagram (super_starling), so come say hi!"

This post was posted in Oolong, Tea From Taiwan