Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Oolong

Where to Buy:  Shanti Tea

Tea Description:

This tea blend features the lively taste of a bright green oolong with spring flavours including citrus, berries and a hint of fennel

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This Spring Fever Oolong Blend from Shanti Tea is a lovely celebration of spring in a teacup.  I have often said that my favorite season is autumn because I prefer the cooler weather (I find that hot teas just seem to taste better when it’s chilly outside), but after as many cold, wet days as we’ve had here in the Pacific Northwest (NorthWET) lately, I find myself longing for a little warmer weather.  And the bright, sunny flavors in this tea seem to be expressing those desires for me.

The Oolong is smooth and silky, with a light buttery texture and a sweet, floral tone.  The citrus and berry flavors complement the Oolong base nicely.  The citrus brightens the cup with its sunny flavor, and the berry tastes sweet with just a hint of tart.  The osmanthus enhances the natural peach-y notes of the Oolong, and I can taste that in the background too.

There’s a really lovely, warm undertone of fennel.  It’s snappy and spicy but it doesn’t overpower the cup, instead, it offers a gently warm, spiced flavor that is pleasantly understated.  The medley of flavors simply works.  It’s a little warm and spicy, it’s a little sweet and juicy from the fruit notes, it’s soft and buttery from the Oolong with notes of flower in the distance.  It’s a really beautiful harmony of complex notes.

And because this is an Oolong, that means that it’s good for at least a couple of infusions (if not more!)  The second infusion was creamier than the first, the buttery notes of the Oolong are really coming through at this point.  The fruit notes are more melded now, tasting like a hybrid fruit of citrus and berry rather than distinct, individual fruits.  The fennel is not as pronounced in this cup, the warmth and licorice-y sweetness still lingers in the background but it’s a very soft flavor.

The third infusion proved to be still quite flavorful.  I’m surprised that I’m still experiencing strong fruit notes of citrus and berry.  As in the second cup, these two flavors are melded together to taste like a citrus-y berry fruit, but the fruit notes are still going strong.  The Oolong is soft and smooth, not quite as creamy as the second but still offers a silky, luxurious texture.  The fennel is more of an afterthought now, offering some warm background notes but it’s no longer an obvious note.

Overall, this was a very lovely flavored Oolong.  Usually, an Oolong is quite delicious, flavorful and complex on its own (without the flavoring), but I liked the dimension the flavors added to this Spring Fever Oolong!  Two thumbs up.