Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Product Description:
Premium quality organic Ti KuanYin tea (Ti KuanYin) flavoured with organic honey
- Grown and produced near Zhangzhou in Fujian province
- Hand made into small, rolled up, jade colored leaves, then soaked in organic honey
- Pale yellow-green colored tea when brewed
- Delightfully sweet honey flavoured and aroma
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The photo above doesn’t really show this, but, the dry leaf is quite unusual – unlike any other Oolong I’ve ever encountered (or any other type of tea, for that matter!) The tea is tightly vacuum-packed in beautiful purple foil pouches, and when I opened the package, there was another small liner protecting the tea … it almost looked like rice paper, but it is plastic. After peeling away the plastic, I realized why it was there, because this tea is STICKY! As in honey sticky! The tightly wound pellets of Ti Guan Yin tea have been soaked in honey, and then processed in these packages to maintain their freshness.
After opening the package, I pondered for a moment about how I should brew the tea … in my Breville? Or in my gaiwan? Usually, when I steep Oolong, I steep it in my gaiwan, but, with flavored Oolongs, I make an exception. But… ultimately, I decided to steep this in my gaiwan, because I figured with all this honey, it would be easier to clean out of my gaiwan than it would my Breville.
I did not rinse (or awaken) the leaves, because I didn’t want to lose any of that honey flavor. The combination of the first two infusions are sweet and very honey-esque. But, I am glad that the honey flavor does not mask the flavor of the Iron Goddess – which is slightly vegetative tasting, with a lovely floral note that seems to have been intensified by the honey soak. This is incredibly smooth and is very easily consumed … not to mention quickly consumed!
The combination of the third and fourth infusion are not as sweet as the first cup, but still quite delicious. There is a bit of astringency to this cup that I didn’t notice with the first, and I am noticing some of the sharper notes from the floral tones that were possibly hiding behind the sweet honey flavor in the first cup. Still very delicious – this cup tastes more like what I would expect from Iron Goddess, and less like honey. But while the honey is lighter, it does linger in the aftertaste – very nice!
My final cup of this tea (the combination of the fifth and sixth infusions) were very much like what I’d expect from a Tie Guan Yin – very flavorful, yes, but, not so much of a honey flavor is present. The floral tones are not quite as sharp but are still quite strong and very lovely – reminding me a bit of orchid and lily. There is a very slight grassy tone.
While I enjoyed my three cups of this tea hot, I find myself wondering how this tea might taste iced; combining all six infusions into one pitcher and then chilling it. I suspect that the strong honey tones of the first two infusions would be softened by the other infusions, giving it just a soft, honey-esque sweetness with a beautiful background of traditional Tie Guan Yin flavors. I may have to try that very soon!
Overall, I found this to be a very tasty and satisfying Oolong – from that very first infusion, until the last.
Oolong from Byron Bay Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Byron Bay Tea Company
Company Description:
Tie Guan Yin or Iron Goddess is probably the best known Chinese high-grade Oolongs. A light, semi-fermented, whole-leaf tea that is low in caffeine, high in antioxidants and particularly beneficial around meal times. The fresh, earthy flavour carries a lingering aroma, as well as subtle undertones of florals and fruits.
Taster’s Review:
I adore Oolong teas. They seem to me to be just a little more complex … a little more flavorful … a little more interesting … than most other types of tea. Probably the only type of tea that I like better than Oolong is a yellow tea, and due to the rare nature (and higher cost) of yellow tea, I enjoy Oolong teas more often than I do yellow, which I tend to reserve for occasions as rare as the tea leaf itself.
So, when I received this Oolong from Byron Bay, I was very excited to try it. Having been quite impressed from the other teas I’ve tried from Byron Bay, my expectations were high for this Oolong, and I’m pleased to report that Byron Bay did not let me down!
This Tie Guan Yin has a lighter body than some ofther Tie Guan Yin teas that I’ve encountered. The floral character is a little stronger in this tea, which cuts through some of the heavy buttery notes just a little. The result is a cup that is very pleasantly floral, lightly sweet and possesses hints of buttery undertones. Delicious!
This tea is very smooth and has a rich taste despite it’s lighter quality. The mouthfeel is not as thick as some Oolong teas, but it is soft and silky. This tea is very enjoyable to sip.