You can always count on Fong Mong for exceptional Oolongs. The aroma cup reveals some wonderful vanilla and orchid notes in the aroma as it is steeping. A strange very very slight bit of asparagus hit the back of my tongue as I was sipping. This is not a tea for those who prefer strong teas. The flavors of this one are incredibly light. There are definitely some floral notes but if you swish it around in your mouth a bit you will also discover unique vegetable and herb notes. Be it ever so slight.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Fong Mong
Description
Plucking from Taiwan peculiar Tsui Yu (Jade TTES #13) tea cultivar, in addition to stringent management of planting, Taiwan floral oolong tea was made by artisans to refine into traditional oolong tea. In the process of light fermentation, Jadeoolong transpires delicate floral aroma which you, tea lovers, won’t miss it out.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Jade Oolong from Little Red Cup Tea Co.
I was looking for a greener tasting oolong and I think I have found just that in this Jade Oolong from Little Red Cup Tea Co.
Not only does this Jade Oolong from Little Red Cup Tea Co. taste like a greener oolong it also has beautiful floral flavors on the end sip and a very pretty aroma from start to finish. It has a glowing gold color of tea liquor that sloshes in the cup. This was delightful sipping hot, cool, or cold! The cooler or colder it gets the more I can taste the floral notes.
If you haven’t had a good, solid Jade Oolong in a while try Jade Oolong from Little Red Cup Tea Co. and even if you have it’s a great time to compare it with others because I find this one to be exceptional!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Little Red Cup Tea Co.
Description:
Jade Oolong (Wu Long, 乌龙) is a marvelous mountain-grown tea from western Hunan Province. It has an appealing aroma, a beautiful green color and a forceful presence. It has a taste profile characteristic of greener oolongs, complex and just a little woody.
Our Jade Oolong is pure whole leaf organic Chinese tea, Fair Trade certified, and utterly delicious. This is a tea to be enjoyed on a regular basis, but also a tea to bring out for special occasions. It is at once familiar and yet a cut above ordinary oolongs, a tea we are certain you will love.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Meishan Cing Xin High Mountain Spring Oolong Tea from Taiwan Tea Crafts
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Taiwan Tea Crafts
Tea Description:
Our Spring 2015 Cing Xin Oolong crop from Meishan comes from a well-established growing area which was one of the first to grow higher mountain teas in Chiayi County. Meishan sits between Shanlinxi up north, and Alishan further south and was one of the first high mountain tea growing areas to be developed in central Taiwan, well before Shanlinxi and Alishan. This Qing Xin Oolong has the typical green, crisp pastoral notes with hints of mountain flowers that charms the nose. The palate will immediately be pleased by the ample creamy texture and taste that evokes fresh buttered green beans with hints of sweetness.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
There must be something wrong with me. Some kind of chemical/spiritual imbalance, I’m sure. I used to drink oolongs by the gallons. It was pretty much the tea that I drank exclusively, aside from the occasional herbal or puerh. But I think something happened along my tea journey. I think I oolong’d myself out. If that is even possible. But each oolong that I have had lately has bored me, or rubbed me the wrong way. Either it’s the sign of the apocalypse, or my tastes are just changing with the seasons. I hope it’s the latter, I would like to drink down some of my tea stash before the world really ends.
Meishan Cing Xin High Mountain Spring Oolong Tea from Taiwan Tea Crafts is a mouthful to say, never mind type! I am hoping that this is the tea that will spark my interest in the tea that once held my heart. The leaves are tightly rolled, smooth and so fragrant I almost swoon. Almost. The dry leaf smells like milk and honey, jasmine blossoms and lilies. I was lazy, and not wanting to clean one of my gaiwans, or infuses, I just tossed a few pearls of oolong into the bottom of a mug. Leaves that do a lot of expanding perform so well grandpa style.
Watching the leaves unfold in my mug was nothing short of a spectacle. The aroma is promising, all the creamy, floral goodness wafts up to my nose. The deep gold liquor is thick and smooth, and the floral notes are strong with this one. There are short bursts of grassy notes, it’s got all of the flowers, stem and all. Later on in the steeps, the smooth buttery notes came out, sweeter than the steeps before. This is becoming a strong competitor in the campaign to turn me back on road to oolong! Throughout all the steeps, there was always something else to discover. I may be back on the path to oolong!
Citron Potion Oolong Tea from Tealyra
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tealyra
Tea Description:
One of our most popular flavored teas, Citron Potion is a special blend of supreme jasmine scented oolong that has been cured with rare jasmine blossoms, a unique blend of herbs and a combination of refreshing citrus fruits. This organic oolong tea will quickly become a favorite with the pick me up natural orange oil, hint of organic lemon myrtle and the unmistakable rare flavor and aroma of the jasmine flower.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was a little worried about the tea leaf to ‘other stuff ratio when I opened the package of Citron Potion Oolong from Tealyra. I saw nary a leaf compared to the intense amount of jasmine flowers. The package smelled amazing though, and I made to pick out enough loosely rolled oolong leaves as possible. The style of oolong looked to be a baozhong. Those are among my favorite types of oolong, so I was hopeful about this brew.
Wanting to allow the leaves to do some crazy expansion, I loading 5g of tea into my gravity steeper, and doused it with 190 degree water. To my surprise, I watched the seemingly small amount of tea leaf expand to fill over half of the gravity steeper. The leaves were large and entirely uncut. Huh. Happy to see the expansion of the leaf, I got excited to try the brew. Phew!
The steeped leaf is quite fleshing and light. Tasting the tea, I can easily recognize the bouquet of floral notes that the oolong lays out for me. Roses, peony, and lilies. They are complimented by the sweetness of the orange oil, which probably takes the cake for the topmost note in this tea. I am having a had time finding the jasmine flower essence in this tea. Perhaps the flowers are just a carrier for the orange flavoring. Either way, I am pretty happy with how this tea came out.
I tried this tea two ways, brewed hot, and cold brewed in a large jug. Both methods produce a silky mouthfeel and really great and strong oolong-y flavors and citrus. This is going to be a great summer tea to get me through the dog days of summer! That is, if it ever gets warm again, it’s been so cold and rainy in the Mile High City lately! I’m wearing gloves to type this review, my fingers are freezing. This tea makes me wistful for summer, one day it will come, right? Right??
Jade Oolong from The Mountain Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: The Mountain Tea Company
Tea Description:
Our Jade Oolong is a light-medium bodied tea that yields a buttery, pale-green liquor. We taste strong notes of cream and sweet corn.
Very well known among tea drinkers this semi-oxidized tea from the mountainous region of Nantou, Taiwan has a delightful flowery aroma, brisk flavor, smooth body, and fruity finish, all of which combine to make this a pantry stocker.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Ohhhh Yes!! This is one of those teas that makes me realize how far I have come as a tea drinker. I remember not too long ago I began my loose leaf journey somewhat haphazardly. I was rather lucky to start off with some really good loose leaf teas but stumbled across a few that were subpar. Along my journey I have went up a few hills and down a few hills, but at the summit of this Mountain Tea is where all good things are found! A tea like this makes me appreciate how far I have come as a tea drinker and what a truly excellent tea experience feels like. Yes, feels like, not just tastes like. A truly excellent tea will make you feel something, be it excited, or refreshed, or soothed, some emotion accompanies the tea drinking experience, and sipping this tea is an experience.
Jade, from The Mountain Tea Company, is a delight! Fresh and refreshing, yet buttery and soothing. Vegetal green notes with the essence of steamed corn on the palate are some of the flavors that just spring forward. The after taste is lingering and delicious. There is somewhat of a high or tea drunk feeling that sneaks in rather quickly with this one. Things just slow down around you. I find myself not quite so annoyed by my doggies incessant barking at the neighbor’s dog, not quite so bothered by the television blasting noise from the other room, not quite so anxious. Through all that noise I rather am picking up on the birds chirping happily outside, the sun is streaming into the house more brightly, and I just feel peaceful.
Isn’t it amazing how this little leaf, from a simple plant, can make something so delicious? I am often bewildered, astounded, that these leaves can be so different, give off such rich flavors, so many varieties to delight us. It makes me want to start steeping everything green I find! I realize that may sound strange, or make no sense, but tea just amazes me. This tea amazes me.
As the tea cools the flavors become a little stronger and there is an almost numbing sensation in the mouth from a herbaceous note. The mouthfeel is lightly creamy. There are subtle notes of peach, somewhat on the bitter side, but enjoyable. A bit like a peach that is not quite ripe enough to be eaten yet but temping nonetheless. There is a subtle sweetness as well somewhat like honey but not cloying. A nutty note plays around but disappears quickly, lingering fresh asparagus, dandelion, and fresh flower notes prevail.
This is a light roast oolong that is tightly rolled and when steeped unfurls into lovely tips with two leaves. Quite beautiful.
Tea like this is why I drink tea!
