Tea Type:
Oolong
Where To Buy:
Verdant Tea
Product Description:
It took Verdant Tea 4 months of sampling to find a Big Red Robe unique and delicious enough to really justify importing. This incredible tea from the rocky cliffs of Wuyi mountain offers a side of Big Red Robe that most people have never seen. Usually all you get is caramel, chocolate and floral notes. This goes far beyond. In early steepings, there is an intriguing sensation on the tongue, almost like the metallic vibrations of a bronze cast bell, or the idea of fast moving water flowing over slate. As the tea opens up, there is a perfectly synthesized note of orange and elderberry that dominates, and lingers in the back of the throat. In middle steepings, the elderberry orange flavor splits into fruity wine grape notes, hibiscus-infused dark chocolate, and molasses cookies with crystalized Thai ginger. In late steepings, the thick beany and malty flavor of Laoshan green comes through, combined with the lilac sweetness of Tieguanyin. One of our favorite aspects of this tea is that it was expertly roasted in a way that lets so much complexity come through the caramel notes of any darker oolong. If you are interested in oolongs, or seek a very comforting yet engaging tea, give this a try for a new perspective.
Tasters Review:
When I see a tea with the word Mountain in the name it really makes me want to travel to the place of origin. I would LOVE to travel to far away lands to see, smell, and touch the leaves, the soil, before, during, and after. I guess in a way it’s much like a Fairy Tale of Tea…but this one is a dream come true!
I think this is another reason I am a fan of Verdant Teas overall! David is an amazing story-teller! I LOVE reading his descriptions. If you post comments about a Verdant Tea over at Steepster it’s common to see a thoughtful response from the man himself. I enjoy reading about the personal connections he has with the people he buys the tea from…the farmers themselves!
With Wuyi Mountain Big Red Robe from Verdant Tea you can tell he searched high and low for this quality of tea. He didn’t settle! I appreciate that. This truly is a lovely Oolong!
At first I could smell a bit of charcoal in the aroma of this tea. It made me wonder if that is what it was going to taste like – which would have been completely fine – as I do like a nice charcoal type tea – but this morphed. The taste actually morphs from start to finish, too! At first there was a woodsy/earthy type flavor but then it turned sweet! I could taste slight fruity notes as well as sugary notes, too! The fruity notes did change-up to a more defined berry-type taste for a few seconds. It left a pleasant roasted aftertaste, too!
This is special. It shows it – from start to finish – and then some! It’s more than a tea…it’s a journey!
The Skinny from DavidsTea
Tea Type:
Oolong Tea/Pu-erh Tea Blend
Where To Buy:
DavidsTea
Product Description:
Did you just eat and eat and eat? And then eat some more? 2000 years of ancient Chinese wisdom suggest you try this organic blend. It contains oolong and pu’erh teas, both reputed to speed your metabolism and block fat absorption after a heavy meal. Plus it’s got ginger and ginseng, two more traditional metabolism uppers. So go ahead, drink up. The only thing you’ll gain is wisdom.
Tasters Review:
The Skinny from DavidsTea really took me by surprise! I ended up really liking it! Here’s the SKINNY on this tea from DavidsTea…
This tea takes a while to infuse before the true color appears. Dry…I thought this first smelled like Orange Cream and then I thought it was more of a Fruit loops/Orange aroma. Post infusion – it smells more like a woodsy/orange. The taste is flatter than I thought it would be. I would say more Oolong than anything else and then a share of orange taste. I can’t really taste the Pu-erh, Ginseng, or Ginger much…which is ok with me but maybe not-so-good for those specifically looking for those ingredients, I suppose.
Overall the taste of this one is pretty good! As far as me liking this tea – I do enjoy it – much more than I expected! It’s a goodie!
Nepali Oolong Tea from The Tao of Tea
Tea Type: Oolong Tea
Where To Buy: The Tao of Tea
Product Description:
Very buttery, almost void of any astringency. Full-bodied, smooth with flavor of dried, preserved plums.
Tasters Review:
Nepali Oolong from The Tao of Tea has a faded fresh yet cocoa-powder aroma to it before infusing.
The leaves are WILD and fun! They almost have a natural tye-dyed effect with natural and earthy colors! I LOVE these leaves!
The smell of this completely changes as it infuses! While infusing there is a nice, unique scent…buttery but very plum-like with a hint of nuttiness! The leaves are swimming and dancing around in my cup. They are very active lil buggers! They have a lot of character! I like that in a tea!
The color of the liquor is very light brown with almost a greyness to it.
The taste is very pure. It seems to quench my thirst. There are both fruity and nutty flavors present…maybe more plum notes than nut notes, however.
This is a VERY Impressive Oolong! It’s creamy and buttery and has a very nice aftertaste!
Peach Oolong from Butiki Teas
Tea Type: Oolong Tea
Where To Buy: Butiki Teas
Product Description:
Peach oolong has a sweet floral peach aroma that evokes images of warm summer days. This high altitude Taiwanese tea starts off with a light floral flavor that quickly develops into a natural white peach flavor that lingers. Peach Oolong is a refreshing smooth bodied tea that works well iced or hot. Add some brown crystal sugar for a sweet desert-like treat or drink plain for a more natural flavor. Our Peach Oolong is good for multiple infusions.
Recommended Brew Time: 4 minutes
Recommended Amount: 1 teaspoon of tea for 8oz of water Recommended Temperature: 180 F
Tasters Review:
Peach Oolong from Butiki Teas…another flavored Oolong from a company I would suggest to ANYONE looking for good-solid-flavored Oolongs…Butiki Teas!
This tastes JUST LIKE White Peaches…Sweet and juicy…just the way I like ’em!
If you like Peach – try this! If you are looking for a nicely flavored Oolong…TRY THIS!
It’s squeaky clean, highly flavored, and totally YUMMY, and still true Oolong! YUM!
It also leaves a pleasantly sweet aftertaste and I think it’s just lovely!
Strawberry Oolong from Butiki Teas
Tea Type: Oolong
Where To Buy: Butiki Teas
Product Description:
Strawberry Oolong
This sweet high altitude oolong is infused with strawberry and originates from Taiwan. Strawberry Oolong is a refreshingly sweet and natural flavored tea. Very refreshing and light.Recommended Brew Time: 4 minutes
Recommended Amount: 1 teaspoon of tea for 8oz of water
Recommended Temperature: 180 F
Tasters Review:
I’ll get straight to the point…I LOVE THIS FLAVORED OOLONG! Strawberry Oolong from Butiki Teas is certainly a winner in my book!
It has the tiny pearls I have seen in some Cherry Blossom Green Teas – that I have tried in the past – and I think they are lovely and a nice touch to this Strawberry Flavored Oolong!
The aroma is excellent! The Oolong Leaves are screaming multiple infusions! I did put this to the test and it holds up very well to multiple infusions! This is also wonderful hot or cold!
The strawberry tastes are spectacular! They are sweet without ANY trace of sour or bitterness. This is very sweet and very nice!
I’m totally diggin’ Butiki Teas Flavored Oolongs!
So far every tea/tisane I have had of theirs is wonderful! I really like this company!!!