Inception tea!
It’s tea within a bag, within a bag! I’m so excited to open this!
First bag opened. Second bag snipped.
Houston we have tea.
Tightly rolled balls of emerald and dark green.
No noticeable smell or at least nothing note worthy.
Tea and water into the gaiwan. I wonder if anyone does water first?
I don’t see that working as well. A very light oolong in both aroma and flavor. Orchid is the highlight for both. With slight, very slight vegetal and grass notes.
The mouth feel is silky. Like most oolongs this one re-steeps quite well.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: JK Tea Shop
Description:
Tie Guan Yin Oolong tea, also called Iron Goddness of Mercy(literally in English).
For this 2A grade Tie Guan Yin, it is light-roasted, enjoying very good light orchid fragrance. After sipping the tea liquid, you can still feel the good orchid fragrance in the whole mouth.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Golden Osmanthus from Perkse Coffee & Tea. . . .
This tea packs a wallop. Despite being a honey-and-flower blend, it has a sturdy, spunky edge. Its sweetness is balanced with just enough deep vegetal counterpoint to make you think “hey, this is a treat, and it might ALSO be good for me.”
IS it good for you? I googled it, and I found out that oolong tea benefits “are doubled because of the combined qualities of black tea and green tea.” Which is great, because oolong is my legit all-time favorite. Sometimes it tastes green. Sometimes it tastes black. It’s a whimsical, shape-shifting Loki of a tea.
This one in particular is more green in texture, flavor, and vibe, but that sturdy base is reminiscent of a black. Green ones are sometimes wispy. This one doesn’t fall into that trap.
If you’re a person that enjoys blends, I think this would be a great oolong intro. It has that much flavor.
I shall take this tea’s optimistic vibe with me on my trip today — I’m going to Disney World! DRIVING THERE. It’s sixteen hours. Oh MANNNNN. TEA GIVE ME STRENGTH.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Perkse Coffee & Tea
Description
Golden Osmanthus (also known as Huang Jin Gui) is an Anxi oolong whose name means “Golden Flower.” A lightly roasted oolong our “Bolero” reveals an intensity with hints of honey and flowers you will find enticing and seductive.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
San Lin Xi Oolong from Harney & Sons. . . .
This tea tastes like eating a bouquet of nectar-y flowers. I have not, for the record, done this, but it’s how I imagine the experience might be, if you were so inclined. It’s light, lively, vegetal, and easy.
(Original Artwork from Super Starling inspired by this tea)
I feel like being a bee would be wonderful. A life spent in the sunshine, with a clear, tasty plan — find flowers; collect yummy pollen. Have a fluffy face. Hang out in Taiwan (whence this tea originates) with your friends in a hive. Hexagons are very hot in interior decoration right now.
Since I am not a bee (uuuuuuugh), I’ll have to savor this flavor instead.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Description
We are pleased to expand our offering of Taiwanese high mountain (Gao shan) oolongs. This tea is from the middle of the Nantou District, between Li Shan to the north and Ali San in the South. It is a lovely lightly oxidized oolong.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Oolong de la Creme / Tea and Tins. . . .
Oolong de la Creme also known as Milk Oolong. In its truest form with no added flavors it is called Jin Xuan or #12.
It’s a pleasing tea for the palette with notes of milk and cream. It has a silky mouth feel and, if you get the right version, can even smell milky. If you buy a couple of different brands do a side y side aroma comparison.
One can generally tell which is higher quality simply by the smell as some of the lower quality leaves will have a somewhat mechanical smell to them.
While I’m not 100% sure of this version I do like the creamy wet leaf smell and the taste is pretty spot on.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea and Tins
Description:
A very special tea from China, it has lovely sweet notes as well as a creamy note.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Gaoshanchi Taiwan Fushoushan High Mt. Oolong (Wulong) from Fong Mong Tea
This is another great oolong from Fong Mong Tea.
You guys this company has produced some amazing teas. From the first sniff after opening the package to the last drop descending your throat everything shouts exceptional tea.
The moment I opened the package and smelled the slightly sweet marine and mineral notes I knew it was a lightly oxidized oolong. And then of course you look at the tightly rolled, dark green leaves and you know, yup that is definitely an oolong.
When the water is poured over the leaves it gives off a vegetal smell. Which is slightly amusing because if you pick up the cup to smell it 5 seconds later …. you don’t smell it.
Quite interesting. It has a smooth mouth feel with mineral, vegetal, and a few hints of grassy notes.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Fong Mong Tea
Description
Gaoshanchi, Fushoushan High Mountain Oolong Tea is one of the most unique and highest quality Oolong from Taiwan. Grown in the estate of Fushoushan Farm at Top Pear Mountains of Taiwan, this tea is harvested at the elevation of 2200 meters above in an isolated area (Almost the highest tea estate in Taiwan.). Due to the cold weather and relatively harsh environments, the plants grow at a very slow rate and in small quantity. The tea is either harvested during the winter or spring and sometimes only once during the entire year. After the harvest, the leaves are carefully handled and aerated during the long ride to the nearest trusted tea producer. Despite the difficult growing conditions, the tea results in thick and full body leave with high fragrance which reminds of smelling the phytoncide and foggy air while climbing a high mountain, thus which is being selected as the highest quality of Oolong.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!