Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: T-Oolong Tea
Tea Description:
This high quality Shanlinxi Zhu Wan Oolong Tea is handpicked, handcrafted and produced from Qingxin Oolong varietal grown in the mountain areas of Zhu Wan district in Shanlinxi area. The aroma and taste of the tea are intensely floral and sweet, very rich, complex and delectable with almost no bitterness and astringency. This tea also comes with a very sweet and long lasting aftertaste, and stands up very well to multiple infusions. It is a very enjoyable Shanlinxi tea we highly recommend.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve often stated that Ali Shan Oolong teas are my favorite type of Oolong, however, I must admit that after trying a few of the Shanlinxi Oolong teas from T-Oolong Tea … the Shanlinxi are offering up some stiff competition to my beloved Ali Shan! This Shanlinxi Zhu Wan is amazing!
It is so sweet and there is a light creaminess to it, but it is also light and crisp, like the sweet, clean taste of mountain air. It has a pleasant floral tone – not sharp or intrusive, it is a very smooth, sweet floral note. The creaminess adds a richness to the texture and taste, but, it isn’t heavy tasting nor does it feel heavy on the palate. It tastes and feels very refreshing and clean.
And as with any Oolong of high quality such as this, this Oolong is ready and eager for multiple infusions. Subsequent infusions delivered a more unified flavor, very smooth and harmonious, with the floral notes and sweet, creamy tones melding in a very seamless way. The floral notes are stronger now and rest on the back of the palate. Still not heavy in any way, the flavor is stronger, but it flows more smoothly across the palate.
If you like Ali Shan, you should do yourself a favor and also try Shanlinxi Oolong teas – they are similar enough that I think fans of Ali Shan can enjoy the Shanlinxi teas too, but they also offer some intriguing differences that are really quite refreshing.
Shanlinxi Long Feng Xia Oolong Tea from T-Oolong Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: T-Oolong Tea
Tea Description:
This high quality Long Feng Xia Oolong tea is handpicked, handcrafted and produced from Qingxin Oolong varietal grown in Long Feng Xia district. The aroma and taste of the tea are very floral and sweet. This tea has honeysuckle-like flavors and a sweet long lasting aftertaste, and it stands up well to multiple infusions. It is rich, smooth and delectable with almost no bitterness and astringency. Absolutely a very wonderful oolong we highly recommend.
Learn more about this Oolong here.
Taster’s Review:
I realize that I previously reviewed this tea, but that was last year’s harvest, and this is a whole new harvest! With new harvests come a whole new opportunity to explore new tastes within the tea!
This is so smooth and beautiful! It has a strong floral essence, with foreground notes of honeysuckle that remind me of my gramma’s house when I was younger. She had a honeysuckle bush that grew just outside the window of the bedroom where I would sleep, and on the warm days when the Santa Ana winds would blow, I would be treated to the most amazing honeysuckle essence that not only filled the olfactory nerves but also seemed to tantalize the palate. I also taste a hint of orchid in the distant background.
Like I said, a strong floral essence, but, what I’m liking here is that the taste and texture is so smooth that the floral notes do not taste sharp. They meld into the tea, allowing the other flavors to come forth. The creaminess is not as strong as I remember from the previous harvest, this is more like a rich smoothness rather than a thick creaminess. Fruit notes begin to emerge toward the end of my first cup (which is the combination of the first two infusions), providing more of a sweetness than a real distinct fruit tone.
With subsequent infusions, I find that the floral notes begin to taper somewhat. No… not really taper. That’s not quite the word I’m looking for. The flowery notes are softening, though. They are still very present, but, the layer of floral notes becomes slightly more transparent, allowing for easier tasting of the layers of vegetative notes and a subtle touch of cream. The fruit tones are emerging more now, almost tasting like something between a peach and a sweet grape. It has a very thirst-quenching taste … very calm, very pleasant.
An amazing Oolong that is certainly worth checking out with every new harvest!