Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Tea Description:
This rare and tippy dark oolong from Taiwan produces golden-coloured liquor with a deep nutty and honey-flavoured fruit taste.
Learn more about Spire Tea on their website.
Taster’s Review:
I love a good Oriental Beauty Oolong, and this Roasted Oriental Beauty Oolong Tea from Spire Tea is really good. I am loving the strong essence of fruit that I taste: I taste a peach-like flavor that has a slightly roasted taste to it, as though someone had roasted a peach and then topped it with a drizzle of honey. It’s sweet and juicy and delicious.
As with most Oolong teas, I brewed this in my gaiwan. I combine the first two infusions into one cup, and then the third and fourth infusions are combined into the second cup … and so on.
My first cup was lighter in flavor than the second or third cups, but, it was still quite delicious. It had a pleasant toasty flavor with a slight mineral-like tasting finish. There were notes of fruit – sweet juicy peach! – and hints of a woody note, as well as a honey-esque undertone.
My second cup was the most enjoyable of the three. It had a very pleasing, silky texture and a smooth flavor that was reminiscent of the aforementioned roasted peach with a drizzle of honey. With the third cup, I started to notice a bit of tangy astringency toward the finish. The aftertaste had a sweet citrus note
I really enjoyed this Oriental Beauty from Spire Tea. The roasty-toasty tones are very autumnal to me, making this a perfect time of year to enjoy this cup; although, I’m more than happy to enjoy an excellent Oriental Beauty like this all year ’round!
Golden Buds Black Tea from Spire Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Tea Description:
Known as “Yunnan Pure Gold”, this tippy black tea from China is easily recognizable and produces a rich liquor with light caramel and honey notes.
Learn more about Spire Tea on their website.
Taster’s Review:
There really are very few black teas that I enjoy more than a Golden Yunnan tea like this Golden Buds Black Tea from Spire Tea. I love the rich, caramel-esque flavor of this tea! It’s so deliciously satisfying.
Every single leaf (well, actually, these truly are “buds”) is fully golden in color, ranging from a matte gold color to a soft brown. But these aren’t leaves that are “tipped” in gold, they are gold from one edge to the other with only slight variations in color throughout the bud. The aroma of the brewed tea is soft and earthy.
And the flavor! It is oh-so-good! Rich! Robust! It is one of those teas that you just sip and then sit back while your eyes roll back and you emit a satisfied “ahhhh” because it’s just that good. It has enough gusto to serve as that first cup of the day, and it is smooth enough to serve as an afternoon tea if you prefer it. It would take the additions of honey and/or milk well, but, I would recommend trying it without additions first. It has a natural honey-like flavor to it already … you might find it to be plenty sweet and flavorful without the additions.
This is a tea that I prefer hot. It certainly tastes good iced, but, to me, it seems like such a waste to serve this tea iced when it tastes as good as it does hot. It’s kind of like serving a filet mignon cold. Sure, it probably tastes good like that. But, really, why would you do that when it is obviously better when it’s served hot… you know? Do yourself a favor and savor the flavor of this tea hot!