Formosa Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf

formosaTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Oolong

Where to Buy:  Simple Loose Leaf

Tea Description:

A darker oolong tea from Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa (which means ‘Beautiful’, given by the Portuguese explorers of the island). Deep raisiny and ripe fruit aroma, autumn ‘leafy’ note. Lingering flavor and smooth, refreshingly fruity astringency. A lovely introduction to Taiwanese tea.

Learn more about May’s Selection Club Menu Options here.

Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.

Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve mentioned my adoration for Formosa Oolong teas in the past here on this blog, so when Simple Loose Leaf included this Formosa Oolong Tea as part of their May Selection Club Menu, I was a happy sipper!

Ali Shan Oolong is my favorite type of Oolong, but I’ll always have a place in my heart for Formosa Oolong.  It was the very first type of Oolong that I ever tried, and for a long time, I didn’t know that there was any other type of Oolong out there.  For me, it was Formosa Oolong forever.  Since that time, my horizons have expanded and I’ve learned a lot more about Oolong teas, but, I still do love a good cup of Formosa Oolong tea.

And this Formosa Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf is really good.  The aroma is sweet and reminiscent of dried fruits with an earthy background.  There is a distinct autumn-ish essence to it:  the warmth of the toasty color and fragrance of the leaves, and the sweet fruity notes give it a very autumnal feel.

The flavor is also seems to evoke thoughts of autumn.  There is a toasty, nutty flavor that makes me think of roasting chestnuts over the roaring fire in the fireplace, and the sweet, raisin-like flavor also has a distinct autumn-like flavor.

The overall flavor is sweet.  It isn’t an overly floral Oolong.  I find this to be true with most darker Oolong teas, it would seem that the darker the leaves, the floral notes diminish while the fruity notes emerge.  I like that while this does have a sweet, raisin-y flavor to it, it doesn’t have that sugar-y sweetness of the dry fruit.  There are some woody notes that seem to even those sweeter flavors out enough so that the cup doesn’t become cloying.

A really wonderful, rewarding cup of Oolong.  Formosa Oolong teas also offer many infusions, and I find that the later infusions (especially the third and fourth infusions) tend to be my favorite.  This is true of this tea as well.  The astringency has tapered somewhat, and the flavors are not quite as sharp as in the first couple infusions, allowing for some of the sweeter notes to emerge fully.

Simple Loose Leaf offers a great program to those who are looking to enjoy some really good teas at excellent prices!  Check out their Selection Club and use this code:  SISTERSELECTION25 to get 25% off when you sign up for the Selection Club!  (This discount is not applicable on the retail selection of teas, and is only good for the selection club subscription.)

And through June 20th, all new subscribers will also receive a new teapot!  What a great gift idea!  Here are the details of this nifty offer.

Taiwan Beipu Oriental Beauty Black Tea (Premium Grade) from Cameron Tea

OrientalBeautyBlackTeaTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Cameron Tea

Tea Description:  

*This black tea is a fully oxidised version of traditional Oriental Beauty.

Region: Beipu, Taiwan

Type: Black Tea

Harvest Time: Winter 2013

Oxidation level: Fully oxidised

Taste: Refreshing floral aroma with fruity and honey taste.

When to drink: Throughout the day

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Wow!  This Beipu Oriental Beauty Black Tea is absolutely DELIGHTFUL.  I’ve had quite a few Oriental Beauty Oolong teas, but only maybe a handful of Oriental Beauty Black teas, and of those that I can remember … they really impressed me with their amazing flavor.  This one is also quite impressive.

The dry leaf aroma is somewhat earthy, reminding me of damp, mossy earth (there’s a lot of that up here in the Pacific Northwest) with notes of flower in the distance.  Once the tea is brewed, more of those floral notes emerge, and the earthy notes have subsided somewhat.  It smells rich and inviting.

It has the soft, buttery texture of an Oolong tea, but with the well-rounded, full flavor of a black tea.  The softer texture means that this is not as hearty a tea as many black teas out there.  This isn’t a tea I’d turn to as that first tea in the morning.  I’d choose this for a late morning or early afternoon tea.

The flavor is sweet.  It has a distinct honey note and it’s the first flavor that I can really distinguish in the sip.  The honey notes are intense and almost have a molasses-y undertone.  Then I start to pick up on the fruit notes.  It tastes of stone fruit, evoking thoughts of freshly-picked, tree-ripened peaches and apricots, bursting with flavor and still warm from the sun.

There are some faint (very faint!) floral tones to this, and I find that they’re most noticeable when I slurp the sip.  Mostly I taste the sweet honey, hints of molasses and the juicy peach and apricot flavors.  Such incredible flavor to this tea!

2014 High Mountain Ali Shan Oolong from Tearroir

AliShan1Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Oolong

Tea Description:  

This tea was grown high in the famed Ali Shan mountain range of Taiwan.  Teas from high elevations grow slower, concentrating the flavor into the leaves and making for a rich, sophisticated brew:  some of the finest Oolong available.  

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Taster’s Review:

There are very few teas that I regard higher than an Ali Shan Oolong.  The only tea that immediately comes to mind is a yellow tea, and really, I think that my adoration for Ali Shan is right up there with a yellow tea.

As I was brewing this High Mountain Ali Shan Oolong from Tearroir, the thought that popped into my head is this:  What’s better than an Ali Shan Oolong?  A freshly harvested Ali Shan Oolong!  And that’s exactly what I have before me!  A first flush Ali Shan Oolong from 2014!

Yay!

I steeped this – not surprisingly! – in my gaiwan and then I filled my Yixing mug with the first five infusions.  The fragrance of the brewed liquid reminds me of springtime at my gramma’s house when I was young.  One of the rear corners of the house was covered with a vine of honeysuckle, and when the windows were open near this vine, the breezes would pick up the scent and whisk it into the house and the house would smell faintly of honeysuckle.  To this day, it is still one of my favorite aromas ever.

The flavor is sweet and buttery/creamy.  It’s not a full-on butter flavor, nor is it entirely a milky/creamy flavor, but somewhere in between.  The texture is lighter than a “creamy” or “milky” Oolong, it’s more like a soft, velvety texture without the heavy thickness.  It doesn’t coat the palate heavily the way some Oolong teas can.

There are notes of flower and a very faint vegetal note that falls somewhere between the freshest, earliest buds of new spring grass and lightly steamed, mild veggies.  It’s a very mellow vegetative tone.

Although the aroma suggests a honeysuckle note might be experienced in the sip, I am not picking up on that in the flavor.  There is a floral tone, but it isn’t honeysuckle-esque.  It’s such a faint floral note that it’s difficult to discern the flavor.  On Steepster, it’s suggested that it’s a gardenia, but I don’t know that is quite it either.

I have to admit that I am really liking the faintness of the floral tone here.  Ordinarily, a green Oolong like this one has a very heavy floral essence to it and that’s not a bad thing, I find those floral notes enchanting!  But, it is nice to taste something a little different now and then, and I like the surprises that this Ali Shan is delivering.

This is a really special Ali Shan, and I’m so happy that I got to experience it!  Steepster Select does it again!

Taiwan Sun Moon Lake Ruby Black Tea (Premium Grade) from Cameron Tea

CameronRubyTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Cameron Tea

Tea Description:  

Region: Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

Type: Black Tea

Harvest Time: Winter 2013

Oxidation level: Fully oxidised

Taste: Natural flavour of cinnamon with a slight hint of mint.

When to drink: Throughout the day

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Another gorgeous black tea leaf from Cameron Teas!  When I opened the package of this Sun Moon Lake Ruby Tea, what I found were leaves that looked exactly like the photo above – beautiful, chocolate brown to black tea leaves, long with wiry curls.

The aroma of the leaves reminds me of leather with very subtle spice notes.  Once the leaves are brewed, the spice notes emerge.  The tea smells of warm spice and leather and wood.  It’s a very masculine fragrance.

The last tea that I sampled from Cameron Teas was a Sun Moon Lake Assam tea, so as I was brewing this tea, I found myself wondering how different this would taste from that Assam.

There are some similarities to that memorable tea:  most specifically, notes of caramel, cocoa and malt with some earthy notes.  Both of these teas share these characteristics, but they definitely DO taste different.  I think that the Assam has more malt to the cup and more of that caramel-y undertone, while this tea has some distinct warm spice notes of cinnamon – just as the description above suggests – as well as a subtle yet crisp, mint-like finish and aftertaste.

This tea has less of the fruity notes and more of a rich cacao and spice flavor than the Assam.  They are distinct differences between the two, and I would find it a difficult undertaking to recommend one over the other because I enjoyed both and rather than recommend one over the other, I’d simply say that you should also try both and determine which you like best!

Both teas are rich and satisfying, but if I were to choose one for that all important first cup of the day, I think I’d reach for this one.  The Assam, while delicious and rich in it’s own way, it has more of an “afternoon tea” type of flavor to me with it’s fruit notes, while this one has the kind of flavor that I think would stand up nicely to a splash of milk and a drizzle of honey if you care to add it to your morning cuppa.

This tea seems more robust to me, which almost seems odd for me to say and to read as I type it … because I generally consider Assam to be a bold, robust sort of tea.  But when it comes to these Sun Moon Lake varieties, I think that this Ruby has a slightly “heftier” flavor and texture than the Assam.  That isn’t to say that I’d recommend this one over the Assam … only that this one offered more of a “breakfast tea” experience to me while the Assam offered me an “afternoon tea” experience.

This is a really excellent Sun Moon Lake tea.  I’m very impressed with these teas that I’ve been trying from Cameron Tea!

Taiwan Sun Moon Lake Assam Black Tea (Competition Grade) from Cameron Tea

SunMoonLakeAssamTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Cameron Tea

Tea Description:  

Sun Moon Lake is located at altitude of 700m, surrounded with mountains and lakes with remarkable environment and typical climate. Heavy moist and stable yearly average temperature make the tea trees grow thick and rich tea leaves which produce carmine and perfectly clear liquor. 

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I didn’t know what to expect from this Sun Moon Lake Assam Tea from Cameron Tea, to be honest with you!  I find Sun Moon Lake black teas and Assam Teas to be quite different, so, it seemed unusual to have a Sun Moon Lake Assam Tea, and I found myself wondering what made this an Assam if it was grown in Taiwan rather than India.  Is it the Assamica variety of the Camellia Sinensis plant?

SunMoonLakeAssam1The leaves are absolutely beautiful!  Each long, curly leaf looks like a work of art!  Gorgeous!  They have a sweet smell to them:  earthy with hints of sweet fruit.   The brewed tea has a softer aroma.

Wow!  This tastes amazing.  It … tastes mostly like a Sun Moon Lake black tea:  it’s sweet and has a lighter body than most Assam teas that I’ve encountered.

But I can taste notes that are very Assam-like too.  There is a nice malty note to this, and this compliments the sweetness of the Sun Moon Lake qualities of this tea.  Notes of a honeyed caramel and hints of cacao contrast with notes of earth and leather.  There is a slightly dry astringency to this, although it is not an abrupt astringency – it gently arrives on the palate – and it is a rather soft astringency as compared to what you might typically experience with an Assam tea.

This is such a warm and cozy cuppa.  Generally, when I think of “Assam” I think of a bracing tea that gives you that kick start in the morning.  Something that takes to the addition of milk and honey well, if you care to add it, and something that has a rich, thick flavor.

This, on the other hand, is not quite as bracing or bold as a typical Assam.  I wouldn’t add milk and honey to this cup, because I would fear that it might overwhelm the beautiful Sun Moon Lake notes of the tea.  I mean, perhaps it won’t, but, why take the chance on such a beautiful looking (and tasting!) liquid?  It is smoother and not quite as strong as an Assam.  Instead, this is the kind of “Assam” you’ll enjoy curling up to on a rainy spring afternoon.  (We’ve had a few of those lately!)

I really love this tea.  If you’re looking for something more Assam-ish, this might not be the right choice for you, but if you love a delicious Sun Moon Lake black tea and want something just a little different…

Imagine the love child between Sun Moon Lake and Assam … this child looks so much of the Sun Moon Lake but has the Assam’s eyes.  Yeah … I’ve been watching Harry Potter again.

Just try it!  You won’t be disappointed!  This one is a WIN!