Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Camellia Sinensis
Tea Description:
Initial impression from this taiwanese highland wulong is an aroma of ground-cherry and wheat-grass which evolves into fresh vanilla and flowers. Rich creamy texture with sweet final notes of coconut.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The aroma of this tea is intense! Dry, the leaves have a fresh, exhilarating scent that reminds me of the smell of the mountain air and wildflowers. The brewed infusion has more fruit notes than the dry leaf, but the floral tones are still there, although they are a bit softer than that of the raw leaf.
The tea infuses to a light amber color, and the flavor is sweet and creamy. “Buttery” is often a term I use to describe greener Oolongs and even some green teas, but I don’t think it would apply to this particular tea, because while it is creamy like butter, the flavor is more like the creaminess of a coconut, it is fruit-like and sweet. The description above pretty much nails it – I do taste notes of coconut as well as notes of vanilla, and crisp floral notes.
The later infusions seem to focus more on the floral tones than the fruit notes. The creaminess in the first infusions subsides, making way for a more floral taste with sharp orchid notes. A hint of almost grassy vegetation begins to emerge as well, and the fruit tones become more mellow.
A delightful cup – a little different from the typical “green” Oolong – but every bit as enjoyable, if not more so!
Taiwan Jin Xuan Milk Oolong Tea from Teavivre
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
Teavivre’s Jin Xuan Milk Tea is another kind of fine classic Taiwan Oolong. It belongs to a category of tea often called “Milk Oolong”. However, this Jin Xuan Milk Oolong is special and unique because its milky aroma is natural, it is not manually added milk when process as other milk teas. The first three infusion of this tea will have obviously milky scent, whereas this scent will gradually reduce for the next cups.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Before tasting any tea … as I brew it, I find myself contemplating what a tea might taste like. Sometimes, I think it’s going to be fairly easy, because I may have already tasted a tea that I think was similar to it. For example, as I was steeping this tea in my gaiwan, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect from it. After all, this isn’t my first Milk Oolong.
But, even with my recollection of past tastings preparing my palate for what was to come, I found myself exclaiming “AWESOME!” after taking my first sip. I guess no amount of prep work can properly brace my palate for the deliciousness that is Milk Oolong … especially one of such exceptional quality like this one from Teavivre!
I’ve tried quite a few teas from Teavivre by now, and every time I try a new one, I am impressed. Their quality is second to none. And never has that statement been more true than with this Jin Xuan Milk Oolong.
The flavor is so sweet and creamy, and the texture has a silky smooth quality to complement that creamy taste. It feels like velvet as the tea glides over the palate! I taste a strong floral presence, but it melds beautifully with a delicious nutty tone and the creamy notes.
As mentioned in the description of this tea, the milky aroma is strongest in the first few infusions, and they begin to taper with subsequent infusions. I find that the milky aroma is stronger than the actual milky flavor with this tea, but I do taste hints of a warm milk kind of flavor in the background … especially with the first two infusions. In subsequent infusions, I find the creamy milk flavor begin to emerge a little more.
The reason this milk Oolong has a “softer” milk taste is that it isn’t artificially flavored or enhanced the way that some milk Oolong teas are. The flavors here are all natural, derived from its surroundings rather than by flavor manipulation.
In subsequent infusions, I find that the floral notes subside somewhat, creating a smoother flavor that is at once nutty, a little milky, creamy, and with a subtle floral tone. It is incredibly smooth and there is virtually no astringency to this cup. Just delicious Oolong enjoyment from start to finish!
This is not only a must try for Oolong enthusiasts, but I think it should be on every tea drinker’s must try list! It’s incredible!
Ripe Mango Oolong from Lupicia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Tea Description:
Quality Taiwanese oolong tea scented with lusciously ripe mangos.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I really love mango, but it is a fruit that I seldom enjoy because – to be perfectly honest – I have no idea how to select a good, ripe mango in the produce section. Sounds silly, I’m sure, but it’s true. So, instead, I rely upon others for my mango intake, usually by way of tea. Hey, maybe I’m unable to spot a good piece of fruit, but, I’m pretty handy when it comes to brewing a cup of tea!
And this is an excellent mango flavored tea. The mango flavor is sweet and nectar-like, and the delicious flavor of the Oolong tea is nicely balanced with the strong fruit essence. The Oolong has a mouthfeel that is soft and thick, and the light vegetal tones of the Oolong meld beautifully with the flavor of ripe mango.
This is delicious hot or iced. I have been drinking it iced over the last two days and found it to be so thirst-quenching, and it cooled the mouth nicely after eating spicy Kung Pao Beef, too! When served hot, I find that the mango flavor is stronger than when iced, but both have a lot of fruit flavor.
If you like mango … you really MUST try this Oolong! It’s amazing!
Velvet Oolong from Tea Chai Té
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea Chai Té
Tea Description:
GREAT NEWS! This tea was a 1st Place Winner – Oregon’s First State Tea Competition – Sept. 2, 2011
Called a Taiwanese milk oolong, our Velvet Oolong has a wonderful aroma that is rich and buttery with subtle floral notes. Light and smooth brew.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a lovely milk Oolong, so creamy and rich!
When I first opened the pouch, before reading anything about this tea, I knew it was a milk Oolong. It has that lovely, buttery scent to the dry leaf. I was excited when I realized it was a milk Oolong as I do enjoy them, and I don’t drink them often enough … at least, not often enough for my liking!
The flavor is sublime. It is sweet and even just a little tangy, tasting a bit like fresh cream with a drop or two of buttermilk added to it. It even has a thick, creamy texture (although it is certainly not as thick as fresh cream!)
The taste also presents hints of flower in the distance … orchid, maybe? Perhaps even a whisper of honeysuckle. With the subsequent infusions, I noticed that the cream and buttermilk combination became smoother and mellower while the floral tones emerged. It is still sweet and creamy, but I notice more distinct floral notes now.
A very interesting and complex cup of tea. I can see why this tea won the Oregon State Tea Competition in 2011. It is certainly worthy.
ITFA Global Tea Taster’s Club, October’s Shipment, Part 3: Chi-Sin Oolong Tea
Leaf Type: Oolong
Produced By GoeTea
For More Information, visit the Tea Farms webpage
About ITFA Global Tea Taster’s Club:
By subscribing to the Global Tea Tasters Club, you will receive tea from ITFA tea farms 6 times per year. Each time, we will select a different region to feature and as we grow in tea farm members, so will your tea experience.
Your tea will also be accompanied by info about the tea and the tea farms themselves.
To know where your tea is coming from, who has grown and produced it, to taste the difference in teas from around the world…what could be better?
Taster’s Review:
Have I mentioned lately how much I love the Global Tea Taster’s Club? I have absolutely loved every single tea that I’ve tried thus far (all five in the first shipment, and so far, I’ve tried 3 of the four teas sent in the second shipment), and I also love that it not only offers me the opportunity to try these teas that I would likely never have tried otherwise, but it also offers the opportunity to learn more about the teas and the processes each tea undergoes through the literature that is included with each shipment.
With this October Shipment (where we “visit” the tea farms of Taiwan), we received two teas from GoeTea. The first was the Oolong Tea with a High Degree of Fermentation, and in comparison, this tea is much sweeter and less on the savory side. Whereas the Oolong Tea with a High Degree of Fermentation had a consistency and flavor that reminded me a bit of a thin broth, this one has a heady, floral aroma and a flavor to match.
Hints of sweet apple linger in the distance, along with a honey-esque undertone. The floral notes remind me a bit of honeysuckle – so much so it evokes memories of springtime at my gramma’s house … where the honeysuckle bloomed and the Santa Ana winds would come in and sweep that fragrance through the air.
Definitely a lovely tea to sip and to recall fond memories!