Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
Although Taiwan originates from Fujian, China, its flavor is quite distinct with Fujian Oolong tea. Like this Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea, it is recommended for beginners of Taiwan oolong. Different from the high aroma of Fujian Oolong, this tea has light floral fragrance. When sip the liquid, you can feel the sweet taste. If you want to taste new flavor, or try Taiwan Oolong, you can start with this Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea, by experiencing its flower scent and sweet flavor.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Based on the description above, this Taiwan High Mountain Oolong Tea from Teavivre sounds like it’s a “beginner” Oolong. But that doesn’t mean that those of us who are more acquainted with Oolong teas can’t enjoy it too! This is a lovely Oolong.
I brewed this the way I would ordinarily brew an Oolong: in my gaiwan, of course! I added 1 bamboo scoop to the bowl of the gaiwan, added water heated to 180°F and allowed the tea to “rinse” for 15 seconds. I strained off the liquid and then steeped the leaves for 45 seconds. I strained the tea into my teacup and then resteeped the leaves for 1 minute. (For each subsequent infusion, I add 15 seconds.)
My trusty gaiwan is one that I’ve been using for years now, it has suffered a minor ‘chip’ on the spout (it’s one of those “easy” gaiwans and looks a lot like this one.) But the gaiwan is still quite functional and since I don’t have to drink out of the gaiwan, the little chip doesn’t bother me.
As I said before, this is a lovely Taiwan Oolong. It’s not as creamy as some Oolong teas and certainly not as floral as many greener Oolong teas I’ve tasted in the past. But I like the delicate qualities of this tea.
It’s sweet but it isn’t a heavy or overwhelming sweetness. The tea is soft and subtle. The flavors are more delicate. And I get what Teavivre meant by saying that this is a good starter Oolong, because the floral notes of some green Oolong teas can be rather overwhelming for a palate that isn’t familiar with those flowery essences. The floral notes are beautifully gentle here.
It’s a mildly sweet Oolong with a nice, silky texture. The vegetal notes are subdued, the floral notes are mellow, and there is a hint of sweet melon in the background.
My second cup (infusions 3 and 4, combined) is a little creamier than the first, but it still isn’t a heavy creamy note. The floral notes are slightly stronger than in the first cup, but they are not sharp. This cup is still quite smooth and sweet and pleasant.
The third cup (infusions 5 and 6, combined) is very much like the second cup. This still has a pleasant, light creamy note. The floral notes are a wee bit stronger than previous cups and I notice just a hint of sharpness. Still a remarkably smooth, light and refreshing cup of tea.
As I said at the start, this is a really lovely Oolong. It is one I’d recommend to those who are new to Oolong teas, definitely, and also to those who are familiar with Oolong teas for a refreshing change of pace. It’s almost like cleansing the palate, drinking this Oolong!
GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY!
Teavivre has offered us several $5. gift cards to give away to our readers! Yay! These are just the thing for Black Friday and I’ll be giving the next five away just in time for Black Friday Shopping! Here’s the fine print on the gift cards:
- It can be used to purchase any teas or teawares on the Teavivre website.
- By using this particular gift card, the customer can also get an extra sampler pack which includes 2 kinds of our premium grade flower teas.
- The card can also be used to pay the shipping fee.
- One gift card per order, please.
- It can be applied on international.
- No minimum purchase required.
By now you’re wondering, COOL! What do I have to do to enter? Am I right?
Well, we like to make things easy around here, so, you can earn your first entry by simply commenting on this review/contest announcement post. Just post a comment and be sure to include a way to contact you if you’ve won. If you’re already registered with TeaTra.de – cool! I can contact you via PM on TeaTra.de If you prefer a Steepster PM, that’s fine too, just tell me who you are on Steepster. If you prefer a private email contact, then you need to register when you comment and be sure to include your email with the registration and tell us that’s how you want us to contact you.
Well, that’s the first entry, but, how about bonus entries? You can earn them too! Here are a few easy ways to earn more entries:
- Like Teavivre on Facebook.
- Follow Teavivre on Twitter.
- Post the contest information on Facebook *Be sure to give us a link!*
- Tweet about this contest! *Be sure to give us the link of the tweet!*
See that? That’s five easy ways to get a cool five bucks off your next purchase from Teavivre! How awesome is that?
This contest is over. Please check with our giveaway link to see what’s next!
Bi Luo Chun Green Tea from Green Terrace Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Green Terrace Teas
Tea Description:
While most Bi Luo Chun is grown in Jiangsu Province, China, this unique cultivar grown in Taiwan has bigger leaves and is picked slightly earlier in the year. As a non-fermented green tea, it is rich in antioxidants and other natural chemicals that promote various health benefits, including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Bi Luo Chun is sweet and fruity in flavor, with notes of peach and a mildly vegetal aftertaste.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh this is lovely!
When I think “Bi Luo Chun” – I think of the tiny conchin shell shaped leaves from China. These leaves are larger, not as curly and darker in color.
It tastes different too. This has a sweet, buttery and vegetal taste. The buttery tones are profound and lend a soft, almost creamy texture to the cup. The vegetal tones are slightly grassy, somewhere between grass and lima bean. No sharpness to the grassy notes and no bitterness. This is a sweet grassy taste.
The sweetness is somewhat fruity, although I find myself struggling with trying to pinpoint what kind of fruit notes I’m tasting … melon, perhaps? It’s got the juicy sweetness of a melon but not the flavor of one. Perhaps a melon that’s been pressed for the juice and then that juice was mixed with rainwater and dew drops, enough so that the flavor of the melon becomes obscured but the sweetness of it remains.
There is some astringency to this. I feel a slightly dry sensation toward the tail. But it is very slight. I noticed a little more astringency in the second cup (second infusion) than I did in the first, but in both infusions, the astringency was very light.
To brew this tea, I measured a bamboo scoop of the leaf into the basket of my Kati tumbler and poured 12 ounces of water heated to 180°F. I let it steep for 2 minutes. The liquid is a pale golden-green and has a very faint vegetal aroma.
These leaves resteep well. I brewed a second cup much the way I brewed the first (adding 30 seconds onto the steep time) and sipped the second cup with just as much enjoyment as I experienced with the first cup. Still sweet and delicious. The texture is a little lighter in the second cup. The first cup was a little creamier than the second, although the second did have lighter creamy notes. I found that the second one felt more refreshing because it was a little crisper and lighter. Both infusions were delicious and it’s well worth the resteep!
Taiwan Sun Moon Lake Formosa Black Tea (Premium Grade) from Cameron Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Cameron Tea
Tea Description:
Region: Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan
Type: Black Tea
Oxidation level: Fully oxidised
Taste: Strong and refreshing flavour.
Terroir: Sun Moon Lake is located at altitude of 700m, surrounded with mountains and lakes with remarkable environment and typical climate for growing black teas. 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 know I’ve mentioned this more than once, but I LOVE the teas from Cameron Tea. They are the very best that Taiwan has to offer. And this Sun Moon Lake Formosa Black tea is no exception.
You might recall that I previously reviewed the competition grade of this tea back in July. Since it’s been a while that I’ve tried the competition grade, when comparing the two grades, my opinions will be based off what I can recall with the help of that review and my tasting notes.
The leaves look very similar to the competition grade tea: they are long and chocolate-y brown in color. The leaves are whole and have been rolled into slender, curly forms. They slowly unfurl to release their flavor.
Also similar to the competition grade: the dry leaf had very little discernible aroma. Mere hints of earthy tones. The brewed tea has more fragrance, it smells warm and earthy with notes of spice. It’s a sweeter smell, and in the aforementioned review I suggested notes of molasses. I’m getting that with this tea as well.
I used my Breville One Touch to brew this tea. Because the leaves are so large and curly, they’re difficult to measure or scoop out with the bamboo scoop into any type of measurable tool. I don’t weigh my teas and since I don’t utilize a scale, it’s difficult to tell you how much tea I put into the basket of the tea maker, so I’ll just say that I put three pinches of tea into the basket. Then I looked at it and it looked like it should be enough tea. Sorry for my less than precise measuring method but I am very adamant when it comes to tools for my tea. The less tools, the better, in my opinion, because tea is meant to be a simple pleasure and I feel like the more gadgetry used to make the tea – the less simple it becomes.
I brewed this tea at a slightly lower temperature than I would normally steep a black tea. I guess I found myself feeling that this tea needed a little less heat – I was worried that these beautiful leaves might find boiling water to be too hot a bath for them. So I went with 195°F and steeped the tea for 3 minutes.
The result is an absolute delight to sip. Sweet! It’s smooth and there is no astringency. No bitterness. Just smooth, sweet molasses-y goodness. It tastes as though I thinned some molasses rather than brewed some tea! Maybe added a couple of warm, gentle spices to accent the delicious, deep flavor of the sweet molasses with hints of caramel.
Beneath these sweet flavors, there’s a savory “earthy” note that has notes of chocolate and leather. I infused this tea a second time and I found that the second infusion was a little less sweet and I discovered more complexity as a result. I picked up on layers of fruit and as I continued to sip, I started to notice a dry astringency toward the tail. This astringency is quite soft and for those of you who are sensitive to that dry feeling that the astringency delivers, I think you’ll find this tea to be quite acceptable as the astringency is barely there.
It’s a very smooth and delightful tea to drink. This isn’t the kind of black tea I’d want as my first cup of the day because it doesn’t have that “shake me awake” kind of quality that I want in that first cup. Instead, this is the kind of tea that you want to brew when you want to sit and reflect. As I sit here on a chilly afternoon, I realize what an autumnal taste it has – the molasses, the spice … even the stone fruit notes … remind me of the early days of autumn when the weather becomes crisper. When the late summer harvests deliver those delicious stone fruit to enjoy in warm cobblers and the weather is just cool enough that those warm desserts are the perfect comforting thing.
A really delightful tea.
AliShan Milky Oolong Tea from Teasenz
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teasenz
Tea Description:
Intense creamy taste with floral undertone. A one-of-a-kind tea from Taiwan with a fantastically creamy flavor resulting from its unique roasting process. Our Ali Shan Milky Oolong offers you great depth of flavor that lasts into even the fifth brew.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! AliShan! Seriously … is there anything better?
Yeah, I’m sure there are. And I have other favorite teas that I like at least as well as an AliShan Oolong. But when I’m indulging in an AliShan, it’s as if I’m drinking pure liquid gold and everything is right with the world. AliShan is definitely my favorite Oolong tea.
And this AliShan Milky Oolong from Teasenz is absolutely divine.
It’s so sweet and creamy. And take note: this isn’t going to taste as creamy as some Milk Oolong teas you may have tried. That’s because these creamy notes have been derived naturally, not by adding flavoring to the tea. I have tried both types of Milk Oolong and I’ve enjoyed both natural Milk Oolong teas and Milk Oolong teas that have been flavored to get their creaminess. So, I’m not here to try to tell you which you should like better or why you should prefer one over another. It’s all subjective because no two palates are the same. I’m just offering an explanation to you as to why this isn’t going to be quite as milky-creamy as a Milk Oolong that has been enhanced with flavoring.
That said, this is amazing. I love the soft creamy notes of this tea. It’s warm and comforting – like warm milk. Sweet and floral. There is a hint of nutty flavor in the distance that melds beautifully with the warm milk notes.
To brew this tea, I grabbed my gaiwan and my YiXing mug that is designated for AliShan Oolong tea! My mug fit five infusions in it, so my first cup was infusions 1 – 5 (after discarding the rinse!) I heat the water to 180°F and infused the rinse for 15 seconds, discarded the liquid, and then started brewing! The first infusion was 45 seconds and I added 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion.
And this mug is filled with tea that is a little bit like perfection. And since this is an Oolong, I decided to go for a second mug (infusions 6 – 10). That’s one great thing about Oolong teas – they keep going and going!
My second mug tasted even creamier than the first. The floral notes began to emerge a little bit. It was smooth and sweet. Very little vegetal taste, mostly this cup was all about the milky/creamy flowery taste! I think I liked the second mug even better than the first so get all that flavor out of these leaves and keep on infusing!
A really wonderful tea! Teasenz is a great company, I highly recommend them!
Taiwan AliShan Jin Xuan Oolong Tea (Premium Grade) from Cameron Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Cameron Tea
Tea Description:
AliShan is one the famous oolong tea growing areas in Taiwan. Located at altitude of 1500m, the mountain has a rich soil and ideal climactic conditions. The cool climate and moist from daily mists make the plants to grow very slowly and produce tender, flavourful tea leaves and buds.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Having previously reviewed Cameron’s AliShan Jin Xuan Competition Grade Oolong tea (and absolutely loving every sip of it!) I was very happy to try the Premium Grade of the AliShan Jin Xuan from Cameron.
I wondered how different the two grades would be and since it’s been a little while since I had that tea (back in June), I wasn’t sure that my memory would be as quick to recall all the nuances of the tea. Thank goodness I have my notes to fall back on!
I steeped this the same way I steeped the competition grade (and for the most part, this is how I steep most Oolong teas. There are occasional exceptions, but the exceptions are quite rare!) I used my gaiwan and started out with a 15 second rinse and then started steeping. The first infusion was 45 seconds and I added 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion. Since this is an AliShan, I used my special AliShan Yi Xing mug which holds four to five infusions. This time, it held five infusions.
So this – my first mug of this tea – is the combination of the first five infusions.
Mmm! This is so lovely!
I’m finding this premium grade to be slightly less creamy than I remember the competition grade tasting and feeling. The mouthfeel is a little lighter here than the competition grade, which was rather creamy and thick. This is still creamy and thick – just not as thick as I seem to recall from the competition grade.
The creaminess doesn’t linger the same way, either. This feels much cleaner and even a little more refreshing than the competition grade. The palate feels cleaner and less coated by the tea when I sip this.
That is not to say that I don’t enjoy that thick, creamy texture – I do! I loved the competition grade! But I’m enjoying this one too and am also enjoying the differences between the two teas.
As the tea cools slightly, I find that the texture and flavor thickens somewhat. It’s still considerably lighter than the competition grade, but if you’re wanting a thicker texture from this tea, just let it cool off for a few minutes longer and you might find that you are getting more texture.
Sweet. Hints of vanilla. Lovely, soft floral notes. A really beautiful tea.
Just as I experienced with the competition grade, I find that the second cup (infusions 6 – 10) is just as lovely as the first cup was. Still sweet and creamy with subtle vanilla tones and floral notes that are emerging a little more in this cup than they were in the first.
As I make my way to mid-cup, some fruit notes develop on my palate. At first, I thought of a fruit that is something between a sweet apple (flavor wise) and a ripe nectarine (texture wise with hints of the flavor). But after I read through my review of the competition grade and I compared the fruit notes to a melon, I would say that comparison would suit these fruit flavors quite well too.
Another truly remarkable tea from Cameron. I’m nearly finished with the set of Cameron teas (I think I have but one more to review!) and I have truly adored each one that I’ve tried. This company is one that all of you tea lovers out there should check out! If you want a top notch tea – this company has got you covered!