Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Eco-Cha
Tea Description:
This artisan consistently achieves high ratings in virtually every oolong tea competition in Taiwan, including the largest oolong tea competition in the world. His co-op of farmers use no weed killers, and chemical analyses for fertilizers and pesticides show their samples to be a small fraction of the accepted amounts set by international standards. A prime example of sustainable methods combined with expertise.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow … nice! I don’t know that I’ve ever experienced a Tsui Yu Jade Oolong before. I’ve tried many different Oolong teas. But there are so many Oolong teas out there and … some of the more popular ones such as Ti Kuan Yin and Oriental Beauty and even my beloved AliShan have cast their rather large shadows over the lesser known varieties like this Tsui Yu Jade. So, I’m feeling very privileged that Eco Cha has given me this unique opportunity to try this tea.
And this is LOVELY!
I brewed this – of course! – in my gaiwan. The first cup (infusions 1 and 2 following a 15 second rinse) is light and refreshing to the palate. It tastes sweet, but only lightly so. It’s not an inundating sweetness. The flavor, overall, is very gentle. Subtly sweet, gently floral, with hints of fruit and vegetation in the distance. The texture is soft and “fluffy.” That seems like an odd word to use with a tea, but, that’s the word that first comes to mind as I sip this tea. It sort of floats over the palate like a soft, fluffy cloud. It’s like a subtle creaminess, but it is just barely there. I really like the delicate softness of this cup.
My second cup (infusions 3 and 4) is where I notice a creaminess develop. Hints of this creamy note were present in the first cup but they were so delicate and almost hiding behind the sweetness. Here the creaminess has emerged, as have some of the aforementioned fruit notes, reminding me of something between a crisp, sweet apple and a juicy honeydew melon. I think I like this cup even more than the first, and I loved that first cup! Still so sweet, but with this beautiful creamy taste and texture that reminds me of sweet cream.
The third cup (infuisons 5 and 6) offered a more subdued creamy note, but it was still there. Just less apparent. The flavors is still sweet! The fruit notes have also subdued, and I’m noticing more of the floral notes and the vegetal notes this time. Still a very delicious cuppa!
A remarkable Oolong … and definitely worth exploring. When I checked out the Eco Cha website for information about this tea, I noticed that this one is now sold out, so I recommend keeping your eye on their website and after the November harvest this year, you should order some of this tea for yourself! It’s one that I’d recommend to all tea enthusiasts!
