Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: T-Oolong Tea
Tea Description:
This high quality Long Feng Xia Oolong tea is handpicked, handcrafted and produced from Qingxin Oolong varietal grown in Long Feng Xia district. The aroma and taste of the tea are very floral and sweet. This tea has honeysuckle-like flavors and a sweet long lasting aftertaste, and it stands up well to multiple infusions. It is rich, smooth and delectable with almost no bitterness and astringency. Absolutely a very wonderful oolong we highly recommend.
Learn more about this Oolong here.
Taster’s Review:
I realize that I previously reviewed this tea, but that was last year’s harvest, and this is a whole new harvest! With new harvests come a whole new opportunity to explore new tastes within the tea!
This is so smooth and beautiful! It has a strong floral essence, with foreground notes of honeysuckle that remind me of my gramma’s house when I was younger. She had a honeysuckle bush that grew just outside the window of the bedroom where I would sleep, and on the warm days when the Santa Ana winds would blow, I would be treated to the most amazing honeysuckle essence that not only filled the olfactory nerves but also seemed to tantalize the palate. I also taste a hint of orchid in the distant background.
Like I said, a strong floral essence, but, what I’m liking here is that the taste and texture is so smooth that the floral notes do not taste sharp. They meld into the tea, allowing the other flavors to come forth. The creaminess is not as strong as I remember from the previous harvest, this is more like a rich smoothness rather than a thick creaminess. Fruit notes begin to emerge toward the end of my first cup (which is the combination of the first two infusions), providing more of a sweetness than a real distinct fruit tone.
With subsequent infusions, I find that the floral notes begin to taper somewhat. No… not really taper. That’s not quite the word I’m looking for. The flowery notes are softening, though. They are still very present, but, the layer of floral notes becomes slightly more transparent, allowing for easier tasting of the layers of vegetative notes and a subtle touch of cream. The fruit tones are emerging more now, almost tasting like something between a peach and a sweet grape. It has a very thirst-quenching taste … very calm, very pleasant.
An amazing Oolong that is certainly worth checking out with every new harvest!
Shan Lin Xi Winter Harvest from Camellia Sinensis
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!
Mandarin Balsam Oolong Tea from Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumed Teas
Product Description:
The flavor and fragrance is based on the contrast between the syrupy vanilla sweetness of Peru balsam and the floral citrus of yellow mandarin, which marries beautifully with this full-bodied tea. This organic Wuyi oolong tea, with its slender tightly curled leaves, has a deep oxidized, roasted rice aroma and nutty flavor. Producing Wuyi Oolong tea is labor and time consuming: sun wilting, room wilting, shacking, dehydrating, roasting, rolling, cooling. The procedures occur repeatedly over days. Wuyi Oolong is even more aromatic after aging. Provides up to four infusions retaining their fragrance.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was really impressed with the teas that I’ve tried from Aftelier Perfumed Teas, so when we were approached to try their latest creation, I was very excited.
This tea is really good. The vanilla tones of the balsam provide a really rich, creamy flavor and texture to the cup, and when combined with the deep, toasty flavor of the Wuyi Oolong, it is sublime! It reminds me very much of rice pudding, only in a teacup and without the fat and calories!
The mandarin contributes a sweet and slightly tangy flavor which contrasts well with the creamy vanilla rice notes. The floral tones are only slightly sharp, but it is enough to help cut through some of the sweeter tones to keep the tea from becoming too cloying for the palate.
It is a very elegant and luxurious kind of tea, but even so, I don’t think I’d classify this particular perfumed Oolong as a feminine tea. The more rugged qualities of the Wuyi give the tea balance.
What I like best about the teas that I’ve tried from Aftelier is this: they don’t try to cover up the flavor of the teas that they use. Instead, they embrace the natural qualities of each tea, and find the flavors that will accent and compliment them. I think that this latest creation from Aftelier exemplifies this, with the way that the deliciously creamy tones of the balsam accent the sweet, roasted notes of the Wuyi, and the mandarin coming in to brighten up the cup just so.
This is more than just a cup of tea, it’s a work of art!
2009 First Grade Honey Orchid Phoenix Dancong Oolong from JK Tea Shop
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: JK Tea Shop
About JK Tea Shop:
JK tea shop is established by a group of tea lovers and experts in Guangzhou, China, who are out of love for Chinese fine loose leaves tea, wish to promote Chinese fine tea and tea wares, and share the fun of drinking tea and healthy life styles with all the tea lovers in the world.
JK tea members have been travelling all over tea-producing areas in China for many years, and have become good friends with the tea farmers or tea factories. We guarantee almost our teas are directly from the tea farmers, family workshops or factories, that is why our price is so competitive. Our tea knowledge and expertise grant us the privilege to guarantee the quality before handing the teas to the clients. Besides, located in Guangzhou, where there is the world’s biggest tea & tea wares market-Fangcun tea market, we are able to get into touch with the latest tea information and events at the first line, and share all those events and information with all tea lovers.
Taster’s Review:
I bought this tea some time ago, and it had been inadvertently stashed away with some other teas before I had a chance to try it. I guess I can look at this as a shame that in my carelessness I’ve not tried this earlier, but, I prefer to look at it as I found a hidden treasure!
And what a treasure it is! The thick texture of this tea reminds me of a delicious Chinese Hot and Sour soup. And while this tea does not possess “hot-spicy” notes like that soup would, it does have a savory sour note that arrives at mid-sip. Delicious!
The aroma is mesmerizing! It smells deeply floral with beautiful sweet and savory tones to it. So amazing.
This tea is aptly named. It is sweet like honey, with a beautiful orchid-like overtone. It has a lovely complexity to it. A fruit-like flavor that is both sweet and sour. This is a delight to sip, and the leaves render many delicious infusions.
This is a fantastic Oolong tea. While this tea is no longer available on JK Tea Shop’s website, I urge you to visit the website for 2010’s Honey Orchid Oolong, and be sure to visit often to watch for this year’s Honey Orchid Oolong offerings. You’ll be glad you did!
Cuiyu Oolong from Qing Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Qing Tea
Product Description:
Cuiyu is Taiwan tea made with tea varietal called Taiwan Tea No. 13. It was first developed in early 1980’s. Cuiyu, literally Green Jade, is lightly oxidized and roasted. It gives off special floral aroma which is often described as osmanthus or orchid aroma. The mild soup together with the refreshing scent makes it a nice choice for light Wulong lovers and daily drink.
Taster’s Review:
I love Oolong tea – and what I love most about Oolongs is that they differ in subtle ways from one tea to another. I am fascinated when I come across an Oolong that is so different from others that I’ve tried. This is one such Oolong.
This tea brews to such a beautiful, pale yellow-green color, and possesses an exotic floral fragrance. Just as the description above suggests, these floral notes are quite similar to osmanthus and orchid. This enchanting scent lures me in and begs me to take a sip. Who am I to refuse?
The flavor is also floral. It’s delightfully sweet – one of the sweeter Oolongs I’ve encountered! It is a mild flavor: the flowery notes are softened by the sweet tones. Even though these are lightly oxidized leaves, they do not have that “buttery” note that many lightly oxidized Oolongs have. Instead, there is a hint of toasty flavor that melds seamlessly with the aforementioned sweetness.
The mouthfeel is light, and there is a cleansing astringency – not too dry – and the astringency seems to clean away any lingering texture. This is a beautifully light, crisp Oolong that is quite different from any that I’ve tasted.
Another winning tea from Qing Tea! If you love Oolong – you must try this one!