The dry leaf aroma is potent, creamy vanilla similar to French vanilla ice cream. The brewed tea aroma is more balanced between the vanilla and the green oolong. The vanilla scent has developed and is almost smoky. It reminds me of the way a toasted marshmallow smells once it’s been melted over a fire or vanilla baked goods hot from the oven.
The taste is scrumptious! Unfortunately, as the cup cools, there’s a new flavor developing that tastes a lot like cardboard. What is that? I never add sugar to green oolongs, but I think this one may need it. Hmm, I’m not sure if it helped or just made it worse. Floral, buttery, green oolong and creamy vanilla may just not be a good combo.
If I tell myself what I’m tasting is vanilla, then I can trick myself into thinking it’s pretty good. But if I sit and really try to figure out what the flavor is, I keep returning to cardboard. I did use extra leaf…was that where I went wrong? I think it’s mostly appearing in the aftertaste, which is why I find it so bothersome. I’m used to green oolongs having a lovely aftertaste.
And now I have a really bad case of the hiccups! I’ve been hiccupping for about 10 minutes straight and trying to sneak sips of tea in between loud outbursts. How annoying. Second steep for 4 minutes was still more vanilla/cardboard with a touch of oolong than oolong with a touch of vanilla. Oh well. I guess this beloved tea is just not my thing. I’ll see if my husband is interested in it.
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Oh no! booo to the hiccups and to cardboard tasting tea. I usually use a cooler water temperature than the instructions give (sippably hot). I’m not sure if that will make a difference in the taste? If not I hope your hubby likes it :)
Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely try that.
I don’t know what it is, but both this one and their vanilla oolong just taste… off to me. The vanilla is wrong.
I’m glad I’m not the only one. This tea is so universally liked, I thought there may be something wrong with my taste buds!
Now that I’ve catalogued my tea, I need to try this one again. I could drink it, but I didn’t care for it.
Haha I thought I was the only one too. Cardboard sounds about right! Trying to remember what exactly was wrong with it. Their other vanilla oolong is like plastic vanilla to me.
Oh no! booo to the hiccups and to cardboard tasting tea. I usually use a cooler water temperature than the instructions give (sippably hot). I’m not sure if that will make a difference in the taste? If not I hope your hubby likes it :)
Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely try that.
I don’t know what it is, but both this one and their vanilla oolong just taste… off to me. The vanilla is wrong.
I’m glad I’m not the only one. This tea is so universally liked, I thought there may be something wrong with my taste buds!
Now that I’ve catalogued my tea, I need to try this one again. I could drink it, but I didn’t care for it.
Haha I thought I was the only one too. Cardboard sounds about right! Trying to remember what exactly was wrong with it. Their other vanilla oolong is like plastic vanilla to me.