Popular Tasting Notes
Extract from the review at www.tastethetea.co.uk ; Flavour
The first thing to note, the suggested brewing time creates a heavy bitter citric note (kind of like orange peel). When brewed for a shorter time, approximately 1 minute, the bitterness reduced to a palatable level, letting the orange-like flavours extend without being overpowering, perfect for those sleepy afternoons at work when you need a pick-me-up. Alternatively, if you like something punchy in the morning, this is your tea.
Flavors: Bitter, Citrus, Malt, Spices
Preparation
This company and its reviewers seem to talk a lot more about where their teas come from than they do about the tea itself (hmmm…). With good reason. I figured I’d give it a try anyway, being sort of a hippie, but this green is a particularly boring one and what flavors do come through are sort of unpleasant. Like a nasty, bitter citrus flavor. On the other hand, 10 cents of every purchase go to a “good cause” (I honestly hate that term; but if you’re into saving the Himalayan Kingdom, I guess you’ll dig it). Too bad they couldn’t back it up with a good tea.
Newcomers to oolong, try this one. I am never tempted to add anything but water. Fine oolongs are not costly when: 1st steep 3-4 min, 2nd 3-4 min, 3rd 5-6 min, 4th 6-7 min, 5th 8-10 min. New flavors at each stage. You need a large infuser, preferably one in which the leaves can be kept between uses. So far, no spoilage — boiling water kills microorganisms.
This is such a smooth tea! It’s pretty much exactly what I think of when I think of oolong – lightly floral, good through about four steeps, a nice unchallenging tea that does what it’s supposed to. The leaves are curled so tightly that I use my biggest tea strainer so they can really unfurl fully, which I’d recommend if only so you can marvel over how huge these tea leaves are after several cups.
