2021 Spring Harvest
High Mountain Green Oolong types are an easy favourite, and one’s from the Shan Lin Xi area are an easy if expensive sell. I thought I’d made notes on more of them than this but they have a tendency to not stick around long enough for that! The aroma of the dry leaf and broth is (as expected) beautiful, rich, and aromatic – it’s a mixture of floral (honeysuckle), honey, and fruity notes, along with something that is quintessential oolong. Pure ambrosia.
Cream, floral and fruit components are at the right balance for me here, creating a well-rounded profile. The fruity component is kind of like pineapple and the honey-sugar qualities of persimmon. While at it’s hottest, the finish has a zesty-sweet heat. I second Daylon R Thomas’s suggestion of “ginger lily” (it’s a bit of both, ha). There’s a suggestion of creamy banana and/or persimmon as a lingering taste as well. The sweet-grass/vegetal notes, which gain prevalence as it cools, also lend to the persimmon effect.
Western Steep Count: 6
After the second steep I went to bed and carried the session into today. I think steep 4 onward tasted a bit like a natural Jin Xuan (you know that subtle vegetal cream) but with more floral. Next time I’ll try for an uninterrupted session with gongfu so I can draw it out more!
Flavors: Creamy, Fruity, Ginger, Honey, Honeysuckle, Mineral, Nectar, Pineapple, Sweet, Warm Grass, Tropical
Sounds delicious. What-cha has some awesome oolongs.
I always like trying new tea vendors, but What-Cha’s oolong offerings are such safe bets for me. This one makes me feel spoiled :)