I used about half the packet of my 7gram sample and steeped for 25 sec in 8 oz water, after rinsing once. The aroma of the wet leaves was interesting. I didn’t really analyze it, but it certainly made me interested to try the tea. At first it was more delicate than I expected, but as I slowly sipped the flavors came out. It certainly is honey/woodsy sweet; it has a floral flavor that I haven’t encountered before. Pairing the indistinguishable floral with the sweet honey plus the woodsy-ness makes this very enjoyable. I’m curious how each sip will taste. By the middle of my cup my tongue feels completely coated in sweetness. I think my favorite part so far about this tea is the aftertaste. I feel like I’m breathing honeysuckle.
I’m going to continue to steep this out a bit. Once again, the idea that these flavors come from leaves is impressive!
205 °F / 96 °C
Nice tasting! Definitely Oolongs (traditionally) are renown for their aftertaste rather than the initial notes. Some of them linger, others LINGER :)