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drank Shui Jin Gui Wuyi Oolong by Verdant Tea
818 tasting notes

Clearly, I killed this one. I got the sample size of this tea, and thank goodness there’s enough for another try, because I killed it. I know the steeping instructions were all about shorter steep times, gongfu style, but I thought since I’d steeped other oolongs western style, that it would be okay. I was wrong. I’m new to oolongs, as you can see. Well, so I steeped it for 3 minutes, and it smelled and tasted like I oversteeped AND burned it. Oops. So I did another steep of the same leaves for 1 1/2 minutes, and it was better, but I think I ruined the leaves in the first round. I added honey in the second round, so I’m not really sure if it just tasted better because of the sweetener or the shorter steep time. Overall, it tasted like an oversteeped toasted green tea. Lesson learned: will do short steeps!
4 comments
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Bonnie
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I wouldn’t add honey the second time either if I might suggest. Honey has a flavor and you’ll have a hard time finding the true oolong taste when you use it. Most people only use honey with spicy tea like chai or black tea or a non-delicate blend.

Tealizzy
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Thanks, Bonnie. Good tip! Especially since I’m intrigued by oolongs right now and would like to try more. :)

Kittenna
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Omg. Sounds like my first attempt with a Verdant dark oolong. Yeah, I killed it. They are very finicky sometimes, and either require very reduced leaf and/or shorter infusion times. Glad to know to watch out with this tea – I have some en route :D

Tealizzy
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Kittenna – I’m glad I’m not the only one and that I could help on this tea! Haha!

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Bonnie
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I wouldn’t add honey the second time either if I might suggest. Honey has a flavor and you’ll have a hard time finding the true oolong taste when you use it. Most people only use honey with spicy tea like chai or black tea or a non-delicate blend.

Tealizzy
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Thanks, Bonnie. Good tip! Especially since I’m intrigued by oolongs right now and would like to try more. :)

Kittenna
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Omg. Sounds like my first attempt with a Verdant dark oolong. Yeah, I killed it. They are very finicky sometimes, and either require very reduced leaf and/or shorter infusion times. Glad to know to watch out with this tea – I have some en route :D

Tealizzy
Delete

Kittenna – I’m glad I’m not the only one and that I could help on this tea! Haha!

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Another profile facelift! My tastes have changed a lot from when I first discovered loose leaf tea.

I can trace my tea journey back to October 2012, when I discovered DavidsTea. Before that, I had the occasional cup and enjoyed high tea at An Afternoon to Remember, which has since closed.

I went through a period of wanting to try all the teas, and was really into flavored teas, especially dessert blacks, but my tastes have substantially changed over time.

I still enjoy the occasional flavored black or rooibos, but I’m more into unflavored black teas right now and recently, puerh. Chinese black teas are amazing…with their notes of chocolate or sweet potato, who needs a flavored tea? I had a much steeper learning curve when it came to puerh. I used to dump out cups of puerh for tasting like leather. Now, I am really enjoying them. I think it took finding good quality puerh and steeping them gong fu style to really enjoy them.

I also, on occasion, enjoy a good oolong, white, or green tea.

Favorite tea companies right now include: Mandala, Teavivre, Butiki, Golden Moon, Lupicia, and DavidsTea (for teaware mostly).

Just a note: I don’t rate my teas numerically because my iPad doesn’t like the scroll bar. Maybe someday that will change…hint hint, steepster! ;)

P.S. My profile picture is of one of my 2 cats, Holly, who is a little princess but very photogenic, and she loves boxes, including those that bring me tea! :)

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San Francisco Bay Area

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