Naivetea

Having a cup of this one before sending the rest to Liberteas, Azzrian, Alpakitty, and maybe the Replacement Traveling Box.

Totally LOVE this! Upping rating! See previous notes!

Soft, buttery, floral, sweet…
it’s been too long since I have had a nice Li Shan…this is lovely!

a tad nutty, certainly NOT lacking SMOOTHness!
YAY! YAY for Li Shan and Naivetea!

Also known as ‘tung ting’ or ‘frozen summit’ this is a wonderful tea from Nantou area of Taiwan ( a varietal export from the Wu Yi mountains in China) and one of my favorites (that I always keep in stock). This is the first time I’ve had chance to sample this tea from a direct Taiwanese importer like Naivetea, having usually gotten this from other sources. I am used to this tea having a very rich, buttery, vegetal sweetness with a deep, sweet and clean undertone. So I saved this sample for the last after having gone through an amazing sample box kindly sent to me by this company. I wanted to make my last cup from this beautiful gift woven with one of my favorite teas.

Dong Ding Oolong ~ naivetea
Dry Aroma: rich, intense nose, elements of toasted wood, soft smoky hint, and buttery vegitables that causes the palate to salivate
Wet Aroma: woody spicy and smokyness, deep vegetal and puffed rice
Appearance: Dark olive green, tightly rolled (almost pinhead gunpowder) leaves with some hints at orange/copper stems – a much tighter roll then I usually associate with this tea.
Cup:
1st extraction: A deep luster of rich honey yellow and green umber hued liqour. A smooth, butter sweet creamy body, clean- refreshing finish with layers of wood, toasted rice, and hints of kiwi flesh. Sweet lingering finish and without astrigency. Steeped for 3 minutes in 190 degree water.
2nd: a resonate yellow-green olive oil color. Toasted, woody, spicy notes with a finishing sweetness. Very expressive and layered with clean, full bodied finish. Steeped for 4 minutes in 180 degree water.
3rd: deep green olive with nearly cat-eye orange-yellow color. notes of toasted bamboo, vegetal spicy, fleshy fruit mouthfeel, and developing astringency. Steeped in 170 degree water for 6 minutes.
4th: pale yellow extraction. Soft Genmaicha/Hojicha taste with body still present and mild flavor and color. Steeped in 170 degree water for 8 minutes. The leaves are when fully hydrated are much smaller, curved and the stems much thinner and twisted then I’ve seem from this tea. The leaves color is very dark green and seem very well picked and crafted.
My final comments are that this is a wonderful tea and very worth the purchase. It seems to be very well cared for in its processing and its oxidation and is amazingly uniform in its final dried shape. I normally relish the rich buttery, deep vegetal flavors I get from ‘frozen summit’ teas and so was a bit surprised by the almost puffed rice/toasted/smoky flavors, but the overall balance succeeded in making this a great tea, just not what I usually expect from this region and this style of tea.
Many Kudo’s to the people out at Naivetea for their amazing gift and I look forward to more from them.

Method: 3grams of tea in a 6 oz traditional Taiwanese gawian.

I should also say, that considering this tea varietal is from Wu Yi Mountains in China, I have to admit this is probably the first time I have tasted distinctly this link…the flavors were very similar to some I would expect from teas from both regions…very neat.

Li Shan Oolong
Lightly oxidized oolong from one of the highest elevation tea regions in Central Taiwan.

Dry aroma: nutty, oceanic, sweet, light-soft toasted note
Wet aroma: floral – almost lilac , vegetal, buttery….
Appearance: tightly rolled leaf and stem, dark green with jade marbling
Cup: Pale yellow liqour with slight green luminence, clear and bright. Full mouth feel with smooth, light body, a lingering gentle astringency and sweetness on the finish. An almost gyokuro-like grassy/sweet profile, with soft silky layers of subtle flavors reminescent of cream, lilac, and brussle sprouts. Exceptionally clean. Gave 4 solid extractions using:
3 grams in a 6oz Taiwanese gawain, with 180 degree water, steeping for 3 minutes, with following extractions having cooler water temps and longer steep times.

I am a big fan of lightly oxidized oolongs and have a tendency to prefer them buttery, crisp, complex and lingering. This falls into that range, but the flavors are so subtle (even after making space for this early in the morning, before eating – as not to complicate the taste buds – the flavors were still so elusive that I wish it had more bold distinction). I would still highly recommend.

Osmanthus Oolong
High altitude oolong infused with osmanthus – Taiwan origin
Dry: deep note of floral and exotic fruit, almost oriental spicy mustard with high nasal bite and brightness
Wet: scent of fresh custard, clarified butter, yuzu, lime, and nutty
Appearance: tightly rolled, lightly oxidized leaves with fine, yellow and orange floral threads
Cup: bright, clear deep yellow liquor with pale, lemon hues at the edge of the cup. Initial flavors of traditional lightly oxidized oolong, sweet-cream and floral, but quickly gives way to a rich yuzu-like fruity flavor that vanishes and is replaced by a sweet lingering finish, which again transforms into a building flavor along the edges of the tongue. Flavor builds with each sip and seems to be perfectly balanced between the expression of the oolongs natural flavors and the introduced flavors of the osmanthus- both having expression and neither dominating.
Brewing method: 17 oz. double layered glass mug from www.sunsteas.com, decanted into teaspot infuser mug. 4grams of tea in 180 degree water, steeped 4 minutes and then water temp. increased and steep time increased for following steeps (4).

a lovely display of flavor awareness and balance and perhaps the best expression of osmanthus that I’ve tried that didn’t seem heavy handed or overly dominant over the tea.

does have a mild astringency over successive cups, would recommend this as a compliment in a Thai restaurant to pair up with galangal and spicy dishes or as a side to a traditional lychee or custard dessert.

Amazing stuff, I drank this all day re-steep after re-steep. The flavor lasts and never gives up. It tastes so natural. The lychee and oolong are perfectly balanced no flavor takes the other over. They play very well together. Delicious! Thank you SororiTEA for sharing this offer.

This is the tea that the earth got right. It said a tablespoon for 6 ounces and 2 minutes steep time. The tea is voluminous so when I put it in the pot I thought the tea might be very strong. I steeped at 1 minutes and 30 sec. and it was just perfect. It is a smooth and buttery tea with a sweet aftertaste. There are some hints of floral and shades of roasted
flavor. This makes for a gentle ride. I have been wanting to try this tea company and am glad that I did.

Just got this and Naivetea’s Wen Shan Bao Zhong in the mail, thanks to the SororiTEA Sisters for the heads-up (and promo code) on this deal! Today would have been even better since my David’s Tea order apparently arrived…except that for some reason they required me to sign for it, and the postal worker couldn’t be bothered to ring my doorbell or even knock on my door before leaving the “Sorry we missed you!” note and bailing. (Is it really missing me if you failed to ascertain whether I was there or not?) You’d think I lived in Mordor rather than down one dinky flight of stairs for all the laziness my location engenders in delivery people, geez.

Anyway, at least I have tonight to enjoy my new oolongs before I go pick up my DT order tomorrow and bury myself in a mountain of maple rooibos. The dry leaf of this one is very fragrant, with an intense lychee scent that made me realize my only contact with anything lychee in the past several years has been in the form of martinis. The leaves are very tightly curled and a beautiful shade of green. The directions recommended a tablespoon of leaves for six ounces of water, but I don’t have any measuring spoons so I just hazarded a teaspoon plus a bit extra.

The first steep was the strongest and best, I think, it had the full force of lychee behind it, almost completely disguising the flavor of the base oolong, which was fine with me – if you’re going to flavor your tea, then flavor your damn tea. By the fifth steep that flavor is mostly gone, leaving behind a subtle hint of oolong, like a particularly delicate white tea. The instructions said I could steep up to seven times, but by the sixth the leaves were completely unfurled and the cup had only the slightest suggestion of flavor. The steeps in between were quite pleasant though. This feels like a nice late spring or summer tea, best drank around sunset, each successive steep urging you on toward nighttime, light and sweet and warming. Mmm.

This tea is just absolutely delicious! This is my fifth flavored/scented oolong I’ve tried from Naivetea and it certainly did not disappoint. The lychee flavor is spot on and tastes just like the real fruit. Compared to the other flavors, I think I like this one just as much or more than their white peach oolong (previously my favorite). This tea is great both hot and cold and I especially enjoy it with a touch of honey.

This is the fourth scented/infused oolong I’ve tried from Naivetea and like the others I quite enjoy it! The passionfruit flavor is spot on, not too much but not too little, and the scent is heavenly. To compare this flavor with the others, I’d rate it higher than strawberry but not quite as delicious as lychee or white kyoho grape!

The tea turns out to be a beautiful,striking golden yellow liquor. The first flavors in the tea I taste is a lightly roast quality. I also taste some nice sweet, toasted notes, which remind me a lot of a genmaicha’s sweet/ toasted notes. The combination of both of these flavors is very pleasing to my palate.The tea is light and smooth in my mouth, and is not excessively heavy at all in my mouth. The tea rolls into my mouth and smoothly around my palate, which I like.

for the rest of this review, as well as pictures and a video; check the link :) http://bit.ly/hqt369

This is the third infused oolong I’ve tried from Naivetea and I quite like it. The strawberry flavor is subtle yet refreshing and the tea tastes great both hot and chilled. There is a natural berry sweetness to the tea.

I tried this tea with some Hawaiian lehua gold honey and it was delicious!

I am very happy I received it as a sample from Naivetea…this oolong tea is so incredibly light and delicious! It has flowery notes and a buttery smoothness to it. The tea is not bitter at all and leaves a great aftertaste.

I will be reaching for this tea when I have a sore throat! I was able to steep this 6 times.

This is the second infused oolong I’ve tried from Naivetea and I enjoy it too! The grape subtle flavor has both concord and muscat notes and is reminiscent of these japanese grape gummy candies that I enjoy.

Compared to their white peach oolong, I believe I like the white peach more…but that might just be due to the fact that I generally like white peach flavored foods and beverages more than grape flavored foods and beverages.

I was able to steep this tea six times.

I was told by Lawrence of Naivetea that the oolong tea that they use in their infused oolongs is Golden Lily aka Milk Tea or Jin Xuan. High quality Golden Lily grown at high elevations tastes great by itself so I had high expectations for this tea.

I wasn’t disappointed! The flavor is really amazing. I didn’t use any honey today so I could experience the natural sweetness of the tea. The white peach flavor is reminiscent of these Chinese hard candies that I would enjoy as a child.

I think the best thing about this tea is that the peach notes do not overwhelm the creamy flavor of the oolong tea. I will be purchasing this again and I highly recommend it to others!

The first thing that I noticed is that the leaves are much larger than the small hand rolled balls of oolong teas that are popular.The dry leaves are a beautiful deep green color with hints of lighter green. The shape of the tea was twisted and long in length. The dry leaves smell a bit nutty and roasted,and the tea really smells like it has been toasted.

Check out my blog for a more in depth review…complete w/ a time lapse steep vid! Check it out :) http://bit.ly/bne2C2

This tea tastes like a mix of concord grapes or punch. Naturally sweet, w/again the high quality oolong in the background. Light and refreshing and summery.

This is not bitter or harsh like some mints. And the oolong provides a creamy background. Like Laura said in her note, like the creamy center of a peppermint patty. And this is naturally sweet. No sugar for this one.

Like a creamy minty refreshing goodness. No mint leaves are in this blend so it must be infused w/some oils. But the sharpness of the mint is mellowed by the green oolong. And it is good for several infusions…

a honey-glazed celebration of toasted o’s heated over sweet wood chips. Score= 93 and Review # 280 on Walker Tea Review

A fine example of the under-appreciated value of aftertaste; great lasting character. Review 267 on Walker Tea Review

powdery astringency flowed beautifully with light broth and extended aftertaste

WTR score of 92 because it is well balanced and extended aftertaste. However, if you are chasing more intense aroma, seek Rishi’s Bai Hao Hsinchu.

The dry leaves of this tea are very dark curled balls. Their dark green hue matches well with the heavy but smooth aroma. My imagination runs wild at the thought of this tea being cultivated so high up, and near a protected wilderness area. It seems like a truly exciting place!

When brewed the leaves produce a bright yellow liquor that’s completely transparent. The steeped aroma is smooth and easy with overtones of grilled leeks and hints of other vegetal flavors.

On the palate the brew remains smooth. A buttery texture emerges as it coats the entirety of the mouth. There’s no astringency here at all. The liquor is very heavy in the mouth, a byproduct of its creaminess. The flavors remain vegetal, but are seriously subdued. Roasted leeks remain on my mind the most.