XIXICHA (Available on Amazon)

I don’t have a ton of tasting experience, but I believe this tea to be a fairly ‘typey’ example of an oolong rock tea. My cups are not lined in white so my assessment of color may be skewed, but it gives an orange brew that stays fairly consistent over multiple brewings. As is often the case for oolongs, the second brewing gives a fuller flavor – the leaves have had time to soften and are ready to release what they have to give. It is a mildly spicy flavor for a pure tea, remarkable given that there are no additives. But do not expect a similar experience to a flavored tea! I’m a neophyte, so I use a simple protocol of 1-2 minute steeps throughout the day. A 2 minute steep is excellent, and I saw no diminishment of experience until the seventh or eighth steeping. (Each brewing is slightly different, but no less lovely.) If you’re looking for an all day experience with diminishing caffeine with each brew, you’ve found the tea, but I suspect that is true for many rock teas from this region. (A note about my number ranking… ever since I saw $2000 tea for sale at Harrod’s I’ve felt like I need to leave room at the top. I’m unlikely to ever have such an experience, but I’d be very sad to find out that tea that costs so much doesn’t occupy the 95-100 range, so fair or not, I will be unlikely to ever give a tea that rating.)