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The smell of the dry leaf is so malted cocoa to me. Amazing. I have had this tea many times and it’s always fantastic. Today I tried it with some cream and raw Hawaiian sugar. Holy crap. It was latte-like. Normally I prefer no cream or sugar but I had to pair that scent with some creamy sweetness. Glad I did.

Before I review this, I should say that I am just beginning to get familiar with oolongs. I normally find my home in black tea. I am a fan of bold, strong teas.

The first infusion of this leaves me with the feeling that it is a solid and smooth entry into the world of oolong. I am not recognizing any of the flavors (such as barley and coconut) that others seem to have gotten. I am mostly getting a buttery vegetal/minerally type flavor. It is good though. Not too overpowering but not too weak. A nice solid balance.

Second infusion at 2 minutes is a little thinner, not as buttery, and a bit more floral.

Third infusion at 3 minutes. Whoa! The rich buttery scent and flavor comes back. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen it happen where a tea gets weaker upon multiple infusions and then gets stronger again. Impressive.

I think I am going to be a bit more inclined to try some other oolongs after this one. It is a good middle ground between black and green for me.

Brenden… dude… Firstly, when I originally started looking at this company for tea, I already had respect for the handcrafted, Michigan inspired feel. Being a native and current Michigander myself, it was instantly something I could respect.

Then I ordered and tried some of the teas. I fell in love (especially with North Winds). I am still a relative newbie to the tea scene but I knew I had tasted quality and that my relationship with how I judged tea had changed.

I lay all this out in order to say: It’s been done again. This is pretty much the best herbal tea I have ever imbibed in. It doesn’t hurt that I am a ginger freak and this tea, from smell to sip, has a wonderful rounded ginger aura. Even with making my cup strong and dark, there was no astringent bite. But it’s not just ginger. There is something else there. A sweet, honeysuckle tartness with a hint of pepper to keep it from being cloying.

Also, really reasonably priced for the smooth flavor and relaxing feeling it presents. Will certainly be using this often this upcoming fall/winter.

A nice orange burst of flavor. Normally I feel hibiscus overtakes anything it is put into but not here. It was a nice compliment to the orange.

Very nice subtle blueberry flavor when made as cold brewed iced tea. I had my dad, a very traditional black unsweetened ice tea drinker, try this thinking he wouldn’t care for it. He liked it so much he asked for more. I know that might not mean much for those who don’t know my dad but it speaks volumes for this tea.