Elderflower Oolong

(DavidsTea 26)

I really wanted to like this one too. Alas, it’s pretty floral (a bit fruity-tropical) and the oolong is kind of lost, so not a favourite. I’ll probably try to use it up as iced tea for my husband, maybe mixed with something like Mango Fruit Punch to emphasize the fruitiness over the floral.

Probably a good tea for those who like light, fruity florals and don’t crave the flavour of the actual tea leaves.

I picked this tea because the flavor sounded different and interesting. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it very much. It’s too sour and also very floral. I feel like the floral flavor could have been better with a different base. Maybe with a black tea or maybe with a mostly strawberry herbal base. Unfortunately, I feel that this one needs a few tweaks to be good. As I drank it, I did start to get used to and sort of enjoy it, but it’s definitely not one I would reach for often. I’ve tried it brewed regularly and also cold brewed. The latter might result in a slightly less sour brew, but I’m not sure.

I love elderflower beverages- they’re light and refreshing, uniquely floral and a bit fruity. I also tend to gravitate towards oolongs. So, I was very excited to see this tea being released. I got this one, along with some of the new matchas, in my most recent DavidsTea order. I brewed this hot, with nothing added. It smells nice and light, and does remind me of elderflower. However, the flavor is a bit too abrasive. The hibiscus seems a bit unnecessary in this blend, as it makes the flavor too intense. Overall, it’s okay hot, and a bit better iced. But, not exactly what I was hoping for, and not something I need to repurchase.

One of the Spring/Summer teas that came out today, which means it’ll be around a little longer than your typical limited edition tea…

This blend went through a lot of revisions before it reached its final form and was launched. Initially, it was a kombucha inspired blend and from there is sort of became more of the berry and lemonade inspired tea you see now. I personally think the name leads you to think the tea is something it’s not though – based on “Elderflower Oolong” I would personally picture a more simple and very overly floral forward blend, perhaps something like a Rose Oolong or jasmine scented tea? In reality, this is very fruity and fresh and the floral taste is a lot minor and more in the undertones of the tea. It’s sweet and slightly tart, with a defined lemon note, more generic red berry taste, and a pleasant, sweet floral/elderflower undertone throughout the sip. Good iced; but I actually prefer it hot. It reminds me a lot of Electric Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Rainbow Lemonade (all the lemonade teas, really…), and Strawberry Moringa so I would recommend it for fans of those teas.

If you know my tastes well at all, you also probably know that I generally like basically all of the teas I just listed but none of them are cupboard staples for me – and so for that reason I didn’t grab any of this one for myself. However, I think it’s a nice addition to the oolong category and despite the name it’s not all that flora – so if fruity is more your thing I’d give it a try!

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.