I purchased this at a booth at the PDX Tea Fest in 2019, and haven’t touched the cardboard tube “tin” since bringing it home (I deemed it a “fancy expensive tea” and somehow I just never drink “fancy expensive teas”). But this is the only Taiwanese oolong I have left in my stash, other than some Lupicia ones that I bought last year for my birthday and are still sealed. This one is older than those, so I’d rather break the seal on this one… so this is my “Taiwanese tea” for the February sipdown prompt!
I (vaguely) remember really enjoying the sample of this tea at their booth. I’ve brewed this cup like a heathen (aka “western”, when I know that “fancy expensive tea” should be brewed gong fu…) and my teacup smells incredibly malty… an Assam-esque malt/baked bread aroma, with an underlying fruitiness that smells of cherry compote and orange zest with honey.
The flavor is tasty… not as good as I remember drinking that fresh sample, but there is still some nice flavor despite its age. It is indeed very malty/bready (tending to the rye side), but is extremely smooth. About midsip and into the finish there is a strong honeyed fruits flavor, tasting a little like apple, cherry, plum, and orange, depending on the sip. There is a touch of florality that occassionally pops at the end of the sip, too, but paired with the fruitiness I get more of a “blossom” taste from it than a distinct “flower” taste.
It’s very satisfying. Perhaps there would be more nuance if I could bother to take the time for gong fu, but this is a nice cuppa, and I feel my early morning eyes starting to waken up from the liquified energy.
Flavors: Apple, Bread, Cherry, Floral, Fruity, Honey, Malt, Orange Blossom, Orange Zest, Plum, Rye, Smooth
I’ve got several that fit your “fancy expensive” category that I recently dubbed “what are you waiting for, silly?”
I know! It’s akin to that grandma that has super fancy china locked away in a cupboard for “special occassions,” but no occassion is ever “special” enough to use it!
Simply design, but not so simply tea! Looks good indeed, though maybe not truly fancy expensive tea. Hopefully gongfu brewing will bring another dimmensions for this cup.
I’m working on the “good china” thing, too. And quilts made by mom, sister, grandma.
@Martin: It cost $20 for one ounce, which definitely qualifies as “fancy expensive tea” for me.
Oof! Taiwanese black teas don’t usually cost that much. I’m the same way with “fancy expensive tea,” though I’m trying not to hoard it.
It was definitely overpriced. But when you are at a physical tea festival, drinking the samples, and not sitting in front of a computer with 20 tabs open to compare teas and prices, it is very easy to get had like that. It’s good, but I certainly wouldn’t reorder it at that price point!
LOL, I get caught up in the moment sometimes as well. :) I hope you enjoy the rest of your tea and can steep some of it gongfu.
Oh dear, that’s very expensive! But I mean tea itself isn’t that fancy at all. But I completely understand your mishap.