So I got my Mandala package and am a happy camper. They gave me this free sample of their Alishan Light Roast oolong. It has been sold out for a while, and I was glad to see it come back as I have never been able to try it.
Oh no, no pro reviews. I’m on my own lol. :D
The tightly rolled balls were a nice dark green, no tea dust at all (throughout the entire process, screen was clean), a few stems. The wet leaves are highly aromatic. Vegetal, spinach-y, sweet, milky, and floral aromas, specifically lilac aroma (which btw I would probably never have guessed the flower had they not mentioned it lol. Maybe?), not much roast nor smoke.
The amber goldish liquor has a super super suuuper soft mouth-feel. It was as if I used different water to make it. I’m thinking this is what sets it apart from many others. It leaves a nice coating in my mouth. After a few steeps, and the leaves opened up more, the roast and other flavors came out to play and mingled with the creaminess. Up until that point, it wasn’t so much flavor but the mouthfeel. Some spice, sugar cane sweetness, light vanilla notes, floral, butter, popcorn… I’d definitely like to try it again.
Yixing teapot, 195˚F, 110ml, 10 steeps: 5s rinse, 20s, 25s, 25s, 30s, 35s, 40s, 45s, 50s, 55s, 65s
Flavors: Butter, Cream, Creamy, Floral, Milk, Popcorn, Roasted, Smooth, Spinach, Sugarcane, Vanilla, Vegetables, Vegetal