Shui Jin Gui Wuyi Oolong

Good shit right here. Finished it off and shed a wee tear… well worth every sip. Wuyi Oolongs never dissapoint.

Boosting my rating either because my palate has developed a wider appreciation or because this has aged well :) I am finding quite a bit to like in this, if only on the first short steep… Getting that caramel, some almond and a dark woodsiness that is rich and complex while very smooth. Not a wuyi fan, so this is a nice surprise.

This is the last of the package I have, I’m very sad to see it go.

With teas like these sometimes it’s hard to give a descriptive review. I’m not really one for trying to find flavors sommelier-style in a pure, unblended tea, unless it’s something very obvious. The best kind of tea can only recommend itself by its own quality, but that is precisely what is hard to pin down.

What I do want to add about this one is that in addition to the smokiness it has a harmonious, almost sweet quality, but not sweet in the sugar sense, more like spring water. 甘 instead of 甜, if that makes any sense. Anyway, highly recommended for whenever it’s back in stock.

Do not like oolongs.

Last time I tried this I had a terrible head cold and couldn’t taste anything, (what a waste!) so I vowed to return when I was back to my normal self.

My normal self is still not capable of pulling much out of this though, gahhhh :(

Before I read everyone else’s reviews, I was sipping and trying to decide what I would say, and what I tasted. Basically I find this to be a very light tea. I didn’t think I underleafed it but maybe??

Kind of woodsy…earthy I guess. Somewhat sweet in a honey sort of way, but no way would I call it a dessert tea. A bit of a floral note in there somewhere.

Reading everyone else’s reviews which reference desserts and caramel and hazelnut etc etc makes me think there must be something wrong with my tongue.

And the official description says “caramel, cream, espresso”…

“Espresso”!!! Hah! How can anyone compare this very fine, thin, watery liquid to espresso?? Ya’ll better check yo selves.

Sigh. Sorry.

It’s just so light! Don’t get me wrong, it tastes fine, but it’s just tea to me :(
It tastes like something that grew in the ground.

I feel like I’ve taken 10 steps backwards with this one.

Smells sweet and inviting. Liquor is a clear yellow-golden.
The flavor is cream and the mouthfeel is very creamy. This tea has very low roast with a touch of sweetness too. This Oolong is right up my alley.
I’m very lucky to get to try this as it is no longer available and has been archived. Thank u to Terry Harplady for the sample!!! This is really teaching me which teas, especially which Oolongs, that I like and it’s the ones like this one with low roast and a nice balance.

My very first thought upon smelling this tea is jasmine. I might be mistaken—maybe it’s just “floral”—but we sure have a lot of jasmine in Berkeley so I feel pretty confident about that! I don’t even fully understand what gongfu is so I just brewed it the regular way and steeped about three minutes. The smell of the first brew still says “jasmine” but the flavor does not; it’s faintly floral but something lush, smooth, and rocky, too. Two teas in, Verdant has already blown me away with their quality. Wow.

Smokey, roasty, sweet wuyi goodness. Thanks to verdant for the sample.

There’s nothing like the ritual of preparing tea. Right now I’m listening to the water come to a boil and have just selected this tea to try from my Verdant Sampler. I have someplace to be, but decided to make myself a cup of tea and be late to my event.

I’ve just placed the dark, twisting leaves into the tea strainer and am currently waiting on my cup of tea. The brew is light and smells distinctly like Oolong. I can’t wait! It’s been a long, but good, day and I am greatly looking forward to trying this tea.

Mmm… good stuff. I can’t use the flowery language other posters revel in, but I can tell you this is a good cuppa. Lightly vegetal with a pleasant aftertaste. I haven’t made up my mind if it’ll make the list for my next order, but I can recommend it to you to try!