This is one of those crossover teas that confuse me – ok maybe it’s not, but that’s how it seems.
This looks like a highly oxidized, roasted oolng – it’s smells like an oolong, but everything says black tea. It hurts my head a little.
If I think of this as oolong – then it’s nice and dark, toasty, roasty, without being too smokey. A little sweet – interesting tea, I like it.
If I think of this as black – then I’m thinking, why does this taste like oolong. It seems disappointing to me – not dark enough, not rich enough – there are better blacks out there.
It’s weird how our expectations, reflect our experience.
Either way, this was enjoyable at work today. Definitely interesting, and I urge all you Mandala fans out there to try it.
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Hi! The leaf that is used for this tea is a tie guan yin varietal, which is what gives in that slight (and pleasing, in my opinion) sour note, just like a TGY oolong.
At first, I was not excited about it, but Jamie urged me on and by the second day we were working on the sample from that producer, I fell for it.
There are alot of our customers drinking this tea in the tea glass (aka grandpa style). Mayo Clinic is next door to us and so many night nurses are using this tea. Kinda fun to hear their stories about more even energy throughout their shifts. Anyway… I dig it.
Thank you, my friend, for trying it and writing up your thoughts!!
I think I will do better with this next time. I was drinking this at work this morning. What I really wanted was a big bold black, and I felt like I got refined oolong. It just didn’t suit my mood. Now that I know what to expect, I will drink it as an afternoon “oolong” when I’m more in the mood for something lighter. This isn’t a bad tea, it just wasn’t what I was expecting. It does make me feel better that this has oolong connections. I wasn’t totally wrong….
Thanks for your thoughts Garret – always interesting to hear your side of the story. :))
And it is always to hear your side of things, too, my dear!
Hi! The leaf that is used for this tea is a tie guan yin varietal, which is what gives in that slight (and pleasing, in my opinion) sour note, just like a TGY oolong.
At first, I was not excited about it, but Jamie urged me on and by the second day we were working on the sample from that producer, I fell for it.
There are alot of our customers drinking this tea in the tea glass (aka grandpa style). Mayo Clinic is next door to us and so many night nurses are using this tea. Kinda fun to hear their stories about more even energy throughout their shifts. Anyway… I dig it.
Thank you, my friend, for trying it and writing up your thoughts!!
I think I will do better with this next time. I was drinking this at work this morning. What I really wanted was a big bold black, and I felt like I got refined oolong. It just didn’t suit my mood. Now that I know what to expect, I will drink it as an afternoon “oolong” when I’m more in the mood for something lighter. This isn’t a bad tea, it just wasn’t what I was expecting. It does make me feel better that this has oolong connections. I wasn’t totally wrong….
Thanks for your thoughts Garret – always interesting to hear your side of the story. :))
And it is always to hear your side of things, too, my dear!