I am just now finishing the combination of my fifth and sixth infusions of this tea, and it is quite lovely. An incredibly complex Oolong … most Oolong teas are complex, yes, but, even for an Oolong this is a complex tea. So many interesting flavors emerge with each infusion.
It started out with a sweet and floral note, which is typically what I’d expect from a Tie Guan Yin, but, there was a stronger vegetal note to this, and a warm, peppery kind of spice to it that seems to settle on the back of the palate and tickles the tongue in the aftertaste. It has a thick, velvety mouthfeel that starts out very soft and sweet, and develops into more of a buttery taste and texture.
With subsequent infusions, I notice an apple-y kind of flavor that starts as a sweet flavor, and develops into a snappy, crisp, almost tart kind of flavor that reminds me very much of a Braeburn apple. I do notice the saffron flavors as mentioned in the flavor profile, they start out very slight and develop nicely by the time I’ve reached my third and fourth infusions… providing an interesting contrast for the sweetness.
I really love this Tie Guan Yin! But then, that is no surprise to me, as Verdant Tea is always top notch!
