When I opened its bag, the tea did not smell as flowery or fragrant as other green Oolongs that I have tried. A plus for me, actually, as green oolongs can be a bit rough for me with its overwhelming flowery-ness.
Looks: Medium sized, full very green. Quite beautiful and typical of a green oolong in terms of looks. The leaves oxidized to a brown once I left it sitting for a bit.
Fragrance & Taste: I did not find this that fragrant sitting in the cup. However, the taste is full in my mouth, so it’s probably my allergies affecting my ability to smell external aromas. The tea starts out quite floral, then eases into a smooth creaminess that fills the whole mouth. I’ve never had a milk Oolong before, and it surprised me that the liquid texture is also creamy, because the colour is totally golden and clear! There is also a lot of sweetness, and an almost nutty flavour detectable when the tea cools to room temp. Overall a very comforting drink.
Brewing note: I steeped it a little low, as the hot water dispenser at work can hardly reach 200F, but that didn’t seem to affect the tea flavours at all. Also, due to interruptions of a coworker, I accidentally overbrewed on the second steep, but did not experience any astringency or bitterness. The creaminess is greater on the second steep than the first. I suspect it can go for at least one more without losing flavours.
Disclaimer: I got this Oolong as a free sample from TeaVivre.
