A very generous sample from Enjoying Tea.com. I bought a couple Gaiwan and and this tin came along. For some unknown reason, my oolong collection is almost exclusively made up of Taiwan oolongs. I think I went through a phase of trying to decipher the subtleties of high quality, lightly oxidized Taiwan high mountain teas. Undoubtedly, these Taiwan teas are light, bright, fresh, fragrant and subtle. It seems, probably because my palate lacks sophistication, that I prefer a more robust, assertive flavor profile.
This Fujian oolong displays a fairly strong, tobacco-y dry leaf scent. Quite strong, but once rinsed and heated transforms into a pleasant roasty nuttiness. Obviously, this tea has undergone a modest amount of oxidation producing a yellowish – lt. brown liquor that is pleasing to the eye.
I had to experiment a little to get the my desired water-to-leaf-to-flavor ratio. The first steep was fine, but I thought this tea had better potential. I added a bit more leaf and steeped a bit longer and was impressed with how much deeper the flavor evolved. I was able to coax out a hearty, nutty swallow. As my cup cools, maybe a little leathery hint arises. Unlike Taiwan oolongs I’ve tried, this tea almost entirely lacks any floral aroma. On the upside, this tea has better endurance than most Taiwan teas.
Overall, this is not a great oolong, but it is a pleasant cup. Worthy to be served to company as long as the company isn’t too fancy.
