Janet's Special Teas

This tea is up for a swap because I do not want it to go to waste

It was purchased early July 2011, and is being stored in a well sealed tea tin.

This tea is up for a swap, as it is not my fave and I would hate for it to go to waste.

It was purchased early July 2011 and is stored in a well sealed tea tin. This is a delightful tea; I am just not a fan of all the licorice flavour in this tea.

First off, this is not the tea to drink when you have even a hint of the flu! I had this last weekend while I was sick and took one wiff of the anaise and thought I was going to die! Licorice NOT tasty and does NOT smell delicious when one is ill.

Also why are all the teas with Anaise or licorice of some sort so… so… UNappealing?! BLECK!

Still a medicinal scent to the leaves that is almost a turn off, but once steeped…. SO GOOD! I am packing cream with me today because when I go back to my site to get it ready for Summer I will be brewing a HUGE pot of this for me!!! hahaha It will keep me from going crazy while I re-paper bulitin boards and clean tables and all that other fun stuff involved in getting my site Summer Camp ready.

4th Steeping… GROSS!! I took one sip and could not get to the bathroom fast enough to bush my teeth, definanly pungent, and indiscribeably terrible! I will NOT be steeping this tea more that three times! EVER!

3rd steeping

Only half of the leaves are fully open, and the flowers that are wrapped inside the leaves are starting to float around and changing the flavour of the tea slightly. Athough the colour is not as intense the flavour still is. I can’t describe it other than to say it is becoming more of a creamy green tea in flavour.

Second steeping

I am going to forgo the milk as this is more green tea in taste than black. There is quite the kick of caffine and I am buzing around the house getting little things done. I definantly like this tea and despite the apparent expense, it is really cost effective!

This is my first jump into oolongs that are not flavoured with fruit or chocolate or vanilla beans and… WOW!

When I walked into Janet’s Special Teas, I noticed that she only had 4 oolongs on her tea list. I explained that I was new to loose tea and wanted to know which oolong was best to try; she instantly without hesitation told me that she had just opened a fresh bag of Osmanthus and that I should try this first. She was also very careful to explain how long to steep it and how hot the water should be. She was so careful with her instructions that I will be going back when I want to try burgamonts or straight black or the like!

First Steep was for only 1 minute, and at only 87C and I found the tea had a slight peppery taste, and the original “mouldy grass” smell to the leaves was tough to over look but once steeped all I can smell is the Osmanthus flower that give this tea it’s name.

I think that I might try a touch of milk for the second steeping.

This tea was a successful first leap into the world of Oolongs, and I am not looking back!

The leaves smell rather medicinally cherry at first, but once steeped there is a distinct honey scent. Sweet to taste, but not overly so, and I am glad I purchased this tea dispite how medincial the leaves smelled.