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derk drank Taiwan 'Charcoal Roasted' Oolong Tea by What-Cha

1607 tasting notes

A sample of Spring 2021 harvest. Thank you for your generosity, What-Cha :)

This is now the third harvest I’ve had of this tea. Heavily roasted oolong isn’t my favorite, save for well rested and highly oxidized yancha. But this is nice, nicer than the 2016 and about on par with the 2020.

Sweet and sparkling honey-graham and cardamom taste mixed with black walnut and twigs. This roast is obvious here and lends alkalinity yet it is unobtrusive and allows for the perfumey floral aspect of the lower-oxidixed leaf to come through. At one point, the aftertaste had a playful, fleeting moment of peanut butter mixed with honey crystals. Becomes woodier and tannic as it steeps out. This will likely age into something much like the 2003 Aged Green Heart Oolong https://steepster.com/teas/what-cha/67645-taiwan-2003-aged-green-heart-oolong

Cool to see how much my impression differs from beerandbeancurd’s for the same harvest :)

Flavors: Alkaline, Black Walnut, Cacao, Cardamom, Chocolate, Floral, Graham Cracker, Grass, Honey, Nutty, Peanut, Perfume, Resin, Roasted Barley, Roasty, Sweet, Tannin, Toast, Tree Fruit, Twigs, Vanilla, Woody

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2 comments

beerandbeancurd
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Peanut butter?! I need to get studying!

Skysamurai
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I used to not like charcoal roasted as well but then I had one from Wang Family that blew my mind. It’s definitely an art form

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beerandbeancurd
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Peanut butter?! I need to get studying!

Skysamurai
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I used to not like charcoal roasted as well but then I had one from Wang Family that blew my mind. It’s definitely an art form

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This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. Yet I persist.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, and Nepal. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possesses off flavor/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s puerh, I likely think it needs more age.

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