The first time I had this one I really enjoyed it but I felt I hadn’t put in enough leaf, that the flavors weren’t strong enough. I also brewed it fairly cool based on the instructions on their website, instead of where I would usually brew an oolong (especially a dark oolong). This time I’m pretty sure I have an appropriate amount of leaf, and a slightly hotter temperature, and also I’ve tried a lot more dark oolongs since this one, which was one of my first. I wanted to try this one again because thepuritea is having a 15% off sale right now until Nov 15 (use the code FALL), and I’ve been wanting to try some of their other teas (even though I really don’t need more tea right now).
So! This is very floral for a dark oolong, which isn’t surprising because it is scented with osamanthus flowers. The aroma I get from the steeped tea is dark and roasty, but with a definite sweet, floral note. I don’t really get the stone fruit aromas they mention, but the florals are sweet enough smelling to almost be fruity. That sweetness doesn’t carry over to the flavor/mouthfeel, which is actually more minerally (a character I’m starting to see in dark oolongs especially after having Verdant’s Big Red Robe). There are some toasty firewood flavors, and I do pick up a bit of a unsweetened cocoa note (not chocolate, but actual unsweetened cocoa powder). The high notes at the back of the sip are floral with bit of fruit. Revisiting this one, I’m less taken with it than I initially was. It’s still a very nice tea, and one of my favorite dark oolongs I’ve had, but I still don’t totally adore dark oolongs in general.
