Earlier this winter I stopped by a local tea shop and told them I wanted a recommendation for a good oolong. The barista asked me a series of questions (whether I added cream or sugar to my tea, what kinds of flavors I liked, etc.) and then came to an oolong I will never forget. I was so cold that day with the temperatures hovering around -2º F that I didn’t pay attention too much as she told me the name of the tea. I remember sitting at the table, reading a book, and taking the first few sips of this oolong and absolutely falling in love.
Today, when I took the first sip of this Ti Kuan Yin from Adagio I was transported back to that tea shop, to that wonderful cup of liquid gold. I’m so glad I have found this oolong again. The flavors are complex: floral, sweet like honey and crisp like an apple. The mouth feel is silky smooth and the aftertaste is wonderfully astringent. The second and third steeps bring out the sweetness even more and move into more of a honeydew flavor. This tea is such an enjoyable experience. To witness the unfurling of the leaves as they transform through the steeping process is a wonderful visual experience. I highly recommend this tea to oolong lovers and to those who would normally add sugar to their tea. This may be the leaf you need to stop sweetening the tea and to truly start enjoying the flavors of the leaves.
I took Adagio’s recommendation for the first steep. 3g leaves/8oz water, 185º for 4 minutes (the label said 3-5 so I shot for the middle). The second steep I added 1 minute to give the flavors a chance to continue to develop.
