Fujian Ti Kuan Yin

Hrm. Thin mouthfeel. Woody. Green-ish. Hard to describe because there just doesn’t seem to be much there. Slurping doesn’t do much but a nice sweet, slightly floral note did show up in the aftertaste. Overall this is disappointingly bland. Not even normal. Bland. Maybe I’m just missing something. Meh.

Dry it smells like kale or at least what I imagine kale to smell like, since I don’t think I have ever actually smelled kale. Has a nice light emerald gold color and smells like wet dewy grass on a fall morning. Very light taste that is similar to a salad without dressing. Doesn’t taste much different to me then any only Ti Kuan Tin, though I don’t really mind.

This tea steeps up with a fragrantly floral aroma that makes me think of just-opened lilac blossoms. The first steep tastes floral and sweet with an oddly spicy aftertaste that linger on the tongue. The flavour has more body and weight to it than many other green oolongs I’ve tasted.

The resteep (@5 min) is mellower and significantly less floral. That perplexing spicy aftertaste is also absent, but the tea still has a full, pleasent flavour that’s sweet without being cloying.

This tea was fantastic and even more than I had hoped it to be. Oolongs are some of my favorite teas, and this one was a bit of a surprise. The liquor is a very pale color, which could be a tip off for a light tea, but the flavors are exquisite. On my first sip, I just enjoyed the complexity of the flavors unfurl on my palette. Upon my next few sips, I started to taste some subtle floral qualities that were especially pleasing. Paired along with these floral notes is a sweet honey taste as well as some tropical fruits, I can’t define the tropical fruit, but it really works for this tea and all the flavors pair well together. I steeped this tea 4 times and even on the 4th steep,I was still impressed by the amount of flavor left in the leaves. Next time, I am going to try and steep it 5 or 6 times to see when the flavors dissipate.

Needless to say, this is one tea that I will definitely be picking up when Adagio debut’s their new Maestro Collection!

This tea also came with another sample of spring Darj today! I knew I was in for a treat and knew that as much I enjoyed Darj this tea would make me day! It Has! The little sample was a mere 3 grams but comforting and full in every way. The smell of the tea is of a light smokey with a touch of boiled vegetables, the liquor tasted of (again)boiled vegetables much like dark green vegetables, with hints of ginger and soil. Bottom line: A tea that is fulfilling and worth every penny for those in deeply in love of rich, full bodies teas. A tea that won’t disappoint at all!

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.

This is a really nice oolong. The smell has slight floral notes. And the flavor is smooth, slightly green, and flavorful. The tea does well with multiple steepings. Very enjoyable!

Brad – really liked. Rating: 95

I Definitely prefer the Japanese green tea, Chinese one doesn’t fit well 4 me

Nose and Color: Very pale color
- calming smell
- light green oolong

Tasting: Very smooth from start to finish
-silky
-more complex than adagio’s other ti kuan yin
-a slight sweetness in the mid palate

Read my full review here: http://www.indieteas.com/home/2010/4/20/tea-review-18-adagios-fujian-ti-kuan-yin.html