Iron Goddess (Traditional) Tea by Chinese Tea Shop

Tamm 3 tasting notes

I’ve been lacking in some of my updates..I got this quite awhile ago from Chinese Tea Shop as a sample. It arrived very, very quickly! I got this package before I got some of the ones I was expecting from in the states.
This is my first infusion of this tea. I used lower temp. water for a lower time. I’m a bit unfamiliar with oolong steeping; so this may have been a strange guess on that aspect.
This was my first excursion into Iron Goddess teas. The leaves were just beautiful. I have a certain love of oolong leaves and this one was just nice to watch.
The liquor is this beautiful yellow/gold color.
The flavor is so smooth and relaxing. I can taste very slight floral notes. I can’t quite explain what they are though! Shame on my young palate. :p But there is this distinct almost, hm, buttery note to it. It is very pleasant. There are some vegetal notes but they aren’t overpowering or unpleasant in the least. This blend gets high points for me because none of the leaves’ smell is lost in the liquor. That subtle floral aroma stays with it.
I highly recommend this tea; especially for people like me who are new to unflavored oolongs. It really is a nice oolong!

2011-11-10 15:34:35 -0500

175 °F / 79 °C

3 min 0 sec

I Like This

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I’m doing something new this time! Since I just finished up my sociology class I decided to celebrate by trying to do some kind of gongfu. :p I’m not experienced so these were all guesses on my part. I was using my tiny 150ml houhin shaped random piece I found at the Chinese store at my local mall. It could be something else, but I have no idea. It was just cute!
1st steep (1 min)
Buttery, soft and much more green than other times I’ve had this. My last sips were very sweet!
2nd steep (1min 30 sec) p.s. ouchies my fingers! lol
The liquor is much more yellow/green this steep. The smell is far more grassy and less sweet. Brighter flavor this time and the grassy notes are really peaking through this steep. Very, very soft mouth feel; almost silky.
3rd steep (2min)
The leaves have completely unfurled now! So very pretty! I’m really liking this method. It’s giving me time to relax. This time it smells much sweeter with almost no grass. The flavor is full on sweet; my favorite cup so far. Small amount of something almost spicy in the very back of this. Just as buttery as ever!
4th steep (2min 30 sec.)
Starting to mellow down again. Stronger hay smells with this steep. Much lighter liquor. So. Very. Tasty. Still very sweet and light (getting lighter!)
5th steep (3 min) Final steep
The smell is so light on this steep. Sweet, but fading. Very light and creamy as the very 1st steep. Lovely tea, really, I think this is a great introduction for people to unflavored oolong.

2011-11-23 16:51:07 -0500

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2nd steep!
I just realized what the color reminds me of; apple cider. I stepped up the temp. and time on this steep. (190F/4 min)
The smell of the liquor is just as floral as the last one. I am amazed! If I’m thinking correctly this isn’t flavored at all/perfumed. Which is what is so awesome to me. This smells and tastes like no other tea I’ve had and all that is included is tea leaves!
This steep is much sweeter than the first one. The floral taste is much more subdued, but still present. It is still very smooth and has no bite. This cup has almost no vegetal flavor in it; which was surprising. I am getting a lot of creamy notes. I love that this one just, in it’s own way, melts in your mouth.
Really solid 2nd steep. More to come!

2011-11-10 17:29:26 -0500

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