Vanilla Orchid

I ordered a cup of this before work, and the employee suggested adding some milk, so soy milk it was. Not sure if he slipped in some agave? But this is much better than the vanilla oolong! It kind of reminds me of Harney & Sons Vanilla Comoro in that I’m getting cubes of vanilla caramel from this.

Very creamy and sweet. I’m being ultra bad and going by memory, but I didn’t note any prevalent oolong base notes. Mostly creamy vanilla.

so i have this weird thing where i feel like oolongs NEED to be brewed in my gongfu pot. so i can watch them get fat and bulk up. like i have to be able to witness the leaf puffing in order for the tea to be brewed.
and i recently realized that this has basically kept me from drinking my oolongs.
sad i know.
so today i have brewed this in my timolino (using a tea bag cuz that basket is tiny)
and the smell is heavenly.
but you knew that already.

i’m turning over a new oolong leaf. let’s celebrate.
more bulk!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0naDFDPe9Q8

Today I visited the David’s tea in downtown Boston. It was the first time I had been inside a David’s tea shop. This was the tea of the day. I really liked the oolong and vanilla combination. The tea was sweet and just creamy enough.

The smell was very vanilla but the vanilla does not overpower the taste. I HATE super artificial tasting vanilla and this one avoided that tinny on your tongue feeling>

I love this tea. I will likely purchase some of this loose next time I visit a David’s shop!

This is something that I really wanted to try, but could justify shelling out the dough on a 50 gram bag that would most likely take me forever to get through. Thanks to DT for the sample in my order that came today!

Brewed it tastes like a vegetal green oolong with a clear vanilla finish. I enjoyed my cup, but am glad I didn’t purchase a bag. I haven’t gotten to a point in my tea journey where I reach for a simpler, natural flavor profile.

Stopped by DT while I was out and about, and in an effort to curtail mindless tea shopping, I picked up one of these to-go (instead of buying new tea). Now I will sample ALL the teas and won’t buy any unless I know its good…

Cuz that’s what responsible adult types do, amirite?

I did buy two of the 2/$5 sampler sizes too bc they’re cheaper that way, and even though it breaks my abovementioned rule, seems like a great way to try tea. (About the same price as taking a cup home for each tea).

So… Vanilla Oolong. It’s good. I don’t even think she put anything in it but the vanilla adds enough sweetness to the mix. I still don’t really know what oolong tastes like on its own, but I am getting a delicate floral taste mixed with a light tea. It’s a cup full of whimsy.

Haha. I shouldn’t use metaphors.

I resteeped it and it was just as good. This would probably be a good one to get, eventually. I am enjoying every sip. It coats my mouth very nicely, but it’s not as good warm/cool so I don’t want to brew it if I think I’ll get distracted (I.e, the baby is awake).

When looking for a vanilla tea prior to this it was often the “Cream Earl Grey” that caught my attention. Mostly because of my enjoyment of London Fog tea lattes. Now to have it in an Oolong I have to admit it is like drinking a vanilla cloud. Light and refreshing to the tastebuds yet wonderfully aromatic. Just the right amount of pure vanilla flavor to provide that comfort one hopes for in a very romantic tea like this. Loved it, very much so.

Wasn’t sure if I was going to like this or not. I had passed up getting this in the DavidsTea store I visited awhile ago, but was able to get some through a swap with Shmiracles.

I brewed it in my new Ingenuitea (I got it cheap ‘cause it was used) which made it awesome to watch the leaves unfurling and brewing. It also was alot easier to brew a single cup since my usual teapots don’t manage one cup well at all. If you have a chance to pick one up, I highly recommend it.
But I’m getting off subject.

This tea smelled wonderfully vanilla-y with a smidge of floral/green-ness when it’s dry. Brewing it came through a bit more green so I was a bit hesitant since I find I dislike most ‘green’ tasting teas at the moment. Taking that first sip I did get that green-ness, but it wasn’t too bad. I also got the vanilla nicely mixed with the floral sense that didn’t really overpower. I did add some of my usual truvia that made it much better. The vanilla and floral came through more than the green-ness and I enjoyed the cup much better.

I went for a second steep since it’s an oolong and I figured why not. I steeped it for a minute longer at the same temp, and I almost didn’t drink it when I smelled the wet leaves after draining. They smelled awful, though I can’t recall exactly how since I shut the lid back. Wet rotten spinach comes to mind. Lol. Now that it’s cooled a bit, the vanilla has come back making me consider a third steep.
Anyway, I took a sip of the second steep and found it wasn’t all that bad either. A bit more muted, but still tasty, especially after adding sugar. I found that the vanilla came through more as it cooled, though not necessarily in a good way. Much better hot.

Tried for a third steep at 5 min total steep. It’s alright. Certainty drinkable, but nothing overly noteworthy or impressive. Maybe a bit more green and not as vanilla-y. /shrug/

Overall I might keep this around for when I want something lighter, or until I find a better replacement (read cheaper). Lol!

OKAY OKAY I know…MORE Vanilla..well it can’t be helped!

At first I thought Vanilla Oolong was Vanilla Orchid just with a vamped up name (they did this with chocolate orange and renamed it for Halloween and also did it to Dr.Chocolate or something similar and changed it to Spiced Carob???If you know the actual name I’d be grateful..PLEASE STOP DOING THAT DAVIDsTEA)

Off the rant path now let’s down to business.

This actually does not smell like Vanilla Oolong it smells like it’s in the same family but once removed.This smells less milky and more creamy and a little sweeter.Also the quality of the Oolong is vastly superior just by the dry smell alone it seems to have fully absorbed the vanilla and created this Vanilla Heaven..I wish I could smell like this..It is sexy but pure,Rich but attainable and smooth but not sassy.

Once steeped the Oolong takes centre stage but the vanilla is the best back-up singer not out-doing or showing off but complementing the premium Oolong..this even smells expensive( and it sooo wasn’t it was in the 2 for 5 bin I got one for myself and one for my bff Linda Irvine)

As for taste…I like this so much more then Vanilla Oolong and that drink was beautiful!I think I prefer this because it lacks the milk base but still stays creamy,sexy and smooth.It’s not quite as sweet either..more delicate and just lovely,lovely lovely!

Perfect for: late nights,people who don’t like milk bases with oolong and Vanilla but want creamy still,studying,watching marathons of a guilty pleasure show and basically any time you want to feel like you are indulging heavily without the mess or consequences.

Reminds me of: feeling rich,thick silk drapery,pretty french lacy underwear,Simone De Beauvoir,Orchids and being comfortably alone.

Last thoughts: I love this…I don’t know if I’ll buy again or not but I’m really crushing on this at the moment.I’m not an Oolong girl unfortunately so that may be the death knell of our relationship but for now it’s the most lovely tryst, affair ..passing ships in the night?If I want decadence I may just reach for this.

this tea is just bloody perfect. i just made it at home for the first time after drinking multiple cups at work. I’m going to resteep these leaves all night and clean my apartment. Also, I forgot how heavy it gets. I went to lift my infuser out and dropped it back into the cup! it goes from this little scoop of pebbles to like a basket of wet spinach in like three minutes!

I had this one today as a Latte when I was in checking out the new holiday sets. Which btw are amazing, good job Davids for continuing to try to take all my money.

It was really vanilla-y. I think I like it more than Vanilla Oolong (which I haven’t had in a year). It tasted exactly like vanilla ice cream with milk and agave, which I was not expecting. I Maaay pick some up, but I really want my next oolong to be the skinny since I miss it so much. We shall see.

This has been my go-to Monday tea recently. Firstly because Mondays are just tough in general so it helps to have a tasty treat to look forward to. Secondly because I have class after work, so I make this one in my Timolino so I can resteep before heading to school. It can withstand a long steep so I can leave it in there with no worries of it becoming bitter.

The smell is so intoxicating that I have to spend a few moments just taking it in (which causes passing coworkers to give me curious looks. But it doesn’t bother me cause I’m in creamy vanilla bean ice cream zen mode). On the first steep, the oolong comes through first followed by a delicious rich vanilla note. On the second steep, the oolong tones down a bit so it’s represented almost evenly with the vanilla. On the third steep both flavors are quite faint but it’s still enjoyable. As far as oolongs go I prefer straight or milk oolong as an anytime tea, but love this one as a special treat.

So, I poured out my little sample bag into my Ingenuitea, and kinda went “Oh these are really tiny”. I poured my water, set the timer, and walked away. Came back three minutes later and went “WHOA!” because I the entire thing was full of beautiful tea leaves. Also it smells fantastic.

The taste is great, nice vanilla flavor but it’s totally not artificial with the lovely oolong flavor underneath. Nom nom.

Tea: my sampler baggie, I think about 5g
Water: filtered, around 12/14 oz
Additives:None
Brewing method: Ingenuitea

Backlog:

So glad I popped into DAVID’s last evening and gave this a try. It is a really lovely tea. Creamy and not too floral. This cuppa hit the spot at work this morning so I will make sure my work tea drawer is stocked with this!

Can’t remember if I wrote a note for this before, but this is the last of it, so I’d better do so now.

This is a definite improvement on Davidteas’ now-discontinued “Vanilla Oolong”. This oolong is nice and subtle, and the vanilla goes well with it, I think. There isn’t the muddled, harsh citrus like the other blend. The vanilla in this is a tad strong, masking the oolong a bit, but Davidstea is more about “flavoured teas” than “flavours paired artfully with teas”.

Still, the oolong comes through. It’s a different base than the original blend, I believe. Tad floral. Adds to the creamy vanilla.

Steeped at 2 minutes this time (I seem to alternate between two and three), so the vanilla isn’t quite as strong. Also keeps the oolong from stewing.

This one has a bit of a bizarre smell. Not bad, just bizarre. Like the oolong and vanilla are battling for first place. Comes off kind of yogurt-y. Maybe? Hard to say.

It’s yummier than the other flavoured oolongs I’ve tried but I’m still preferring the Tung Ting Vietman unflavoured I had.

Almost like a plain oolong with a hint of vanilla at the end of the sip.

1.25 tsp for 250mL water @90C. 1st infusion: 3 minutes. 2nd infusion: 5 minutes.

1st infusion: A lovely genuine vanilla scent and taste here — vanilla bean, as several others have said. Something lactic, too — vanilla yogurt, again, as others have noted. I found the finish very clean, almost cool. I didn’t get much oolong.

Liquor is a lovely sunshine yellow.

2nd infusion: less vanilla, more orchid, more oolong. Clean and mineral finish. Much prefer the second infusion.

This 30g packet came to me as a gift from the DavidsTea fan who initially suggested this recipe to the company. She sent it in months ago, they played with it, then released Vanilla Orchid. Tea geekery!

well this was my first oolong tea and well dry it smelled sweet but funky and I was seriously scared about trying it, but I steeped it and thankfully the taste wasnt as funky as the smell! my boyfriend tasted it and said he liked it the best! he said it put him in the mind of marshmallows! and then there it clicked thats what it tasted like!! like the tea alot! it wouldnt be my first to rush and stock up on but def a keeper! I dont think this would be very good cold!

Blech. Not a huge fan. Smells too much like booze in the bag, and literally only gets one good steep before it starts to taste like rubber. Davids Tea oolongs aren’t anything to write home about anymore.

This is a perfect oolong! The vanilla is fresh and authentic, like real vanilla beans! I accidentally left it to steep too long (about 15 minutes) and it still tastes great! The oolong is silky and smooth, it lingers just right on my tongue. could drink this all day and never get sick of it!

When I tried this as the tea of the day, I fell in love. It was everything that I wanted Vanilla Oolong to be. Excited I bought myself a 100g tin, but somehow between the store and home, it lost its magic! I found the vanilla taste to be much more artificial than Vanilla Oolong (one of my favourites), and when oversteeped, it creates a bitter, almost tar-like aftertaste.

Overall, still a nice every day tea, but considering that there are cheaper every day teas, I likely won’t be refilling this one.