Vanilla Orchid

Tea type
Oolong Tea
Ingredients
Natural Vanilla Flavor, Oolong Tea
Flavors
Vanilla, Butter, Creamy, Milk, Vegetal, Cream, Grass, Orchid, Smooth, Sweet, White Chocolate, Floral, Custard, Flowers, Orchids, Seaweed, Sweet, Warm Grass, Honey, Sugar, Tropical, Yogurt, Green, Cake, Hay, Medicinal, Mineral, Frosting
Sold in
Loose Leaf
Caffeine
Medium
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by bree
Average preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 45 sec 3 g 31 oz / 910 ml

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273 Tasting Notes View all

  • “Preliminary thoughts on the new Steepster design – awesome! I haven’t had much time to explore it yet, but it looks like a lot of suggestions have been implemented, and it looks pretty slick too....” Read full tasting note
    95
  • “This is my favorite oolong thus far. It’s lovely and light, and oh so delicious. The vanilla flavor goes together so nicely with the oolong. Although I got three steeps out of these leaves there...” Read full tasting note
    84
  • “Today is a DAVIDsTea sipdown day, which is not intentional, but isnt a bad thing at all. This starts by tasting greener, and it becomes more creamy as it cools, and the vanilla flavor is really...” Read full tasting note
    84
  • “Sunday Sipdown! A lot of bits in the bottom of the bag, but this was quite a tasty cup. A very good vanilla oolong, but I don’t think I will restock just because there are a lot of other teas out...” Read full tasting note
    79

From DAVIDsTEA

A sweet romance

We’re still searching for the secret to eternal bliss, but we’re pretty sure one cup of this blend will get you at least five minutes’ worth. It all starts with the very best leaves: a premium oolong from China’s Fujian Province called Huang Jin Gui. A popular wedding gift in China, Huang Jin Gui is prized for its pretty yellow colour and romantic floral scent. Here we bring out this special leaf’s orchid aroma with a touch of vanilla. The result? A perfectly balanced, subtle cup that’s equal parts rich, creamy and floral. Feeling blissful yet?

Ingredients: Huang Jin Gui Oolong from Anxi in Fujian Province, natural vanilla flavouring.

About DAVIDsTEA View company

DavidsTea is a Canadian specialty tea and tea accessory retailer based in Montreal, Quebec. It is the largest Canadian-based specialty tea boutique in the country, with its first store having opened in 2008.

273 Tasting Notes

95
576 tasting notes

I’m back in the land of tea and ready to go! I had to cut back for health reasons (doing an experiment) but it turns out that I was right Mr. Doctor and tea has nothing to do with my migraines. So there.

For my first cuppa back on the job, I grabbed one of this. It’s a nice, crisp, clean oolong with a kick of vanilla. I always think I use too much, even though it’s just one tsp, because the tight balls unfurl into long fingers of tea leaves.

This is just delicious! My husband loves it too (I’m working on him)…but prefers it iced.

Josie Jade

Glad you can still enjoy your tea!

KeenTeaThyme

Thanks – me too! :) :)

gmathis

Welcome back!

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97
323 tasting notes

Ooh, I love this one. One smell and I was entranced. I SO wish I’d bought more than an ounce of this. At this rate it’ll be gone tomorrow.

Incredibly rich, pure vanilla smell comes through in the dry leaf. The orchid is predominant in the first steep, and it’s more of a vanilla-smelling oolong, but on later steeps the floral dryness backs off and there’s more of that sweet, sweet vanilla. Delicious. Definitely a new must-have.

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C
Shmiracles

entranced is totally accurate! the smell of this tea will stick in your brain! mmmmm

canadianadia

I agree -delicious! This is one of my favorites

TheTeaFairy

Michelle, I think it’s the only newbie from DT I actually liked in a long time! It renders such a lovely natural vanilla creaminess , mmmm!

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1220 tasting notes

Ok now we are up to date. I kept putting this aside to try later, and finally it was time.

I didn’t smell the tea in the bag at first (though I did when I got it), and was I put some in the infuser, it was the most glorious vanilla cream scent.

This is alright. It’s really light. I guess it has been awhile since I’ve had any oolong but…I can’t taste it over the vanilla. I was hoping since they named it Vanilla Orchid, I would get those lovely orchid notes from the base tea, but not so much.

It wasn’t as amazing as I was hoping though, I have saved it though for a resteep! But that is later.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec
KeenTeaThyme

Oh no! I was looking forward to ordering this one…if it was a medley of orchid and vanilla. :(

darby

Me too! I’ll probably get it anyway next time I place an order.

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79
1598 tasting notes

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).

Ozli

You should ALWAYS use metaphors. I love your reviews. Mine will just be “haha, this tea was OK; i liked it.” :P

TeaLady441

Haha. It’s hard sometimes! But I want to remember what I liked and didn’t like about everything.

Looking forward to your reviews,even the 3-4 word ones. :)

canadianadia

Metaphors? Oooh yes please, I ❤ metaphors.

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76
107 tasting notes

1) I can’t wait until Christmas is over, and it’s not even December. We are all dead walking.

2) This tea. I can’t decide if I like it or not, to be honest. I feel like there’s nothing wrong with it, nothing to complain about, yet I don’t decisively feel as though I like it.

When I smelled the dry leaf in the store, I went right ahead and picked up the 50g bag rather than a 10g sample. It just smells that good, smooth and sweet and creamy. (Also, I really liked the mellow TOTM packaging. The last packaging I liked this much was when Southern Belle was TOTM.)

The leaves are quite large and unbroken when steeped, really something to see! A teaspoon pretty much explodes in my Tea Master.

Taste-wise, it is not overwhelmingly, artificially vanilla. There’s a creamy vanilla that rides at the back of the sip, not up front, while a floral green oolong is first and foremost. There’s a slightly sharp note to this cup that I haven’t had before, but I think that must be because I lost track of the steep time and gave it a few more minutes than usual while I was getting together some breakfast.

And maybe that’s what makes me a little unsure about it, the floral notes with the vanilla. Do I like that? Or not? Still can’t decide, but I’m still drinking it, so it can’t be bad. If I were more in love with oolongs, I’d probably adore this, but I’m still courting oolongs with some hesitation, like maybe we need to get to know each other a bit better before we move in together and split closet space.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 min, 0 sec
Cattibrie

I only got a small sample (25g) at the store and have given it away to my boss. I really was not happy with this tea. I think it might be the floral with vanilla. It left a bad aftertaste in my mouth. And I really enjoy oolongs so I am dissapointed not to like this one.

CupofTree

you mean walking dead? :)

Daniel Scott

…Er, no. Those would be zombies. We are whole and not rotting and gross and stuff. :P

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86
4169 tasting notes

Oh this one is dreamy! I love anything vanilla — thank you Michelle! The suggested steep time seemed a bit long for an oolong, but I went with it anyway. I love the sweet vanilla paired with the floral of the oolong (not sure if it tastes like orchids anyway.. never chowed down on any orchids!) And the second steep was just as good and vanillay. The leaves filled up my entire brew basket unfurled! I normally would have went for a third steep (for an oolong) but I have so many teas to try right now! I have a bit left of this one that I will enjoy anyway.

yyz

The Vanilla plant is an orchid! So you have had something derived from an orchid;) But I’m with you it’s such a diverse family how can you define an orchid taste and flavour?

tea-sipper

Whoops, somehow I forgot vanilla was an orchid. But I thought they meant the taste of the flowers or the leaves or something…

yyz

Probably, I often associate the taste ‘orchid’ with some sort of cool green floral.

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464 tasting notes

I laughed at the description when I read it after I drank this cup. “Touch of vanilla”? I think not! It’s more like someone shoved a handful of vanilla up my nose. Granted the server at the store put in a ton more leaf than I would use for the size of the cup and I steeped it rather long, so that might be a contributing factor as to why the vanilla is so overpowering.

That being said, the vanilla is a nice, natural one. It doesn’t make my throat itch like some vanilla flavorings.

As it cools, the floral tones come out to play a little. It’s subtle and sweet- very pleasant. I’m still not picking out any particular oolong taste. I’m gong to try this out for a shorter second steep.

OMGsrsly

No, no, the vanilla is like that. I prefer the second steep as I find the vanilla so overpowering.

Fuzzy_Peachkin

I did do a second steep and enjoyed it much more! It was more florally sweet and I could taste a little of the oolong.

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70
408 tasting notes

Thank you so much JustJames for sharing this Oolong with me.

I am very fond of Oolongs, I love them plain or flavoured so was excited to try this one even if a little suspiscious because of the brand.
ButI thought : it may be THE DT I would really like because it is an Oolong.

Unfortunately I cannot taste the typical Oolong notes I love so much.This Oolong tea base is not for me, very weak almost totally absent.

The positive points are the creamyness of this tea and its pleasant Vanilla (without being exceptionnal but it is a natural Vanilla).

I have other DT teas to taste thanks to JustJames, I surely find one I’ll like.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 4 min, 45 sec
TheTeaFairy

Yes This tea is a bit of a let down…I much prefer davidstea milk oolong…But it’s nice you got to try this from the wonderful james :-)

Ysaurella

I love milky Oolongs…that’s a decadent tea type !

Autistic Goblin

I might have to give the milk oolong another shot now that I own my breville variable temp kettle. I might like it more now that I can get the temp right! :D next trip to DT I’ll pick some up and see :D

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75
639 tasting notes

The dry leaf aroma is potent, creamy vanilla similar to French vanilla ice cream. The brewed tea aroma is more balanced between the vanilla and the green oolong. The vanilla scent has developed and is almost smoky. It reminds me of the way a toasted marshmallow smells once it’s been melted over a fire or vanilla baked goods hot from the oven.

The taste is scrumptious! Unfortunately, as the cup cools, there’s a new flavor developing that tastes a lot like cardboard. What is that? I never add sugar to green oolongs, but I think this one may need it. Hmm, I’m not sure if it helped or just made it worse. Floral, buttery, green oolong and creamy vanilla may just not be a good combo.

If I tell myself what I’m tasting is vanilla, then I can trick myself into thinking it’s pretty good. But if I sit and really try to figure out what the flavor is, I keep returning to cardboard. I did use extra leaf…was that where I went wrong? I think it’s mostly appearing in the aftertaste, which is why I find it so bothersome. I’m used to green oolongs having a lovely aftertaste.

And now I have a really bad case of the hiccups! I’ve been hiccupping for about 10 minutes straight and trying to sneak sips of tea in between loud outbursts. How annoying. Second steep for 4 minutes was still more vanilla/cardboard with a touch of oolong than oolong with a touch of vanilla. Oh well. I guess this beloved tea is just not my thing. I’ll see if my husband is interested in it.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec
canadianadia

Oh no! booo to the hiccups and to cardboard tasting tea. I usually use a cooler water temperature than the instructions give (sippably hot). I’m not sure if that will make a difference in the taste? If not I hope your hubby likes it :)

CHAroma

Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely try that.

Fjellrev

I don’t know what it is, but both this one and their vanilla oolong just taste… off to me. The vanilla is wrong.

CHAroma

I’m glad I’m not the only one. This tea is so universally liked, I thought there may be something wrong with my taste buds!

OMGsrsly

Now that I’ve catalogued my tea, I need to try this one again. I could drink it, but I didn’t care for it.

Fjellrev

Haha I thought I was the only one too. Cardboard sounds about right! Trying to remember what exactly was wrong with it. Their other vanilla oolong is like plastic vanilla to me.

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94
470 tasting notes

I hereby dub this tea ‘Vanilla Cupcake’ because that’s what it tastes like. Vanilla and oolong seems to be a popular combination and I’ve tried quite a few: DAVIDsTEA’s Vanilla Oolong (good, a bit artificial), Persimmon Tree’s Mandarin Silk (excellent but more citrus than vanilla), and The Tea Merchant’s Silk Dragon (perfection!). This, though, tops them all.

It’s just SO GOOD. Creamy and rich and so decadent with no sugar at all, I swear this tastes like a fluffy cupcake from Magnolia. Actually I think Crumbs has better cupcakes (blasphemy in NY, I know!) but Magnolia’s buttercream frosting is just like… the god of desserts. And that’s what this tea reminds me of!

But not just cupcakes. The oolong is pretty darn high quality for a blend, with some soft floral notes and a really nice butteriness. And then I think there’s something SERIOUSLY whack with my tastebuds because I swear halfway through the cup it started tasting like… chocolate. I mean, not a little, but chocolatier than the most chocolatey tea I’ve tasted. What is this wizardry?! What ever it is, I like it. Thanks ne14t for the sample!

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