Extra Fancy Formosa Oolong

I am determined to get something out of this tea besides barely-there-wood flavored water. This tea is supposed to be “Extra Fancy”… am I missing something? Will I have another fataliTEA on my hands or will I be able to salvage what is left of my sample bag?

Okay, it is official. I know this is an unflavored oolong, but would it be too much to ask for just a bit of some sort of flavor? Some body? Something? I gave up and mixed about half a packet of white hot cocoa in the tea which makes the cocoa just a tiny bit more interesting due to the tiny wood-like taste of the tea. I will either use the remaining tea in cocoa or may just throw it out. I don’t know, but I’m docking some major points.

I made two infusions of this tea earlier and I enjoyed it more this time around. I still didn’t find any of the sweet notes or have the brew change significantly from one infusion to the next, but since I wasn’t expecting those things I was able to appreciate the tea for what it is. A lightly toasty wood-like tea.

Alright, I’m finishing up the 4th infusion of this tea from last evening. The color is still fairly dark, although in the brown/honey stage now. I’m not getting a lot of bold flavor from the tea though. It could just be that I’m not quite awake yet. I mean, it doesn’t take like plain water but I’m not sure there is enough of a taste to justify making a 4th infusion again. Unfortunately, I never got a lot of variation between infusions. I will try this again on another day to see if I can pull more out of it. As for now, I feel like it is a good plain oolong, but I’m not so sure about the Extra Fancy part.

2nd infusion is like a lightly toasted wood in a good way. At least I think it is good. I have to say this plain oolong is much more interesting than the flavored ones I’ve had. I’m still not going to rate this as I’m waiting for some other flavors to shine through (sweetness? fruity? floral?)

Oh, as the leaves begin to unfurl they are really cute. They remind me of miniature fall leaves complete with a mixture of red, green, and brown hues.

I think I’ve been avoiding this one because I really WANT to like it, but it is just okay. I’m going to give it another shot today. It definitely is drinkable, but I want it to blow me away. I have a feeling there is something special about this, but I haven’t been getting it. I went heavier on the leaf, made sure the water was boiling and steeped for 4 minutes rather than the usual 3.

The verdict? Hmm…better than I remember. The mouthfeel is thicker and I don’t feel like I’m just drinking hot water. I’m catching a grape-like scent in the aroma, similar to that of the Darjeeling I’ve been drinking. The taste is much the same as previous attempts, but much fuller. I’ll have to see what happens as this cools, but I may raise the rating if it truly stays in the better than last time category.

3rd infusion is still a bit on the toasted wood side but has a sweeter aftertaste. I’m fairly certain this will last for at least a couple more infusions as the strength has not diminished.

The last of this tasty Taiwanese oolong. It shall be (moderately) missed.