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Formosa Oolong Bay Jong from Stash Tea Company

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74/100

Formosa Oolong Bay Jong

Oolong Tea by Stash Tea Company

This beautiful oolong tea has green tea flavor notes with superb floral taste and aroma. The plants selected for oolong tea production are chosen for their strong flowery aroma and beautiful large leaves. The extraordinary quality of Formosa Oolong Bay Jong comes only from Yilan county in northeast Taiwan where the soil and climate are perfect for this type of tea. The tea estates here are situated at an elevation of over 3500 feet. The Bay Jong tea is produced in very small quantities and is available only during the early stages of the harvest. Teas harvested later in the year do not produce the same wonderful flavor.

Formosa Bay Jong Oolong is light green in color and brews a pale yellow-green cup. The large leaves unfold during brewing to show off the top two leaves and bud. The liquor is very aromatic and slightly floral. The flavor is delicate with no hint of astringency or bitterness. This tea is best enjoyed during quiet times when you can really appreciate its intricate flavor and aroma.

2 Tasting Notes

Dax Pamela Dean
62
Dax Pamela Dean 2 tasting notes

This dry tea is very loose, indeed. Long, graceful leaves with only a bit of twist, accompanied by long sections of stems make this one difficult to measure without a scale. Ten second rinse before first steep. Notes of spring meadow, asparagus, and lemon. A sweet, creamy taste and mouthfeel made me sip again and again. This is a delicate tea which requires time. Some things cannot be had from the liquor — try sniffing the steaming leaves. Then, in the 2nd steep, open your senses for artichoke, lilac and new-mown hay!

This tea shows up on both the green tea and oolong rosters at Stash. That’s because it’s a pouchong (bao zhong), or Bay Jong, as Stash has chosen to Americanize the tea designation. More confusement ….. But anyway, back to the tea.

When I first tasted this tea, several months ago, I didn’t know all that fun stuff. Now, I don’t think that knowing it has changed my taste buds all that much. I do appreciate the pouchong concept more now, since I dislike the astringency and bitterness of green tea so much. Pouchong gives me a lot of green tea flavor possibilities without risking the unwanted elements. A triumph of tea mastery, in my estimation. Does the person who made this tea know it’s being sold as “Bay Jong?” I wonder what she’d say?

Drinking green tea or a really green oolong, I feel all healthful and proud of myself. With this tea, I can do that and like what I’m drinking. The lilac notes were terribly elusive this time. The aging of the tea probably is mostly responsible for the loss, but maybe a change of temperature on the 2nd steep would help. Anyone have a suggestion which way to go — cooler or hotter?

I’m still liking the cup. The artichoke and new-mown hay are still going on. I gave the 3rd steep 9 min at 200F. Result was strong enough, but drier and less interesting.

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