Orchid Oolong

Oh my! The aroma of the dry leaves is amazing, but I think you will love it or hate it. My first thought was that I had smelled this before…Desitin! No offense, but it really really smelled like baby rash ointment! When the leaves unfold they are HUGE.

Next, the most important part. How does it taste? The aroma is softer now, and more like a fine jasmine. Since I don’t really smell orchid often I am comparing this to something I do know and I have a lot of jasmine growing here. This is so much better than my jasmine black tea from Southern Season. The jasmine hits you on the head like a brick in that one, and the base is nothing to write home about. But this, ahh, this is NICE! Lovely oolong base, lovely lovely level of orchid. This is definitely floral, so if you don’t like floral don’t drink it. But it isn’t “get the soap of my mouth” floral like some scented teas. The aroma of the tea as I sip now transports me to the loveliest Asian garden I can imagine. I just want to sit here and sigh and drink tea in the silence. As much silence as one can have with three kids and two big dogs in the house, anyway. (Hi, Sandy! Yes, Sasha and Sable are here enjoying the a/c and the cheese!)

Thank you, Quiltguppy, for this lovely tea experience!

Ahh, floral oolongs: my latest obsession. I’ve always loved jasmine teas, and then I discovered rose-scented teas, but my world opened up when I discovered that other flowers can also be used to scent teas, and that high quality oolongs can be incredibly floral on their own, and the combination of the two is often spectacular. This is another courtesy of the lovely QuiltGuppy!

The dry leaves smell slightly floral, but it seems like it’s a very different floral than the brewed aroma. I think I’m getting mostly the oolong itself: vegetal but darker and richer than a green.

It’s definitely a very floral tea, but it’s not overpowering (for me at least). In the aroma of the steeped tea you still get the green, vegetal notes of the oolong base, which also come through in the flavor. The orchid flavor reminds me of the magnolia oolong I had recently, and thus reminds me a bit of jasmine as well. This tea isn’t one of those florals that is so floral that it’s sweet; that’s tempered a quite a bit by the oolong notes. I think the two play off each other well, delivering a floral tea that isn’t too overpowering. Overall I’m really enjoying this tea; thanks for another awesome experience, QG!

This tea smells delightful when dry. It’s floral and smooth.
195F(90C)/3 min
The orchid scent is literally wafting into my kitchen. Yes, it’s a very floral tea. The taste is nice. The oolong itself is fresh and pairs well with the orchid. I think this was an enjoyable tea, but the floral flavor is really intense. This oolong requires a certain level of tolerance for floral tea.