Even though it was a green tea tasting, after exclaiming over the Ola’a tea, also from Hawaii, the wonderful Stefanie prepared this oolong for us, as it is also of Hawaiian origin. This is a tea that was meant to be prepared gong fu style: slowly, with great respect, and with as many resteeps as possible.
It starts as a dark vegetal flavour, mellowing into a sweet note that’s between floral and fruity. Tina described it as being like jasmine without the actual jasmine. There’s also a spicy note on top of the sweet, of nutmeg or cardamom. This is a tea that can be sipped a hundred tips and taste of a hundred different things. We lingered over our cups and it was like watching clouds, calling out everything you saw – this one looks like a bunny, that one tastes like a chai.
Again, I was very lucky to be able to try this special offering. Drink Hawaiian tea!
