Milk Oolong

Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for sending this tea my way! I am always happy to try an Oolong!

I have tasted a lot of Oolong teas, but very few Milk Oolong teas.

Heavenly! Soft, fluffy cloud-like! It has a thick, creamy texture like whole milk, and such a delicious flavor that is sweet, nutty and vegetative. This is quite possibly the most perfect Milk Oolong I’ve ever tasted. Fantastic!!!

I have been waiting a very long time to try a milk oolong.

I blame this delay on the Steepster Select feature. Just at the point at which I’m considering buying more tea, something awesome gets featured and I find myself set back. Fortunately, this last select had me browsing around thePuriTea’s site, and I gleefully added milk oolong to my order.

I’m into savory teas. Creamy stuff is a weakness, but I don’t often add additives to my tea at all.

Was it worth the wait?

I think so. :)

Opening the bag, it smelled like the candy I enjoyed eating most when I was in Japan — Milky. Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s quite possible to get completely sick of milk candy in a very short period of time, but for that brief time, it is a glorious treat.

Similarly, there is a Brazilian candy that I can’t remember the name of, and it essentially consists of caramel (their caramel is rather different from ours, a bit grainy, a bit milky, and not nearly as sweet) pressed between two very thin wafers of some kind — I mean thin like a communion wafer or something, not like a wafer cookie. Those are also very delicious, and that is also what the aroma of the tea reminds me of — oolong, overlaid with that faint milky sweetness characteristic of both types of candy.

I’m not sure why I don’t connect those types of candy to milk. I never thought Milky tasted like milk, but I could tell you for certain that it was milk candy. Does that make sense? I’m sure it doesn’t, but it’s true.

Yeah. Cup is disappearing with a ferocious swiftness. Milk candy atop oolong floral notes (always gardenia to me, for whatever reason)…slightly caramel-y, but the almost-salty-very-creamy caramel of other countries, not the heavily-sugar-syrup caramel of ours.

This is…delectable. Oh, yes.

I have read — somewhere, I forget where — that some exporting tea companies flavor their milk oolongs (and other teas, like Lapsangs, for instance). I don’t know how one would determine whether or not that has been done to a tea, but I fervently hope that this tea experience is not manufactured. The thought of a plant producing something as sinfully good as what I’m sipping right now is just too lovely, and it would make me sad if it had been mucked-about-with.

Of course I’ve wanted to try this one for a while now, so I was glad when it came back in stock after being out of stock for so long, and even more glad when I got a fantastic deal on samples on cyber monday. I finally got airtight pouches that I can put this tea in after I open my sample pack, so I was finally able to break into this one. A lot of people really love this tea, so my expectations are high!

The dry tea smells much like other milk oolongs I’ve tried, with that buttery, creamy, slightly caramely, condensed milk aroma. I have to admit that I’m busy and was distracted drinking this one, so maybe it wasn’t the best conditions for a review, but also it kind of says something that I was able to somewhat distractedly drink this one. I wasn’t wowed. The flavors are a little weak, so I’m wondering if a steep temp closer to what I usually use for oolongs (~195°F), or a longer steep time would improve it. What’s there is nice… a little buttery, a little peachy-creamy, with a nice sweet taste, but I just can’t really get excited about it. It doesn’t blow me away like I was expecting. I have a decent sized sample, so maybe another time.

I’ve only had a few milk oolongs so far and I have liked them but at the same time they are all quite different.

This one tastes like almond milk or coconut milk, almost. Sweet but nutty and creamy.

The leaves really puff out so not much loose leaf is needed to infuse! This is screaming 2nd infusion so I might try it…

This is a neat smell and neat…VERY different…and I’d agree MIND BLOGGLING! But FUN!

First tea of the afternoon…..

I need to try this so I can be sure it is something I need in my cupboard. Turns out, it really is. The thing I cannot get over is the price. It seems so much more affordably priced than any other milk oolong out there. I have to admit that I rather enjoyed the Milk Oolong from American Tea Room, but the price is a little scary.

I have to agree with other reviewers about the sample packaging. While it is cute, and I feel that the samples are secure, there is the matter of how to store them once they are opened. Luckily, I am a motivated sampler of teas, so I figure something out. I am not sure others would feel the same way. I did get a great deal on the samples, and I caught a free shipping deal, so in all, I am very happy with my order.

Buttery and smooth without much of a veggie taste, just like I read in another review. I can drink this straight up and rather enjoy it. Now I just need to decide how much to buy….

15 oz mug, 180 water, 3 minutes, about 2 tsp tea.

This is my first milk oolong and I can tell this will be the first of more to come. It is amazing and delicious. It is sweet, creamy but not in a rich sort of way, just smooth. I allowed it to cool and it just got sweeter and happier. I can tell this will be the start of a beautiful relationship.

Thank you, thepuriTea for this sample.

Definitely not in love with this one like everyone else is. I think, however, that it’s because this sample picked up some other flavours, not because this is a bad tea. I can almost imagine the creaminess here, but it’s masked by a fruitiness which is not unpleasant, but not characteristic of any oolong I’ve had, and I doubt it’s how this one is supposed to taste. Perhaps I’ll try another sample of this one in the future, but I won’t be too heartbroken if that doesn’t happen, because I am in love with the DavidsTea version (and will be trying the Teavivre flavoured version soon, which I’m quite excited about!)

I’m so excited to try this!! My order came in just a few days!! I love buttery, creamy flavors. I think they are wonderful in tea. And I’m happy to say that this milk oolong does not disappoint! :)

Tastes smooth, buttery and…“green” in a tropical jungle sort of way—like pandan leaves. There’s a refreshing hint of orchid and freshly cut grass in the aftertaste.

The scent partly reminds me of sticky rice with condensed milk and coconut—but it’s not “heavy” or “thick” like the buttered popcorn scent of other milk oolongs. Also, this seems to be more “floral” than the others—like the condensed milk is mixed in with gardenias and other creamy white flowers. _{(but maybe they all really do have the same supplier—who knows?? ;) Everything is subjective.)}

The overall effect is very nice—I like it. :)

If I had to describe this tea one word: luscious.

Backlogging Wednesday

Inspired by reviews read early in the morning, I decided to do my blasphemous cold-brew for this Milk Oolong. The sample pack contains two individual servings like the others, so if it goes awry, I can try again later. The scent of the dried tea is very light, a slight creaminess, a hint of fruit – strawberry maybe, and a toasty oolong aroma.

As I said, blasphemous: full serving of tea, no additives, ¼ cup hot water, rest cold water, infusion time 3 hours before I got to it. The brew is similar in aroma. The taste is creamy and slightly nutty with a fruity and sweet end-note.

This was all in my travel mug, so I actually got the chance to brew up another cup using these leaves. I was surprised that after such a long infusion this morning, I could STILL get flavor out of these leaves. All hot water this time, again, no additives, infusion 5 minutes. This time, I drank the tea hot, it still have the nutty and creamy flavor and the strawberry finishing note, but the sweetness had subsided. So as the tea was cooler and infused longer it got sweeter – NOT more bitter, very nice.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable tea, the next purchase I make from thepuriTea will have to include more of this…

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp, one entire sample bag
Water: 2 Zarafina cups
Tool: Zarafina Oolong-Loose-Medium
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: milky (dairy), vegetal, sweet
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, vegetal, milky (dairy)
Flavor: smooth, silky, smooth, vegetal, astringent, sweet
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: a touch bitter and astringent
Liquor: Translucent light yellow-brown

This tea was one of 5 samples I received from thepuriTea. It arrived well packaged in pretty pillow boxes (see pictures for a side angle of the pillow box if you are unsure what I mean) with packing peanuts and business cards.

Resteep: Zarafina Oolong-Loose-Medium, a milder vegetal taste, still smooth and sweet

At first there were barely 2 tsp of tightly rolled leaf balls scattered across the steeping basket of the Zarafina. They were a little smaller than most jasmine pearls I have seen, but not by much. After steeping the basket was stuffed full of large, gorgeous, but a bit ragged, green leaves. The leaves expanded most impressively!

Oolongs and I have a hit or miss relationship, this one I did enjoy. I think I should have tried “Mild” on the first steep though. The second steep was more enjoyable than the first as it was a lighter vegetal taste with the same sweetness and smoothness of the first steep. Unfortunately I had to run so I did not get to try further steeps but the flavor was still very strong and I fully believe it would have easily supported another steep if not more.

This is not so impressive I am running out to buy it right now, but it is a sure addition to any thepuriTea order I place in the future. The flavor itself is a high quality enjoyable flavor but it’s the mouth-feel and body that make it memorable.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/06/thepuritea-loose-leaf-oolong-tea-milk.html

Holy buttery goodness! When I opened the sample package I was hit with a yummy buttery smell and I was in love. Oolongs are quickly becoming a favorite tea of mine. I was once scared of them, but thankfully I’ve moved on to embrace them. Anyway…this one is very yummy. The leaves opened up beautifully as they steeped they look so pretty in the travel tumbler. As to the taste of the tea, so rich and creamy! I’m really in love now. I also enjoy DavidsTea’s Milk Oolong, but I think I like this just a tiny bit more. It is just so smooth and not a hint of veggie to it which I don’t mind, I also don’t miss it either. This might need to be in the tea pantry at all times.

NOM!

This is a wonderful milk oolong. Smooth, creamy, lovely mouthfeel, mellow flavor. Beautiful yellow colored liquor, amazing expando-leaf that grows to 3 times it’s size. This may be my favorite milk oolong so far. I think I need more of this!

Someone threw out my Jasmine Pearl tea leaves before I could do another steeping so I went for this one next. This is a really great tea. I’ve never had Milk Oolong before this recent order. I got a sampler size and it’s good. I’m still trying to decide if it’s milk it tastes like or something else. Whatever it is, it’s like the others have been saying…yummy! The brew is a pale greenish yellow. The aroma is wonderful and matches the flavor well. If you haven’t had this tea before, get some quality stuff and try it. I haven’t tried other brands but this one from thePuriTea is worth the price! Standard disclaimer…I have no connection with them other than as a customer.

Thank you so much to SimplyJenW for sending me a sample of this! This tea blew my mind. Not in the sense that it tasted so good that my mind overloaded, (it does taste quite terrific mind you), but because it is alleged to be nothing but pure camellia sinensis. It’s very buttery and creamy, which kind of put me off at first smell, but once I took a sip I realized I was mistaken in my initial assessment. The best part, for me personally, is the aftertaste, when that creamy taste that’s lingering in my mouth mixes with the vegetal taste that I’ve come to expect from the greener oolong teas. That vegetal taste gets slightly stronger with subsequent infusions, but the creamy buttery taste is ever-present, and stays powerful long after the first infusion. I’m intrigued by this tea and may just have to buy myself some.

Personally, this oolong is not for me. It has a vegetative flavor w/a creamy mouth feel….Just not a fan- I won’t even rate it as this seems to be a popular oolong…

Thanks to threewhales I’m getting to try another milk oolong! I definitely oversteeped this a bit but it isn’t bitter. The texture is a bit creamier than others I’ve tried, but I’m just not sure that I love milk oolongs. However, this is a pretty good one and I’m enjoying it!

Smells fantastic . . . bright, sweet and beautiful! Tastes like those strawberry n’ cream candies and not much else as I’m left with a combination of ho-hum grassy and candy flavor in my mouth. It’s just . . . shallow.

Unfortunately, that seems to be a trend with teas from this company; teas with amazing aroma and zero substance. Very in-your-face and one-dimensional.

I guess I would use this to wean somebody off of full blown flavored teas?

So I finally bought the famous Milk Oolong from thepuriTea and I have to say it’s simply amazing. What a tea. I’m so happy my Steepster buddies came through and suggested this tea. I steeped it using the gong fu or flash method as suggested in their preparation tab.
Tea: 2 healthy tea spons
Water: 180
Steeping: Rinsed the tea once. 1st Steep: 1 minute, 2nd Steep 1.5 min and the rest between 1.5-2. Got about 7 steeps out of it.

Great tea. I can’t wait to try more of their teas!

I got this as a free sample. Dry this smells kind of sweet and abit of dark oolong. I steeped it up and this tastes sweet sort of vanilla like and abit of a dark 0olong. This is good.

I had to try Milk Oolong sooner or later just to know what it’s all about. This one had spectacular reviews, so I went with it. I didn’t expect to like Milk Oolong based on descriptions, and, unfortunately, it turns out that my expectations were right.

The dry leaves and the brewed cup smell very buttery. I had a very buttery flavored tea before and it was not my cuppa, so I was afraid to take the first sip of this one. The flavor is not so buttery, though. The first taste I get is very similar to a green tea; sort of vegetal. I almost thought I was going to like it. But then there’s a coconut after taste. I knew of the potential coconut encounters going into this, but sometimes descriptions don’t always match my personal experiences, so I had to give it a chance.

I can now officially say that Milk Oolong isn’t my thing.