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drank Cape Jasmine Oolong by Tea Ave
122 tasting notes

Thanks ashmanra once again for the sample exchange! I’ve been thinking about ordering with the sale they have running at Tea Ave, but I wanted to try all the teas at my disposal first. This is the last one I needed to try (but not the last I need to write a note about- that tasty Tie Kwan Yin still sitting in my sample box!).
First steep 45 sec: This is not my first Jasmine scented oolong (Lupicia took that coin!), but it’s much smother than any I have had. The gorgeous base is really what elevates it. The jasmine flavor is present, but not terribly strong or sweet. This first steep is a little weak for me, even though I used my standard western style parameters. I think the short steep short-changed me here; the leaves are still tightly curled.
Second steep: 1:30: Still rather vague in flavor. Maybe I miss the strength of the gongfu session last weekend! I feel the familiar buttery, fresh veggie sweetness of the base tea coming through on this steep. There is almost a sour note on the first part of the sip. Like nectar that has gone past it’s prime.
Third steep: 2:00: This is absolutely the lightest jasmine tea I have ever tasted. I am mostly enjoying the base tea at this point, which is contributing the velvety mouth-feel I’ve come to expect from it to a slight touch of jasmine-nectar, of which I cannot even smell. I was hoping this tea would be the oolong version of Verdant’s Yunnan White Jasmine, but alas, the Jasmine is much too light for me. By no means does that mean I didn’t enjoy this cup, but it just didn’t knock my socks off like the magnolia! Maybe I need the full Jasmine Oolong from Tea Ave instead?

Flavors: Jasmine, Smooth

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 1 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML
4 comments
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ashmanra
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I agree with you, Cape Jasmine is a bit light for my tastes but would delight those who are fearful of florals. Magnolia was my #1 and I think Jasmine would be delightful as well.

Equusfell
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Did you ever put an order together? I’m contemplating one with their current sale… Really hard for me to hit 75 though; I guess I need some tins anyways?

ashmanra
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I keep changing it so I haven’t placed it yet! I keep adding teaware and then taking it off because I have soooo much teaware but I love their colors! I am thinking now that I am going to go heavier on tea and less on teaware.

ashmanra
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BTW, one nice thing about using the gift card…you have to hit $75 but at that point shipping becomes free also, instead of being $15, so I am telling myself I am saving $30 by ordering this much. LOL!

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ashmanra
Delete

I agree with you, Cape Jasmine is a bit light for my tastes but would delight those who are fearful of florals. Magnolia was my #1 and I think Jasmine would be delightful as well.

Equusfell
Delete

Did you ever put an order together? I’m contemplating one with their current sale… Really hard for me to hit 75 though; I guess I need some tins anyways?

ashmanra
Delete

I keep changing it so I haven’t placed it yet! I keep adding teaware and then taking it off because I have soooo much teaware but I love their colors! I am thinking now that I am going to go heavier on tea and less on teaware.

ashmanra
Delete

BTW, one nice thing about using the gift card…you have to hit $75 but at that point shipping becomes free also, instead of being $15, so I am telling myself I am saving $30 by ordering this much. LOL!

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Bio

I started drinking something other than Sleepytime in my first year of grad school, 2011. Enabled by a few decent local tea shops in a big city, I amassed a small cupboard of teas that I now find harsh and bad (haha, I’m getting in too deep!). With my move back to the US and subsequent geographic isolation from tea shops, I recently discovered the world of online tea vendors.
My cupboard is slowly growing but still small. Regardless I am interested in swaps, if you find something in my collection that you would like to try, ask away! I just can’t guarantee yet that I have a lot of it!
I’m very into Jade oolongs and anything that has a floral character (especially jasmine, rose, violet, and lychee scented things!). Most green teas, excepting the extremely bitter, are good in my book, and again I seek sweeter, fresher, greener types, though nutty/savory teas have their place (as long as they don’t tip over into salty!). I then to shy away from smokey or overly roasted teas and for this reason and the fact that I am not a fan of chocolate, everyone’s favorite blacks and wuyi oolongs tend to fall flat for me. White teas are alright but I don’t tend to reach for them unless they are floral scented. I rarely drink herbals, chamomile and I do not get along, but a basic vanilla rooibos, or some flavored green rooibos’ can be interesting.
In general, it could be said that I tend toward floral and sweet oolong, sheng (as well as moonlight whites and yabaos), matcha, and green teas.

As of now my rating system follows the school grading scale in terms of how well the tea performs and how well I like it (100-90 A, 89-80 B, etc.). Anything above 90 will eventually end up in my cupboard, though it’s fine to keep a B student around for daily drinkers!

Location

Athens, Ohio

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