I got this tea from Ricky, but I think I should have asked him about steeping parameters since I sort of had to guesstimate based on what the Lupicia site recommended. It ended up being one scoop/teaspoon in an average-sized coffee mug for 2 min in 90ºC water. If anyone had sucess with anything different I’d love to hear about it.
Dry it looks much like any other rolled oolong and it doesn’t really smell any different from one either. For some reason I was expecting this really sweet, perfumy tea, but it’s probably just as well that it isn’t. What the scent does remind me of is a Ti Kuan Yin, but with a bit more robust bakeiness.
The taste starts out with a strong bakey flavour aswell, but it changes abruptly into a clear, slightly sweet, uplifting taste which I think might be the osmanthus flavour.
The 2nd steeping (@ 3 mins) is considerably less bakey and much lighter and smoother. This steeping is sweeter too, with the same little clear, uplifting hint of ‘something’ else at the end.
I actually have no clue as well since they don’t label it on the tins.