As my user name suggests, I love bug-bitten teas, and the roast on this one intrigued me enough to buy it. I steeped 5 g of leaf in a 120 ml teapot at 190F for 30, 25, 30, 40, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, and 240 seconds.
The first steep is pretty mild. The sweetness jumps out at me immediately, along with roasted sesame seeds and grilled tropical fruits. The mouthfeel is heavy and fuzzy, and there’s just a hint of astringency. By the second steep, I can tell this is definitely a “mi xiang” oolong, as the tea has the honey, florals, and kind of sour finish I associate with bug-bitten teas. The roast seems to be more prominent at the beginning of the sip, and the bug-bitten character at the end.
In the next few steeps, the roast is very well incorporated, really letting the fruit and honey shine through. I still can’t pick out individual fruit flavours, though grilled pear, pineapple, and other tropical fruits all make an appearance. If there’s one downside, it’s that this tea becomes drying easily, though that might be due to my brewing.
By the seventh steep, the fruit and honey begin to dissipate and the roast starts to take over. The tea gradually diminishes from here.
This is an interesting and complex oolong, and like most of the offerings from Taiwan Sourcing that I’ve tried, I thoroughly enjoy it!
Flavors: Drying, Floral, Grain, Honey, Pear, Pineapple, Pleasantly Sour, Roasted, Rose, Stewed Fruits, Tangy, Tropical
