Steeped this according to the instructions on the package. Just off boiling and for about a minute and a half. Maybe a bit longer because I didn’t hit the timer on my microwave immediately.
I added sweetener because I do that. The smell of the tea is really that of grains, like the descriptions say. I’m not picking up any carmelized sugar yet. Waiting for it to cool off enough not to burn my tongue.
Keep in mind for this review, I am a relative newbie to oolongs and this might be my first taste of a Red Robe. I’m expecting to like it, but my tastes haven’t really evolved enough to identify what I pick up. I have a good memory for ‘I have tasted this before’ and a bad memory for ‘and this is what it is called’.
The first steep of this tastes rather grainy as well. Not in a bad way, like really nice bread but without the chewiness. This is still rather hot for me to be drinking this, I’ll wait for it to cool down a little before drinking more.
As it cools, more sweetness comes out and I’m getting a sugarish taste but not quite caramelized. Still a very nice tea. This never got quite caramelized sugar, but it got much sweeter for me as it cooled to just above room temperature. All in all a very nice tea.
If something changes in further steeps, I shall come back and edit this note.