Afternoon is time for oolong.
It appears I have only written a note on one of the Adagio flavored oolongs in the sampler, the grapefruit. Time to try another.
I’m going to try something I haven’t tried before: steeping oolong in the Breville. This should be interesting.
I’m not excited by the smell coming out of the sample tin. It is suggestive of almond, but in a sort of Almond Joy way. There’s what smells to me like some sort of artificial sweetener along with the almond.
Actually, it smells like Play Doh. Unfortunate.
The dry leaves are dark green to brown and I see some twigs in the mix as well as the slices of almond.
I got a dark yellow liquor with a peachy-brown tinge. The tea’s aroma is definitely almond-y, with something that smells like vanilla to me, too. I’m not smelling the toasty Formosa oolong scent I’d expect. If it’s there, the flavoring is keeping it well under wraps.
But here’s the surprise—as with the grapefruit, despite early indications to the contrary, I’m finding it a pleasing drink. Though not, I think as pleasing as the grapefruit. I remember that well, and the citrus gave that tea a brightness that worked well with the concept of oolong. The almond, though, is a little on the heavy side for an oolong flavoring and seems rather more glommed on to the tea base than having a synergistic effect with it.
During the sip, the almond flavor is almost like vanilla, but in the finish, the nuttiness comes through and the aftertaste is definitely almond: that greenish, woody, somewhat sweet nutty flavor that almonds leave in your mouth after you’ve eaten them.
It’s hard to know how to rate this because the oolong aspect is secondary to the almond flavor. I’d definitely drink it again were I in the mood for this flavor, but I wouldn’t necessarily pick it if I was in an oolong frame of mind. I should probably try it other than using the Breville before I finally commit, so the rating here is provisional.
I did try a second steep, but the almond flavor was much more subdued and there wasn’t a lot that came to the fore to replace it.
I don’t think this will end up on the shopping list, though I do think almond oolong would be a nice addition to my cupboard. If I can’t find one I like better than this, I may rethink it.
Very nice review :-)
TY, TF!