I’ve been looking forward to trying this for ever! It has such love here on Steepster.
I am making myself put this through short steeps in the gaiwan, even though I suspect that as a flavored oolong it’s not necessary to go through the trouble. I know not everyone views going through short steeps as trouble, too, so don’t hate on me for that, k?
The smell out of the packet is of amazingly juicy peaches. It’s a pretty tea, too (see picture at top).
The first steep (15 seconds, 195F) is a butter yellow color and clear and it smells like — white peaches! It’s pretty amazing how they were able to get the flavor to be so specific. Not just a generic peach approximation, but a definite variety. Wow. I have to say that pouchong is an especially effective flavor delivery vehicle. I’ve generally been impressed with flavored pouchongs. The tea has a soft mouthfeel and a lightness that isn’t weakness but is more a general uplift. It doesn’t weigh you down. The smell in the cup after the tea is gone is amazingly confectionery. Like some sort of very light pastry, a meringue maybe.
Second steep, 20 sec. Smoother than the first go around, with the peach flavor very much in the fore. Very mild and easy on the stomach.
Third steep, 25 sec. Not really. I got distracted (no. 1 called) and it steeped for longer than 25 seconds. I don’t know how long, exactly. It could have been as much as a minute.
But in any case, it’s more peachy goodness. And something that is slightly like coconut!
As peach flavored teas go, this is a star. As flavored oolongs go, this is also a star. Rating accordingly.
Flavors: Coconut, Meringue, Peach
Love, love, love all of Lupicia’s fruit oolongs. Some of their best offerings, in my opinion. ❤