Camellia formosensis is the native Taiwanese tea species. I don’t think it’s often seen on the market. It has been crossed with a Burmese assamica leaf to create the Hong Yu T-18 cultivar, which is known as Red Jade.
This oolong hasn’t gotten positive reviews here. Told myself when I first had it a few years ago that I’d try it again. So here we are with a Winter 2020 harvest.
It tastes pretty much the same as Spring 2018 but with less bite and maybe lower toned, or at least with less high notes. It’s a tonal tasting tea for me — savory-herbaceous green and roasted nutty-toasted rice brown. This tea isn’t roasted though, so I assume the roasty-toasty deal is because of oxidation. Juicy and a little drying. There is some creaminess and a tangy tone that’s lemony, balanced by a little bitterness and sweetness. Mild earthy-foral aftertaste with a bit stronger sugarcane returning sweetness. It’s kind of like a savory sake.
Nothing really draws me to this tea other than its uniqueness. It’s a nice change of pace.
Flavors: Creamy, Earth, Flowers, Herbaceous, Herbs, Lemon, Roasted Nuts, Sake, Savory, Smooth, Sugarcane, Tangy, Toasted Rice, Walnut
