Been saving this one for a while. Aged Tung Ting, ca. 1980, Formosa Oolong.
A 34 year old Tung Ting (yes, from 1980), from when it was still hand rolled in Taiwan, which makes for looser tea clusters, requiring firing at higher temperatures for preservation, in turn producing a richer, more robust tea.
I’m sold.
Actually, I didn’t have to be. This was a sample sent to me from Red Blossom along with an order from several months ago, and I’ve been waiting for a good time to try it. Patience is not my best virtue, so I got sick of waiting and… here we go!
I didn’t use my large tea pot for this one, as I only got a 1 ounce sample. I used my tea ball and set it into a large ceramic mug. I can tell just by looking at it this is something special. Deep reddish in color, very rich and smooth in aroma.
The taste. Is. Amazing. So rich, so smooth. Just a hint of that roasted goodness brings out the richness even more. Hints of cocoa dance on the tip of my tongue. And did I mention it was smooth? So smooth. I could use the word velvet. Like the first bike of a Red Velvet Cake, the way the taste overwhelms the taste buds, the heavens align, and for just that moment, all is well in the world.
This may be the best tea I have ever tried. If, in the end, it is, I’d be OK with that.
-E
Flavors: Cocoa, Plum, Roasted, Smooth
