Oolong owl, I blame you for this one. I was looking for some Himalayan based oolong, and got a little container of this from Young Mountain Tea. The dry cocoa aroma is very noticeable, though it reminded me a little bit of carob too. Char described this as one of the best teas from the Northwest Tea Festival, and that was saying something since she does not prefer this kind of tea.
Looking at it, it kinda looked like a maofeng black snail. The company describes it’s notes as “Rosewater, Dark Chocolate and Cherries”. I’ve only done it western so far, and it is very durable and smooth, but it reminds me more of a black tea than an oolong, and it is not as resteepable as others. I do REALLY like this one, but it is pretty straightforward in taste for the price. It is more akin to an Oriental Beauty and other blacks, and the cocoa-cherry notes are the most dominant with some fall leafy vibes too. I was hoping for some pepper to give it some kick, but not, it’s super forgiving.
I’m not sure what to rate it yet. I need some time to think.