85

I got this in a swap from Mandy! Thanks, dear! I have recently discovered a love for oxidized oolongs, and I love maple, so this is a no brainer. The dry leaves are beautiful – very large and jet black, spindly and spiky like some creepy tree’s branches. There are a couple of big pieces of pecan in mine. Dry, this smells like… alcohol. Ick. Hopefully that doesn’t continue on to the brewed aroma! I was surprised that the recommended temperature is 170 degrees, seems low for an oolong to me. But I will follow it because Stacy certainly knows her own teas better than I do! :P

Yay, the alcohol smell is gone! I definitely smell maple, and there’s a creamy nuttiness from the pecans. Underneath, I catch the scent of autumn leaves from the oolong. Well, I’m now happy about the 170 degree temperature because I get to drink it faster, hah! Honestly, I was expecting this to be stronger considering Mandy’s sample was a bit of a generous 1.5 tsp. But it is definitely delicious! The flavoring is roughly equal in strength to the base tea, so I get to taste them both, which is very nice considering I was curious about the oolong base too. It’s maple first, then I get that creamy, nutty pecan flavor toward the end of the sip. Finding this a bit astringent plain.

I added vanilla soymilk to the second half of my cup, and I think I prefer it this way. The creaminess of the milk really brings out the nutty side of the tea, but the maple is still there too, especially at the end. Yum! This is how I would most likely drink this tea if I were to buy it. Thanks Mandy!

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Creamy, Maple, Nuts, Pecan

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Ost

Oh my word…seriously one of my favorite teas. I bought like 6oz from the sale. 0_0 I can’t wait. Gonna go through it so fast.

Cameron B.

I liked it, but I didn’t really find it to be amazing plain. Good with the soy milk, though. :)

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Ost

Oh my word…seriously one of my favorite teas. I bought like 6oz from the sale. 0_0 I can’t wait. Gonna go through it so fast.

Cameron B.

I liked it, but I didn’t really find it to be amazing plain. Good with the soy milk, though. :)

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- October sipdowns: 2
- Total 2024 sipdowns: 131

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/tea...

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