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This one’s a beauty and right up my alley. This silver oolong has a profile that I adore in white, green, and some Darjeeling teas. The flavour is a touch floral, which is carried through in the aroma, with a strong “muscatel” presence (flowery, grapey, citrus, fruity, sweet). Even with the tangy citrus notes, It’s a pretty smooth, almost silky, cup.

I’m only on steep two but I can see myself drinking this all day and night; this is yet another offering from Watch-Cha teas to give me that compulsion. Only downside is now I don’t want to drink my flavoured dessert teas. The natural flavours in these are fantastic enough, and I can actually taste tea!

Steep Count: 4

(2016 Harvest)

This was included as a free sample in my order.

This made a nice cup of fruity dessert tea, and seems like a possible alternative for Vicky’s Spongecake from Bluebird Tea Co; I have a soft spot for that tea. I can taste cherry, raspberry, cream, and frosting. The darjeeling base pokes through a tad, but it isn’t overly memorable or intrusive on first impression.

“Something in this room smells like popcorn and butter. Now I want food.”- Dad

This may be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Steeped, the cup can be smelled a room away, and I can control my father’s desire to make popcorn with it.

I accidentally steeped the first two cups at too hot a temperature (95C/204F) and it’s not as good. Don’t do that.

Steep Count: 4

(2016 fall harvest)

It’s sweet. It’s floral. It’s alright.

I’ve never met an osmanthus flower in person so I can’t vouch for them.

Had this both in western and gongfu style and it consistently tastes the same.

(2016 harvest)

I picked this tea up at random and had to look up Shan Lin Xi later to figure out what it was all about (I’m an oolong noob). I wish Camellia Sinensis provided a little more info than the bare-bones spiel about this being a high-altitude Taiwanese oolong, but I’m willing to forgive them because it’s delicious.

First steep (3min) tastes like vanilla-coconut with a long sweet finish. There’s some floral oolong action going on, with a little butter.

Second steep (1min) introduces a berry element. The finish that’s exceptionally fruity, reminiscent of a cherry sundae. It’s vibrant and lingering, and has me questioning my tongue.

Third steep mellows things out. The long finish is sweet vanilla cream. Ice cream in a cup.

Steep count: 5

(2016 Harvest)

Made this as a latte.

The prevailing flavours this round are cherries, raisins and something like brown sugar. It’s pleasant but I was expecting more “oomph” based on the dry leaf aroma, which is incredibly syrupy.

Will play around with the steeping parameters next time to see if I can get more out of it!

I don’t think I’ll ever be a fan of red rooibos, but this one tastes alright! I don’t even experience the usual exponential dread at the idea of drinking it. Huzzah!

Tastes of stonefruits, sleep, non-imposing roobios. I tend to chug it down before going to bed so I haven’t noted the subtitles, but I like it.

Too bad it was discontinued, but I’m glad I got the chance to try it (over and over again, because I bought the biggest pouch ever). Thanks for the great recommendation OMGsrsly, Bear With Me, and Plunkybug!

April 24th, 2017

I found the Real Tea. All other teas are a lie.

On a serious note, this is the best chocolatey, raisin bread Chinese black tea I’ve had in a long time, although that’s not as impressive a feat as it sounds. I’ve also never come across a Yunnan black I’ve not enjoyed, so I’m pretty biased.

There are additional notes of yam/sweet potato, and a starchy, honey-like sweetness that I associate with beer malt processing- specifically saccharification, and the delicious “sweet wort” produce.

The aroma of the brew is smooth chocolate/cocao, malt, and something “bright”. It’s contrastive to the dry leaf smell which is full throttle (brisk) cocoa/malt aroma.

Steep Count: 3

Second steep really brought out the piquancy. It’s a textural, back-of-the-throat kind of sensation. And here I thought this Yunnan wasn’t going to throw me a pepper! Due to the overall sweetness of the tea, my brain translates the spice to a convincing cinnamon.

(2017 spring harvest)

After a pleasurable bout of food poisoning yesterday, my stomach and head are still tender and throwing a big wrench in my marathon tea drinking plans. Overly sweet and floral teas are currently out, which is unfortunately the majority of my cupboard.

Given the situation, this lovely tea is perfect. The delicious and, most importantly, bland rice flavouring flows perfectly into the creamy and slightly vegetal notes of this jin xuan. I can’t tell where the flavouring ends and the oolong begins.

I’ll have to remember to stock up on more smooth and silky ripe puerhs and milk oolongs like this one for rainy days. They are a balm and they are essential.

Steep count: 6 (and still going strong, but I think that’s it for the evening)

Even in latter steeps the sticky rice flavour retains the intensity of it’s nutty sweetness; it puts me in mind of almond milk.

(2016 fall harvest)

Yesss.

Equal parts nutty, fruity, and creamy, this tea is cherry, pistachio, chocolate, coco-vanilla ice cream goodness. The finish is pure spumoni.

I typically hate marine green teas with a passion, am skeptical when it comes to chocolate and cherry flavouring, and don’t care for spumoni.. yet this just works somehow. Colour me impressed.