Somehow this tea fell really flat on me. It definitely is quite a bit on the malty side for an Oriental Beauty, and it definitely has a tannic/citric finish and drying aftertaste too. However, the fragrance seems to be missing and I suspect it could be attributed to the fact that it’s almost 2 years old. The body is fairly light too and the taste is also not as pronounced and rounded as I would expect from an Oriental Beauty. I get a decently strong apricot note, more so than peach and nectarine, even though those are present too. There is a decent bitterness which is nice to see and also some woody flavours (maybe rosewood?). Sweetness is also strong and it reminds me of very light maple syrup. I must say that the aftertaste is a little bit more palatable and pronounced than the taste, thus saving this tea a little for me.
Thanks for the sample, derk! :)
Somehow, Oriental Beauty is a type of tea that often varies only in details, but this one was quite different, so I am definitely glad to have tried it, even though I am not going to be ordering it in the future.
Flavors: Apricot, Bitter, Citrus, Fruity, Malt, Maple Syrup, Nectar, Peach, Rosehips, Sweet, Wood
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How palates and preferences differ! I just started brewing another teapot of this a few minutes ago and I can smell it from 5ft away. I think the added Jin Xuan and some oxidation have turned this tea into something very different than what you’d expect from any other Oriental Beauty.
How palates and preferences differ! I just started brewing another teapot of this a few minutes ago and I can smell it from 5ft away. I think the added Jin Xuan and some oxidation have turned this tea into something very different than what you’d expect from any other Oriental Beauty.