jLteaco (fongmongtea)

Thanks to Fong Mong for the sample. I steeped it for a little less than the time suggested as it seemed like a long time for an oolong. There was a slight vegetal smell to the dry and steeping leaves as well as something flowery too. The taste as others have noted was slightly sweet and floral. I enjoyed it. It was also very smooth (I had it iced since we are “enjoying” quite the heatwave in Upstate, NY! I have enough left (I hope) for a hot cup of this that I will need to enjoy in my basement!

Backlog:

I’ve previously written a tasting note for this tea but because I revisited it back at the end of September (yeah, yeah, I’m still behind) I decided I’d revisit it here too. Fong Mong has some really fantastic Oolong teas!

Delightfully sweet with lovely peach-like notes. Honeyed sweetness. Please read my full-length review for details on each infusion: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/09/29/top-grade-oriental-beauty-oolong-tea-from-fong-mong-tea/

This is an OUTSTANDING Oriental Beauty – sweet, deliciously peach-like and honey-esque. Sweet, luscious and wonderfully complex! The peach and honey tones are strong right from the start, and once the palate becomes accustomed to these flavors, it starts exploring the other notes: earth, flower, and a creaminess that melds beautifully with the peach-y tones.

Each infusion is a delight… I’m on my fourth infusion now. By the third infusion, I noticed that the mouthfeel began to lighten and it became slightly less creamy… in fact, the flavors began to meld together and become unified… creating less diversity but a more luscious, enchanting flavor.

I love this tea.

Second and final cup of this one, part of a sample from Fong Mong Tea. I’m trying to drink down a few things to feel like I have things under control, which is totally not true…

I still think the first infusion of this oolong is really amazing, just lightly floral and fruity and oolongy. I’m not even sure I want to have a second infusion tonight because it was so unimpressive last time, and I have a host of other teas down here that I could have instead. Ah well. This one is serving my desire for a tasty oolong tonight, and that’s all that matters :)

ETA: Second cup is just generic, like I remember. Sad.

Ooh! This one’s really good! It clearly tastes like an oolong, and I definitely taste a fruitiness moreso than floral taste. This is really, really delicious! I’m actually rather surprised! The aroma is also fruity rather than floral. I’m really pleasantly blown away by this one! It’s also deliciously buttery and good. Man… I’m so impressed! I would buy this again in a heartbeat :) I used about 3g of leaf (maybe 4 by accident?) in about 8 oz., maybe less, water, at 94C. Yum! Going to go do another couple infusions now. Thanks to Fong Mong Tea for this sample!

ETA: Second infusion (94C/3 min I think, or possibly 4) is not nearly as tasty :( Smells like an oolong, tastes like a weak oolong that has somehow been oversteeped. I’m a bit disappointed. The first infusion was spectacular. Downgrading the rating a bit, because I expect at least 3 good infusions from an oolong, otherwise it’s not worth my while as they are typically expensive. It’s possible that I used too much water, and did use 4 min which was too much, but I’m not sure. I’ll try a third with quite a bit less water.

ETA again: Sadly, disappointed with the third infusion as well. There’s a bit of oolonginess, but it’s just not up to par with other oolongs I’ve had. I’m so disappointed because that first infusion was worthy of a high 90 rating.

A review Charcoal-baked Dong Ding Tea by Fong Mong Tea

I am finally having a cup of this Dong Ding Tea. In opening this last sealed packet, I am noticing the charcoal scent that is coming from the small pouch. As I pour out the contents into the palm of my hands I smell the charcoal. It is very nice, it makes me think of folks who are able to barbecue on an open pit or a charcoal broiler. I do not own these things but I have been around them.

I had my small pan filled with pure freshly cold water and I left it to boil slightly for a few minutes. I take my trusty mug that was freshly washed and put some of the Dong Ding tea rolls in the cup and I pour some of the water into the cup and left to steep for a few minutes.

I continue to smell the charcoal scent from my fingers, which seems to be coated with it. After about two minutes I remove the cover from the tea and yes the leaves are fuller in size, but still curled not full leaves as the previous oolong sampled.

This tea has that lovely golden orb color; liken to an egg yolk or cantaloupe melon. And the smell is definitely of charcoal and in taste it is the same as well.

1st infusion tea smells and taste strongly of charcoal and it is smooth. It is a pleasant cup.
2nd and 3rd infusion brings about more of the mellow-honey in that it is softer with not the harshness of the charcoal roasted flavoring. So heartiness and robust is more so with first infusion and with later infusion what is left is a soft-yellow dew of an oolong tea; that being Dong Ding tea.

The color of this tea was by far the most exciting to see. Visualizing the yolk of an egg, freshly cut Cantaloupe melon or the golden glow of the sun is what is captured and projected into this cup, my cup of tea for the morning.

I must thank once again the folks at Fong Mong Tea for allowing me to experience their teas from these samples sent to me. These oolongs have all been memorable and enjoyed by this reviewer. They are good teas.

I would like to thank Fong Mong Tea for this delicious sample. I knew I was in for a treat when I smelled the dry leaf aroma. It was FAN-TAS-TIC! This High Mountain Oolong has a deeper roasted aroma, which is exactly what I was looking for. :)) The wet leaves smelled even more A M A Z I N G! The aromas ranged from a roasted quality, stoned fruit, and flowers [like lilacs…….or possibly closer to orchids]. The cup is a yellow-orange color, and I didn’t smell much aroma from the cup-perhaps my sinuses were misbehaving. :(( The main flavors seemed to be lightly roasty, with a decent peach aspect, that was smooth and delicious on my palate!

My second cup was steeped the same as the first cup. The wet leaves smelled even more intense as the aroma seemingly filled the room! All the aromas intensified, but the aroma was sweeter-like that of a sweet ripe watermelon. This additional aroma was not pervasive, but coexisted harmoniously with the other aromas. The flavors were stronger as well. I experienced what I believe to be a mineral quality in the flavor, along with a stronger peach flavor, which balanced quite nicely as each coated my tongue. This was the best cup and a very satisfying, juicy cup. :))

The third cup exhibited less roasted and more fruity/floral aromas, which were still impressive. The cup flavors were less mineral and peachy, but still smooth and delicious, with good, milder stone fruit flavor and minerality [1.5 minutes at 195F].

The last cup sill possessed decent wet leaf aroma, which was quite surprising. After soaking these babies [tea leaves] until they begged for mercy, I was greeted with a light peachy flavor and a light astringency on the back of my palate [6-7 minutes at 212F].

This is the third of four samples from Fong Mong Tea, and the best tea experience from them so far. I really enjoyed the deeper roasted quality of this Oolong tea, with the balance of the stone fruits and flowers too [the flowery aspect was mostly noticeable in the wet leaf aroma].

It was 8 years ago today we said goodbye to my Grandpa [Paps]. I am so grateful his spirit, the memories, and all that he taught me lives on. I am thankful that he gave me a greater appreciation for tea, and a greater appreciation for the music he (WE) loved and shared! :)) Here is his favorite song if you wish to listen:

D. Ellington-Caravan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTzZKtnTnqI

Anything by Glenn Miller-his favorite, String of Pearls:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PfX-nDy4aU&feature=related

And of course Frank Sinatra:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH21_YzuQ5s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feSz5S96svQ&feature=related

Originally Cupped & Reviewed: Friday, June 29, 2012.

This tea served as a reminder to pay attention to what I am doing. Even if you are paying attention, if you don’t like the results try something different. I used boiling water and a 3 minute steep with this yesterday. It was gross. There were some floral notes and some roasted but then there was this whole other thing going on that was sour and a bit like gym socks meets pool chemicals.

Today I decided to use just steaming water and a two minute steep. The sip is a bit mineral tasting and milky up front which gives way roasted notes late in the sip. The aftertaste is floral leaving a cooling sensation on the breath. The overall taste is a bit thin but otherwise nice. As this cools the smoky roasted taste comes out more and fattens up the flavor. Now it is good.

The second cup with steaming water and three minute steep is the best cup yet. It is like toasted rice along with a floral taste that reminds me of the rind of watermelon. This tea, while not my favorite of the samples, was pretty good once I adjusted how I prepared it.

This was the last sample to open that I received from Fong Mong Tea. Thank you for sending these samples my way. I am now a bit more educated in Taiwan teas – and I like them

Oolong after Oolong after Oolong…YES…it appears I had a LOT of Oolong to drink in my NEW-TO-ME Pile! I have made quite the dent in it this week tho! YAY!

This really didn’t have a scent to it before or after infusion.

The tea-on-the-tongue, however, was very creamy, velvety, smooth. Light on the sweetness and light on the buttery notes! This is an extremely relaxing Alishan – and I do love a good Alishan. AhhhhhH!

Toasty-Roasty Oats but on the greener side! Nice!

It’s slightly bitter but in an interesting savory sort of way.

This is pretty goo!

Dry – this smells like perfume.
Wet – this smells more like a cologne

The taste isn’t very heavy but it’s satisfying. There are black pepper notes and floral notes right off the bat. Underneath I can pick up on a CANNED buttered green beans type taste…and yes…there is a difference between what I taste in Canned Green Beans, Fresh, and Frozen…this seems to be more of a canned.

I think this is just fine and dandy!

**A review Alishan Jin Xuan Oolong Tea by Fong Mong Tea

I am having another oolong tea from sampler received from over seas (Taipei, Taiwan). This tea came in a seal bag (gold in color) and I have to scissor of the top of the bag to get at the rolled up tea: I shook some out into my palm to see that they are indeed finely curled (rolled up) into tiny pellets.

I take half of the bag’s content and place in my cup and pour water that had been boiling on the stove into my cup and cover leaving the tea to steep for five minutes.

In remove the saucer from the cup I am pleasantly surprised to see how fully the leaves have unfold into my cup of tea. They are a luscious green and fuller than the previous oolongs I have tried from this vendor. They smell very steamed; a warming effect to the face. And something of the smell as I scoop out the leaves from the cup makes me think of my veggies; green broccoli or spinach more-so.

I have strained the tea-leaves from the tea cup and I am left with a tea that is light green in color; slight yellow undertone and still smelling of veggies. I take my first sip and it is a lovely in that it the fragrant of the tea is very light making the tea creamy and not astringent at all. And no, I must say this tea is not a broth either. I continue to sip this tea while quietly enjoying fragrant green to be found within the cup.

I am fortunate to try this tea with yet another steep and another; each time tea’s color is lighter more to yellow or lightish yellow. It is not brown. The leaves remain the same color throughout each steep.
There is less of the veggie taste in the cup with 2nd steep and with 3rd steep it is slightly astringent, but very mild and not at all bitter.

Overall, this tea has many folds…that veggie green intake of one’s broccoli or spinach flavoring is very pronounced with the first steep and one can indeed observe this upon examining and even to tasting the tea leaves which are creamy in texture and not at all bitter. No sprinkling of salt etc on leaves like when having some vegetables.

For tea itself; I enjoyed the first steep immensely as it is light and warm with a good heft to it and the aroma is a fragrant of green. Another reviewer had mentioned lilac scenting to this tea. So possible it is there and I cannot discern this.

This is very good tea. This Alishan Jin Xuan is best of the oolongs to date. Thank you to Fong Mong Tea Co. for sending me the samplers.

The first time I had this, it was too astringent and it didn’t resemble the Oriental Beauty I’d had previously. I didn’t log that one, thinking maybe I’d done something wrong. The second time I had it, which is today, it was quite the opposite. It was quite mild, and pale, and I’d wondered if I’d used enough leaf or let it steep too short. It was tasty for a milk dark oolong, but still wasn’t capturing the essence I’d had with my first Oriental Beauty love. So with the second steep of the second batch, I added the rest of the leaves from the sample pouch, had hotter water, and let it steep a good few minutes, and aahhhhhh!

I’m getting a sweet honey-ish dark oolong, almost a black tea, but milder and not too astringent. THIS is my Oriental Beauty!

Many thanks to FONG MONG for providing this sample!

This smells like a candy-type oolong with a dash of moss.

The flavor is sweet, sugary, slightly like white rice, and a touch of sweet-honey.

Very interesting natural flavor! It’s very creamy and smooth, too! Warmy and comfy!

Very Relaxing and Memorable Oolong! Niiice! And yes…that’s NICE with 3 i’s!

I just dug this tea out of the bin. It is the last of my Fong Mong samples. Oh Wow! How is it possible this is a year old? I like oolong. I just seldom drink it. I know it will last through several steeps and I usually want to quit after two. So I feel guilty if I waste it. Wait, I have a fridge. Problem solved.

I had forgotten how really good this is. The name implies it will be super dark and strong. It is just the opposite. The nose is a bit charcoal but the sip is buttery smooth with a hint of baked charcoal goodness and a tingly sensation in the aftertaste. This is more of a green tasting oolong than expected. The liquor is a beautiful shiny golden color. Maybe I will steep this several times after all.

Fong Mong asked me if I liked dark oolongs before they sent this. I told them sure (I didn’t really know). Right now I am hoping it was not a mistake. I do love Yamamotoyama and Foo Joy Wuyi oolongs in bag form so I am not really too concerned.

I used half the six gram sample for my tasting. The leaf is rolled tight but not as tiny as the blue jade. It has a light smoked aroma. I held the first steep to 3 minutes. The liquid is clear and dark yellow. The wet leaf is dark green and smells ominously charcoal smoked.

The sip – interesting! Not nearly as roasted as it smells. It actually impressed me as more green than smoked. The taste has almost a honey like quality about it. The aftertaste has a neat cooling thing going on like mint or menthol but it is not in the taste. It is just a sensation. As the cup cools the sip becomes a bit creamy.

On cup two, also at 3 minutes, the leaf has relaxed enough to reveal some stems. How were they able to roll 2” long stems into those tiny little pellets? I am noticing the oolong floral notes coming through especially in the aftertaste.

The third cup @ 4 minutes is milder as the flavor is fading. The cooling sensation is actually more noticeable at this point.

There is some resemblance between this and the bagged Wuyi oolongs I have enjoyed in the past. Really, they are only a shadow of what is going on in this tea. It is as if you took the flavor knife and lopped off the ends, then cut what was left in half and discarded the bright happy side of the flavor. I say that, all the while admitting I like those bagged teas. Now that I know what I am missing, I am not as likely to rush into restocking them. I have no idea if this is a good quality example of this type tea. What I do know is I think it is really good.

It brings up a question in my mind. Why do I like the roasted/smoked taste in greens and oolongs but not so much in black teas? I have no answer other than preconceived ideas of how I expect a tea to taste.

I don’t usually wait so long to post a review, and I hate that I didn’t post it sooner. :// I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few minor mental notes. A special Thank You to Fong Mong Tea for this sample! :))

Right away I knew this was a deeper tea than the Jinxuan tea I sampled previously. While still green, this Dong Ding has more of a roasted aroma that really comes out in the wet leaves [which also exhibit floral qualities]. The cup is slightly darker, with roasty, peach-like fruitiness on my palate that is smooth and delicious. :))

The second cup has more aroma and flavor with the most balanced roasty/peachy character. the flavors are so juicy and smooth on my palate! [1 minute at 180F].

The third cup was more mild yet still flavorful. The wet leaves had more of a green floral character reminding me of honeysuckle. The flavors were lighter as well, with lighter peach notes, and the gentle touch of a white tea [1.5 minutes at 195F].

My last cup was like a white tea with light fruit qualities, and serene smoothness that calmed my spirit. :)) [5 minutes at 212F]. Overall, a great tea, that I enjoyed for it’s slightly deeper, peachy flavor, with every steep showcasing a smoothness that is so inviting and enjoyable! :)) I can’t wait to try the rest of the samples. :))

Cupped: Monday, June 18, 2012.

Reviewed: Sunday, June 24, 2012.

A review Fruity (Sijichun) Oolong Tea by Fong Mong Tea

I am enjoying another oolong sampler from Fong Mong Tea Company in Taiwan. This oolong was processed with the fragrance of fresh flowers making for the fruitiness that is to be found in this cup of tea.

I am using half of the leaves for this brew. I place freshly drawn water into a small pan on the stove and left to boil. Having placed the leaves into the cup, I then pour the boiled water over the leaves (which are tightly rolled/pressed) and left to steep for several minutes with covering on the cup.

After the set time I remove the lid to find that the tea leaves did indeed unfurl to fuller leaves and there is not a particular smell to the tea at first. Tea’s color is light yellow almost, especially once the leaves are removed from the cup. Tea leaves are light green in color, they are partial cut leaves and smells mildly vegetal…broccoli like.

Anyhow, I take my first sip of the tea and it is fine. No drying effect, and very light in the body and I take more sips of this tea I am thinking of broccoli and rice. Steam rice when cooking, at times so very faint and yet one can know of such a smell. It is warm moisture, steaming from the heat as it moistens the face of the cook.

In all, this tea has no astringency. It is very light in body and tea color is light yellow when the leaves have been removed from the cup. From the first steep and sipping this tea tastes of steaming broccoli and rice. It is very faint.

It is tea and it’s drinkable. I am looking forward to trying the remainder of the unused portion as iced tea, at a much later time.

Thank you Fong Mong for making me aware of this tea and for sending the samples.

I have no idea where my big long review for this went! My browser collapsed! Eeeek!

Anyhow…this is very nice! It’s Clean, Crisp, Smooth, Sweet, a little fruity – almost like a Jackfruit/BubbleYum type flavor, florally-sweet, a bit on the greener side of the oolongs, and oh-so-yummy!

The cooler it gets – the sweeter and juicier it seems to be!

I like this very much!

Down the rabbit hole – I understand that different tea growing regions will produce different flavor profiles based on numerous growing conditions. I can wrap my head around white tea tasting different than green, and green different than black, but oolongs boggle my mind. They taste nothing like white, green, or black. Logically I would think they would taste in between green and black but the don’t. They’re like alien tea. So weird.

OK this tea – this is a lovely floral oolong. It is kind of spicy on the first cup. A little planty tasting. I did not notice the typical latex taste on the first but it is a little present in the second. This stuff re-steeps great and each cup is as good or better than the last. Lingering aftertaste. High yum factor.

I read my previous review of this. Wow, back when my stress level was normal this was really amazing. I am more than ready to leave this wilderness wandering behind. Bring on the Promised Land flowing with tea and honey :)

Short review – Wow!

Long review for those who like more -

Today I finally got to slow down enough to give this tea time for a proper review. This sample was generously provided by Fong Mong Tea Shop. Again, I am impressed with the packaging. The pouch is heavy duty, the sample is vacuum packed, and inside is an oxygen absorber to help maintain freshness. There is 6 grams of tea inside. It all fit in one spoon. I was tempted to use all of it but just in case I mess up something I decided to save half for a later steep. Turns out, 3g is a lot of tea. The leaf is rolled into very tight tiny dark green balls that really expand. The dry leaf did not have much aroma to me.

I brought my water up to temperature and poured over the leaf. Immediately an amazing floral scent began to fill the room. Fong Mong recommends a six minute steep. I could not bring myself to steep it that long and went only three. The liquor is extremely clear and a pale yellow.

Since my reaction and following review are a bit different than the others, let me state up front that I added sweetener at this point. I usually wait until I have at least tasted the tea straight. Today I knew I was going to add it eventually so I just got it over with.

The first sip is electric, with a lot going on all at once. When I say electric I mean it literally. There was a numbness and a feeling of shock at the very beginning that I have never experienced before and it was not in later sips. The sip was very floral and sweet. At the same time it struck me as salty. Again this was only an initial reaction. The press and cup were both cleaned and well rinsed just prior to the tasting so it was not something left over from a previous brew. This has the lingering aftertaste typical of green oolongs. One Steepsterite describes this as a latex glove taste. I can make that connection but it is far more pleasant and green than it sounds. To me it is more like the taste of the white part of a watermelon rind.

As the cup cools I am getting a better sense of the flavors. It remains intensely floral at the front of the sip. Mid sip there is an underlying earthy quality. The floral notes pick back up towards the end and this dissolves into the lingering aftertaste. I am not sure this qualifies as milky but it does flow smoothly across the tongue. Another thing I am noticing is a dusty sensation on the throat and a tingling in the checks. I would normally associate this with astringency but it does taste astringent.

As the cup reaches near room temperature I get a mineral taste. I hear that description used often but this is the first time I have felt compelled to use the term myself. Interesting.

With the second cup the leaf is still not completely unfurled, yet it hangs in the press making it look full of leaf. It looses the earthy note and the dusty feel on this cup, and settles in at smooth and lingering. By the third cup, the leaf has completely unfurled. It makes for a lot of leaf. I stopped with the fourth steep, making 48oz and it could have gone more. Still a lot of sweet flavor. I am glad I had the time to spend with this one. It is quite complex. It is also quite tasty. This is a very good tea.

Steeped 6 grams of leaf (full sample packet) in 2 cups (500ml) of water at 195 degree for 6 minutes.

I want to note that to me, the minty sensation others are getting does not come across to me as “minty” but more as a cooling sensation. When you take a sip, wait a few moments, then open your mouth and suck in some air, there is this breezy cooling feeling that ices over the inside of the mouth a little bit. Is that the minty sensation others are getting? I do not taste mint but FEEL it.

I absolutely taste the charcoal roasty flavor, very nice. Sort of tastes like a camp fire that has been allowed to slowly smolder out over the course of an evening when you wake up the next day and all that is left is a little smoke slowly lifting from the ashes.

The aroma of the dry leaf to me smelled of milk – slightly warm milk.

There is a creamy texture and mouthfeel to the steeped tea, and a milk flavor as well.

Only a slight vegetal flavor is present.

A light sweetness is present.

After taste lingers in the mouth nicely leaving a rock mineral flavor behind.

There is a juicy erupting throat feel to this tea – we often speak of mouthfeel but this tea has a throat feel as well. As if you just bit into a ripe juicy peach or apple and it has shot down your throat a little surprising you.

Mild sensation of drying in the mouth once the after taste dissipates which I find typical of most oolong tea.

Over all this is one of the finer oolongs I have sampled. It is unique yet true to what I think an oolong should be. Oolongs are my favorite guilty pleasures which I tend to save for moments I can take some ME time.

A very nice tea – thank you Fong Mong Tea for the sample!

**A review Floral (Blue Jade) Oolong Tea by Fong Mong Tea
Tea samples received from Fong Mong Tea Corp. of Taipei, Taiwan

This sampler, which is in a sealed foil bag and once opened I see very tiny pellets, some of which I place in the palm of my hand. They are tiny indeed and do smell of soft fruit, or I should say it is a mildly sweet smell as opposed to having a grassy smell.

I place half of the bags content into a cup and poured hot water in the cup and left to steep for five minutes.

I have not had oolong tea in a long while so this is indeed a treat. I have several oolongs to review during the next month or so.

In removing the cover from tea cup I note that tea’s color is very light; a golden pale dew and again I am smelling what seems to be like a broth…it is very light and sweet smelling; so I am thinking summer squash.

When first tasting this tea I think immediately of those teas given at restaurants after consuming a meal or prior while waiting for your order.

I like this tea. I remove the leaves, which are now uncurl and full. The leaves are green and smell wonderful, floral like.

I can see I will be enjoying this tea all day. I had divide the portions equally and I can get several steep from this cup and the remaining tea not cook I will render to making iced tea with but I will not add ice to it. Just to have it room temperature or cooler yet.

With the 2nd and 3rd steeping time is less than five minutes. This time the tea does appear darker and with slight astringency in the taste.

I seem to prefer the tea with the first steeping I had of it as it did make me think of light broth…or remnants of squash, which is both, floral is smell and sweet. The shorter steeps brings about astringency and for some reason I do not like this preferring the dews of squash found in the taste when steeped for five minutes or longer.

This is very good oolong. I am always amaze with how the leaves are so tiny, crunched pellets and they come to full bloom; unfurling to fullness with the added water.

It is an interesting aspect for someone use to drinking tea in bags. Overall, this oolong is quite nice with a floral and mild side to it.

Thank you FONG MONG TEA for this lovely sample tea!

This is the last of the generous samples to review from FONG MONG TEA. I must comment on the high quality of the tea and supurb experience with the shipping, and packaging. I know that I am not alone in thanking this company for introducing so many of us to their fine tea’s.

This morning I selected this tea to fit the dappled sunshine coming through my window. Sparkling morning light reminds me of reflective light bouncing off water or peeking through the trees. I often pick a tea to fit the weather like setting a scene.

I brewed the tea in a ceramic vessel, used half the sample packet for a 6 minute steep.

The liquor was sunny yellow gold and clear.

My first sip was the flavor of juicy white asparagas…vegital but not too ‘green’ tasting. There was a sweet candied violet background flavor under the asparagas…unique.
My mouth began to tingle a little and I recognized the splay of tannin on my tongue just at the end of the tasting.
As the tea cooled, there was no additional tannin and little change in texture (a little creamier).
I sweetened the tea which flipped the floral flavor to dominant and the vegital to secondary in taste order. An interesting way to customize the experience to suit individual taste preference. Vegital…straight and for Floral…add sweetening.

Second steeping:
This steeping holds up well. The flavor profile remains unchanged.

An additional note…on how addicted I am to tea. :^(
While writing away, I had a small pot of HONEY on the STOVE on low with some LAPSANG SOUCHONG in the pot to infuse it for use as a drizzle on chicken or fruit/cheese. WELL I FORGOT ABOUT IT! I ended up with a nice smelling house and HONEY/LS TAFFY! GARRRR!
(No I refuse to chalk it up to old age or disability! It’s tea addiction! I get so engrossed in these tea tastings and reviews that the end of ages could come on Dec. 12th and I’d still be on Steepster!)

Oh great, now my mouse is sticky!