Oriental Beauty is quite an indulgence. The dry aroma is distinct and pleasant, with floating notes of fruit and honey.
As of writing this I’ve tried this tea on two separate occasions with slight method differences, but using a gaiwan both times. The first time, I used cooler water and relatively short infusion times. This brings out a much lighter and delicate flavour, similar to a first flush Darjeeling. I began using 3 grams of tea per 90ml of water, and a 30 second steep time, increasing by another 30 seconds with each infusion. The result was light, fruity sweet with honey. There was no bitterness at all in this tea, and it has a lovely smooth mouthfeel. With this method I stopped at eight infusions, having enjoyed it very much, but also eager to see what hotter water and longer steep times would draw out of this tea.
For my second tasting, I used water just under a boil and longer infusion times, beginning with two minutes. Once again I used 3 grams of tea and 90ml of water. The above picture is from the first infusion of that second tasting. Right from the start there was a much deeper color to the liquor, like amber honey, where the first tasting began quite pale. The flavour using this method was much more rich and bold, but maintained that distinct honey and fruit flavour. Simply delightful!
Flavors: Apple, Candy, Grapes, Honey, Sweet
