When Kittenna came up to visit (her family; not me specifically – I just happened to be a bonus!) she brought with all the tea I’ve ordered from Butiki and the one blend from Verdant in the recentish group orders. That means I’ve had lots and lots of Butiki to try out the last week or so, which I’ve been trying to do among trying everything else I’ve gotten recently.
This is one I was really, really excited about. I don’t drink oolongs nearly as much as other tea types, but I do tend to really like them. I especially really like Stacy’s flavoured oolong. The lychee oolong she has is my favourite Butiki blend, ever, and Flowery Pineapple Oolong probably my second favourite. I’ve found a couple of her oolong that I was neutral towards (grape, for example) but none that I’ve disliked outright. So I definitely had to try this one, and of the stuff Kittenna brought it’s the first that I tried.
The smell of this one is intoxicating; it oozes fresh, overripe raspberries and butter. Very confectionery but without becoming unnatural or fake.
Steeped up, it’s very delicious as well. The raspberry flavour is pronounced without becoming commanding, and tastes both jammy like the name implies and confectionery – like a raspberry danish. I did struggle tasting the cashew in the blend; it was a little more noticeable at the tail of the sip right when the raspberry flavour was fading but mostly it was the “butter” note that carried into the flavour. To be fair, I didn’t get a cashew piece in this cup so I’ll make sure I do in the next one so I can see if that imparts a stronger cashew flavour.
Additional things of note: there’s a floral quality to this blend as well but nothing super identifiable. Also a very green oolong in general I found. But pleasantly so. Ultimately I don’t think I’ll miss this when I’m out because I’ve got a Raspberry Oolong blend from Tea Desire that, while an obviously lower quality tea, is comparable. Same raspberry/confectionery type flavours.
And side note – I feel like I always want to describe floral notes as orchid like; someone should give me more descriptive words for other flower notes present in tea. Sometimes I use lily in addition to lavender/rose, but I feel like I’m repeating the same descriptors a lot of the time.
Comments
This is one I debated about getting with my friend, but we decided not to. Looks like maybe I should have.
I love this one as well! I think orchid and lily are already pretty unique descriptors that others would understand…more often I find floral notes in teas to remind flowers I’ve only encountered in China and don’t have a proper English name, maybe lily is one I should consider!
I found this one to taste super nutty, with only a little raspberry. You’re so right! Taste is so subjective.
The floral notes I often taste, in addition to the usual ones you mentioned, are orange or lemon blossom, cherry blossom, lilac and peony.
I’ve never had orange or lemon blossoms so I don’t know if I’d be able to use them as good descriptors; but I’ll totally keep the others in mind! Especially peony; that’s totally a good one for some of the teas I’ve had recently.
Lemon blossoms are pretty much the best smelling thing ever. I used to go to the conservatory in Thunder Bay, and they had a Ponderosa lemon tree. The flowers were intense and intoxicating and I’ve been trying to find an essential oil that captures that fragrance for ages. I wish I could describe it to you, or give you some way to smell it.
This is one I debated about getting with my friend, but we decided not to. Looks like maybe I should have.
I love this one as well! I think orchid and lily are already pretty unique descriptors that others would understand…more often I find floral notes in teas to remind flowers I’ve only encountered in China and don’t have a proper English name, maybe lily is one I should consider!
I found this one to taste super nutty, with only a little raspberry. You’re so right! Taste is so subjective.
The floral notes I often taste, in addition to the usual ones you mentioned, are orange or lemon blossom, cherry blossom, lilac and peony.
I’ve never had orange or lemon blossoms so I don’t know if I’d be able to use them as good descriptors; but I’ll totally keep the others in mind! Especially peony; that’s totally a good one for some of the teas I’ve had recently.
Lemon blossoms are pretty much the best smelling thing ever. I used to go to the conservatory in Thunder Bay, and they had a Ponderosa lemon tree. The flowers were intense and intoxicating and I’ve been trying to find an essential oil that captures that fragrance for ages. I wish I could describe it to you, or give you some way to smell it.