A big thank you to Gabriele and nannuoshan for this sample!
I requested a sample of this thinking it was something I had never tried before and didn’t put it together until today that I actually have some Qi Lan oolong in my cupboard already. I ordered this same type of oolong from Teavana back in October. It would be interesting to compare them side by side to see the difference between the two. Perhaps I’ll do that with the rest of my sample.
I had a black tea earlier today and it’s so interesting to see how different the leaves look when comparing the two. The black tea had leaves so small that some were almost twig-like. The oolong leaves are plump and curvaceous, a shade of green so deep it might pass for black. It has a sweet scent, but I don’t detect anything floral just yet. I’m hopeful that it will live up to its description of “unusually sweet and flowery”.
Oops, I forgot about the rinse on this one until it was too late. I let it steep for about 60 seconds and poured the wash over the cup, pitcher, and saucer. Hopefully this won’t affect the taste too much. I’m waiting on my first “real” steep to finish now.
I’m sure this is because of my inexperience with different types of teas, and oolong specifically, but the aroma reminds me of nannuoshan’s roasted Tie Guan Yin oolong that I had earlier in the week. It has that aroma that reminds me of dense, hearty bread pulled right from the oven. The taste is very bitter so I’m thinking I must have let it steep too long or at too high a temperature. It’s also a touch astringent, but I’m sure this is due to over-steeping as well. This might be a little bit strange but I can detect a hint of spice. It seems like there was something like cinnamon in that last cup.
The second cup is much less bitter and much more enjoyable. It still has that baked bread quality to it which I’m enjoying, and I’m still tasting the tiniest bit of cinnamon. By the third steep, the tea has opened up and is beginning to resemble torn grape leaves. Its aroma is starting to fade in both the leaves and the liquid. This may be due to my forgetfulness with that first steep/rinse. I’m sure it pulled out quite a bit of the flavor that was meant for the first cup. This tastes very watered down, more hot water than tea flavor here though the color is still a golden yellow. The fourth, and final, steep is barely flavored at all. I’m sure it’s because I messed this one up in the beginning. Next time I’ll know to do things a little differently.
Infusions
4 ounces water + 195 degrees + 60 sec, 60 sec, 60 sec, 90 sec
Flavors: Bread, Cinnamon, Spices, Sweet
