Coconut Milk Oolong

Advent Day 16

The days have just been flying by this month. I get to the end of every day and feel like I didn’t do much with my time until I go back and break down my day: yard work, processing persimmons for drying, unpacked and set up my casting equipment, cast. I need to be a better cheerleader to myself because I am using my time better than I give myself credit for!

First sip was “Oh wow!”. The creaminess of the coconut pairs so well with the milk oolong. It looses some of that magic if I sip too frequently, maybe my tastebuds need a moment to reset. The finish is a lovely creamy oolong as well. I get zero flat flavors in here. My brain kept reading the name as “coconut milk” oolong as opposed to a milk oolong with coconut flavors, like somehow they infused coconut milk into the oolong in the processing. Then as my brain woke up a little more I could understand it was the latter. The coconut doesn’t mask the milk oolong flavor either, they are in such a nice balance with each other. The coconut almost amplifies the oolong. I’m going to have to resteep this one because I have drunk down this cup fast!

Another really subtle tea, it’s smooth and pleasantly drinking with the coconut giving it just that bit of extra flavour. Not sure if this particular combination is quite for me though

Very strong creamy, coconut aroma from the zip bag. And there’s a lot of coconut pieces (very fresh) mixed with the tea.
The straw-coloured, slightly hazy brew more like an ordinary milky oolong, the coconut element is more in the background, but it’s still present, of course, nicely complements the whole profile.
And it’s the same with the taste. Plus, the tea has a creamy, slightly fatty texture, which just adds to the complexity.
A very decent milky oolong with a twist that doesn’t overpower it.

I assume this must have been from the subscription box, as I am not a huge fan of coconut so I can’t imagine ordering this blend. There are huge flakes of unsweetened coconut in it, so naturally I was nervous about not knowing how old the pouch is. But generally it’s very obvious from the smell when coconut has gone rancid, and fortunately this smells perfectly pleasant.

As a coconut tolerator, and not a coconut lover, I’m pleasantly surprised that the coconut is fairly light here, just a supporting flavor. The milk oolong is fairly basic, without much depth to it, but it’s still a pleasant combination. There are mild grassy, leafy notes and of course a smooth creamy flavor. At the tail end of the sip, a light peachy note emerges, and it remains in the aftertaste.

It’s not complex, but nice enough to sip on in the evening. The light coconut flavor melds nicely with the creamy oolong for a decadent tea.

Despite how much coconut is in this (and how much the dry tea smells coconutty), the flavour is mostly milk oolong. In fact, I’m not entirely sure if I’d be able to distinguish it from one. The good news is that the oolong is pretty tasty, though, though it’s leaving my throat a little scratchy (there must be a flavouring I have a bit of a reaction to, as this happens with various teas sometimes).

Added a small squeeze of fresh lime juice into a hot mug of this; I was trying to loosely replicate the flavour profile of A Quarter To Tea’s Toasted Coconut Lime blend, which has been a bit of a summer favourite for me – enough so that I’m running out, and need alternatives.

I think with some tweaking, this could be a really good replacement blend for me. This time, however, I over did the lime a bit and it was too harsh/acidic on the front of the sip. The rest, though, was similarly sweet, tangy, and creamy to the AQTT blend. Biggest difference is just the more floral elements from the change of base teas. Worth the trade off, to not have as much of a grassy undertone.

Now I’m back at home, I can try this one for the second time – cold brewed in coconut milk. It works – of course it works. The coconut milk amplifies the coconut flavour, and augments still further the milky creaminess. What I’m finding, though, is that it’s actually a bit much – it’s sweet(ish), rich, and the plant milk has given it a thicker texture than it would otherwise have. I can only drink tiny sips, and even cold it’s not particularly refreshing.

Tastes good, in small doses. I think I actually prefer it brewed in water, though, even though the flavour payoff is less.