Strawberry Oolong

My other free sample from the Butiki order!

The dry leaf is strongly floral when you smell it. I can only liken it to Tie Guan Yin because I haven’t had much experience with green oolongs. I get a hint of strawberry in there somewhere but mostly it is that strong florality – I’m not good with flowers so sadly I can’t even tell you what kind it is. :(

After steeping those leaves massively increased in volume, but the steeped liquor is a pale yellow. The scent has become a tad fruitier, though, so that’s a good thing. The taste is buttery flowers that becomes a brief flash of strawberry before transforming back into the floral oolong again. Very well balanced, and the strawberry itself is a very natural, sweet flavor.

I think green oolongs just aren’t my thing, though. And I think that’s because flowers just aren’t my thing. Why drink something you can’t even eat, you know? Me and my quirky palate…

Nonetheless, I can definitely appreciate how well done this blend is. And I would certainly not refuse it if it were offered to me! I just don’t think I would seek it out on my own. Doesn’t mean I’m going to have any trouble finishing up the cup, though….

I’ve had quite a few cups of this tea and haven’t written a tasting note yet. This is my very last cup since I’m all out… so time to write a note! I love flavored oolongs and although I tend to like the creamier ones, this is a refreshing change.

I taste pulpy and sweet strawberries — a bit like the strawberries found in a jam. It seems like there could almost be seeds in this tea given how authentic the fruit flavor is. It blends very well with the green oolong base. The oolong itself actually takes over by the end of the sip, but it’s actually a nice end to the strawberry note. It’s a leafy kind of finish that is almost buttery, but not quite.

This is a very enjoyable oolong, but I wish that the strawberry flavor was a bit stronger.

I’m drinking a glass of this cold-steeped right now, and I’m liking it much better this way – the strawberry flavor comes out more, plus I just think teas with these sorts of profiles (fruity greens or green oolongs) lend themselves to icing. The strawberry’s a bit more candyish this way – it’s reminding me of strawberry gummies – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I still don’t like this one quite as much as Butiki’s lychee oolong, but I’m really enjoying it prepared this way.

Drinking my second steep of this now. I was really excited to try it based on all the glowing reviews, but maybe my tastes aren’t refined enough at this point because it didn’t really do it for me.

It’s a good oolong, and I am starting to associate Butiki with quality, subtlety & delicate teas, and this would be another example of those characteristics. (Others I’ve had so far are just the Creamy Eggnog, Raspberry Truffle and Maple Pecan Oolong)

Unfortunately, I think this one may just be a bit TOO subtle for my tastes. I added a bit of sugar to my second cup which does bring out the flavors a bit more, but I can’t really taste any strawberry in this tea. It’s clearly not a straight oolong but it seems a bit floral and that’s all I am getting. It’s not nearly as buttery as other oolongs I’ve had.

When dry, I couldn’t smell anything off the leaves, and in my cup the liquor is verrrrry pale yellow.

I know I am in the minority here but at the end of the day I’m not much for subtlety (in any facet of my life, haha) and I guess I just prefer a more substantial tea!

Thank you so much to Stacy from Butiki for the sample as it was definitely on my ‘Must Try’ list.

Perhaps I will revisit this later on in my tea journey.

I’m sick AGAIN! I got this one as a sample in my last order and, like every other butiki tea I’ve had, I love it. I added honey, which is not the norm for me, but my throat hurts so bad.
The taste it light a sweet, but I have zero appetite, so hopefully tea will keep me going!

Pretty good :D

Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for sending me a bit of this tea. It’s an outstanding strawberry tea.

It is sweet and smooth. Very little astringency to this one. The Oolong is rich and buttery and creamy… which melds so nicely with the strawberry. Strawberries and cream, anyone? I love this – definitely one of the best strawberry teas I’ve ever tasted.

Sipdown!!

Did I really initially rate this a 39? Oh dear. I’ll have to bump it up.

I used the rest of my bag, otherwise I’d have been left with less than a serving left. And I thought I might resteep this one again later.

Anyway, it is better than last time, but I taste more oolong floral and less strawberry. I still maintain that I like the Teavivre one over this because I think it has a little more strawberry to it, and the oolong is less fragrant and overpowering. As a straight oolong, this is pretty tasty, but I really can’t pick up on much strawberry…which again, may be because I used more than suggested.

Thank you butiki teas for sending this free sample. Backlogging I mainly requested this because of the strawberry. This smelled like soft strawberry and oolong. This tastes like a soft strawberry with a greener oolong like taste. I would have prefered abit of tartness from the strawberry and this is too vegatal and green like to me. I thought this tea was fairly good.

Ps. can anyone rec any good darker oolongs to me?

Apparently this was from my very first Butiki order! I had one tsp left and it got lost at the bottom of the abyss that is my tea drawer. I dug it out this morning and have been enjoying it today. I can’t wait to place my next Butiki order! I’m running out of my favorites :( This one would be wonderful iced all summer long…