The First thing that you notice is the sweet apricot wafting from the dry leaf. The osmanthus is very strong and pleasant. A very refreshing tea overall. Nice almond and apricot notes. I think this tea would be fantastic brewed cold. Tea gave out after the 6th steep, but the osmanthus was strong through till the 9th.
BREWING RATIOS, TIMES AND TEMPERATURES
WASH
6 g/100 ml at 90 C (194 F) for 1 to 3 seconds
CHINESE STYLE
6 g/100 ml (1/2 cup) 90 C (194 F)
Steep: one 25 seconds, two 30 seconds, three 35 seconds, four 40 seconds, five 45 seconds
WESTERN STYLE
{1 Tbsp/1 cup (2 g/240 ml) 194 F (90C)}
Steep: one 2 minutes, second 2.5 minutes
SCORING
90/100 or 5 STARS
NAME
Osmanthus Oolong
PRODUCTION
Spring 2016
VARIETAL
Tie Guan Yin
LOCATION
Anxi, Fujian Province, China
PICKING AND PROCESSING
up to third or fourth leaf
ELEVATION
500 meters (1640 ft.)
DRY LEAF APPEARANCE
loose rolled, mixed green color with some hints of oxidization and small yellow/gold osmanthus
DRY LEAF AROMAS
Sweet apricots and almonds
WET LEAF AROMAS
Sweet apricots, wood resin, hay and grass
TEA COLOR
Pale lemon yellow, white downy fluff floating on top
MOUTH FEEL
Refreshing and bright
TEA FLAVORS
refreshing, mineral, apricot and almond cookies
EMPTY CUP AROMA
Pine, almond and dry apricot
WET LEAF APPEARANCE
Large unfurled whole/broken leafs, olive green with hints of oxidization, an small pale osmanthus petals
BODY FEEL / CHA QI
refreshing, light, and mostly in the head