Orchid Oolong

At first I was bummed that mighty leaf only had Orchid Oolong in a 50 pack and super expensive, but I soon discovered I could enjoy this tea loose – I was super jazzed. It’s been a while since I tried this tea, most likely a sample, and I was not disappointed. I adore this tea. The smell is grand and the taste is even better. It’s full bodied but no real bitterness – it’s on the verge of being delicate. Slight fruity smell but more refined as opposed to artificial. A+

The first time i tried this, i will be honest, i was a little disappointed. but the second time, i really quite enjoyed it. It doesnt have much of a flavour (apart from an oolong flavour) while you sip it, but it has a delicious coconut after taste which is like coconut cream or fresh coconut, not dessicated coconut. The coconut cream taste is beautiful its very delicate and creamy but not really fruity. It reminds me of the fresh coconuts i drank while in thailand. I dont really understand the name though. I was expecting a more delicate floral taste rather than a coconut one. but i definitely like this tea.

I tried this tea for the first time while brunching at Hank’s Oyster Bar in DC. My friend and I swooned over the delicate vanilla flavoring, not at all overwhelming as it is in so many teas that use vanilla extracts. I went home and bought a couple packages from Mighty Leaf online, and I was just as impressed at home.

Personally, I like to brew it for shorter than recommended to keep the flavor light and subtle… but I can’t take black tea, so I tend to like my oolongs underbrewed to avoid taking on a black tea character..

I took the tea into work and forced it on several people. One non-tea drinker considered himself a convert afterwards. The rest asked for seconds…

Definitely recommended.

Love this tea! I bought a big bag of it on sale after receiving a sample of it in a previous Mighty Leaf order. Usually I am not big on coconut but this is a good “unwinding” tea. The taste rolls off the tongue really smooth-like. The scent is great, too. Subtle and soft.

Still trying to get back into the swing of things after Irma. This Orchid Oolong arrived a few days after the hurricane passed, while I was still in the midst of cleanup, and I’ve been waiting to do a tasting note until I feel I can give it my full attention. Well, today still isn’t that day, but I’m drinking it anyway, because sometimes, mood trumps ability.

Steeped a slightly rounded teaspoon of leaves in 9ish ounces of water about 10 seconds off the boil, 4 minutes.

Dry scent: Cool, deep, fairly complex. Sort of sweet and bitter at the same time, with varying notes. At times a chocolatey scent comes through, or a zesty fruity scent, or the oolong base, or a faint cream underlaid by sharpness. Reminds me of a cool, damp, shady tropical forest, with mossy rocks and hanging plants.

Scent of steeped tea: Lighter than the dry scent, slightly creamy, with oolong sweetness and an underlying cool earthiness.

Taste: Would it sound odd to say this tastes like light amber? A light, refreshing oolong flavor overlaid by a touch of caramel and a veil of pale flowers, not much depth. Pleasant and drinkable, but not remarkable.

Five years ago I had a sample pouch of this that I remember being intriguingly delicious, and there are multiple reviews on the Mighty Leaf site that sound like they’re of the same tea I had then: unexpectedly floral, silky, full-bodied, addictive. I wish this tea were that tea.

Partial review from www.tastethetea.co.uk ’ Oolong is known for its ability to go through multiple brews and develop in flavour. No brewing technique was stated on the packet, so it was a little bit of trial and error! The first steeping was brewed for 2 minutes creates a light and delicate brew and emits the first tickle of coconut in the undertones of the flavour. The second cup, left for 4 minutes, developed a medium body with a coppery, metallic taste and a mild coconut undertone. The third steeping was left for about 10 minutes. This retained the medium body, however most traces of coconut disappeared and were replaced by a gentle citric palate. The fourth round produces a very light body, but is still quite pleasant. At this point I stopped steeping the leaves and used fresh ones.

Amazing. So fragrant & floral, but the floral is very natural & welcome, not overwhelming.

So I was expecting strong floral from this one. Imagine my surprise, then, when I opened the pouch and got…coconut! Really strong coconut, as in coconut essence rather than the actual fruit. It actually reminds me of a body shop soap I used to use when I was younger! There’s no faulting the leaves, though. They’re rolled, and a beautiful green-brown with some yellowish stalks. No crushed or broken leaves here. Given that this is called “Orchid” oolong, and Orchid is a flower, I’m still thrown by the strong coconut scent.

I gave the bag three minutes in 180 degree water, after which the liquor is a golden yellow-brown. The scent of coconut is still strong, although there’s a fresh, mineral oolong scent also developing, and maybe a hint of light floral.

The strongest note in the flavour is initially coconut. The middle of the sip is more oolong, however, and is mildly buttery. A delicate floral comes out at the end of the sip, but it’s not nearly as potent as I expected it to be. It’s a heady floral, though, so orchid would fit. Sadly, it’s all but overwhelmed by coconut, which is really far too pungent, and quite oddly so. It really is like someone dumped half a bottle of coconut essence in the cup. Another slight issue is the astringency, which adds a dryness to the end of each sip. It’s not terrible, but paired with the coconut it’s pulling this one down in my estimation. It’s drinkable, but not really for me.

cocoa-tinged petals
last rays of sunlight depart
darkness falls, stars rise

The hint of coconut is really lovely.