Oriental Beauty Superior Grade Oolong Tea, Lot 526

This is from MiepSteep, thanks very much!  This flavor type was calling to me today, so here we are.  The leaves are absolutely lovely, a rainbow of colors.  Huge and twisted.  The flavor is what you might expect.  Sadly I have already had this sitting for another year since MiepSteep has sent it over, so the flavor notes will not be as distinct as they could be.   I bet it was real flavorful back in the day.   I wish I could be more specific!  I will just have to appreciate its greatness from a distance of time….
Steep #1 //  1 1/2 teaspoons for a mug // 21 minutes after boiling // 1 minute steep
Steep #2 // 10 minutes after boiling // 2-3 min

This is my second time drinking this tea, though the first time was with a friend and I didn’t really have the chance to think carefully about this one.

First steep comes in quite light but showcases some of the high notes. There’s a strong fruity grape note here, with a hint of tartness to it. I would consider this note to be the highlight of this tea.

The smell of the wet leaves smells like a black tea—dark and malty—and a little bit of that makes its way into the flavor. I would definitely draw some parallels between this and a black tea, however this carries a heavier proportion of fruity flavor to dark, malty, and black flavor. If you brew it for longer, you pull more of those black tea notes out, however it always remains quite fruity.

Overall, an enjoyable tea for those who would enjoy fruity black teas!

For a key to my rating scale, check out my bio.

An awesome value (great flavors for price). Tea starts out with nice creamy / malty / honey aroma and a medium-thick, floral, vanilla, cream, and honey-sweet flavor that gradually transitions to a more tannic (not too offensive), mineral, floral, and spicy flavor. The florals are so intense and linger on the palate and in the nose long after swallowing. This would be a truly amazing tea without the astringency that appears in later infusions, but for the affordable price I am happy to accept the tannins.