Blue Unicorn Reserve

4 spears used for 375 ml.

On the sip there is a note that reminds me strongly of grape flavour. Fruity sweetness. I’m detecting a white tea-type astringency note. Slight buttery tone.

Second infusion at 6 minutes, 300ml. Has more of a plum fruity taste on the sip. Slight hints of smooth (almost creamy) black tea taste. I’m reminded of the wheat-like taste I find in certain tea. Slightly licorice-like sweetness.

Sipdown!

Soooo again, no recollection of who let me try this one, I’m assuming raritea based off the notes on this one but if not, sorry! So this one? Tastes like not much of anything to me. I’m thinking this is maybe too subtle for me today and my taste buds are sort of off, but I didn’t realize it with the stronger teas I’ve had today? I mean its dead smack in the middle of its tea. Ill have to pick up some more of this sometime and see if I get anything out of it later.

The smell inside of the bag is… cumin? Coriander? Clove? WTF? It smells like the hills of Sri Lanka in this bag!

3 spears for 200ml
This takes a while to steep.

I can still smell the curry spices, maybe a little cinnamon. The flavor is like butter and honey but very subtle, and there is a very distinct ceylon flavor on the back end. It’s yummy but very light.

I got 3 good steepings out of it.

This tea is confusing me. The shape of it is pretty cool. I put three spears in my perfect mug to steep. They take multiple steepings to unfurl. The first cup I had didn’t taste like much, but it did taste like an oolong. I just wasn’t sure what kind of oolong. I thought I was getting roasty notes, but then another sip tasted more like a green oolong. I’m in my second steep, and it’s kinda stone fruity, similar to a Formosa oolong I tried once. It’s not bad, but I can’t say for certain whether I’d pick some more up. Good thing sample sizes at Tealux are generous, because I’ll definitely want to try this one out again.

7 spears for about 10 oz. of water. The result was pretty light in flavour, but quite sweet. It didn’t taste like any oolong I’ve ever had though, without the lovely aftertaste I usually crave. I’ll have to have it again (and/or resteep it) and make more detailed notes, because unfortunately I don’t remember much beyond a bit of mineral and a lot of sweetness, but it was certainly pleasant. Doubtful, though, that it will be interesting enough to get me to repurchase.

ETA: Resteeped it a couple days later, in 90C water, leaving it for quite a while – it actually ended up being quite flavourful, although also more astringent than I’d like. The flavour was really unlike almost anything I’ve had before, and I was struggling to figure out what it was that it reminded me of. I am thinking purple tea? It still didn’t have an oolong flavour, but wasn’t like a green either. Definitely tasty though (I diluted my too-astringent cup with some additional boiled-cooled water until it was at a bearable level). Next time, I’ll try to give it an even longer first infusion (if I remember).

Spears are us, or it is in the case of this tea. They are beautifully twisted and shaped, unusual cocoon style pieces with a chocolate like scent and a high black shine. It doesn’t sound like I’m describing tea, does it? Well in a way it doesn’t feel like it is either, but I’m soo looking forward to trying it.

3 spears in 200ml Gongfu
Time I was recommended is 5-6 minutes so I will stick with that

6 minutes later and I have an extremely pale brown tea liquid. It smells mildly malty and wooden with a slight herb tinge. Flavour is also oddly herbal, I am not sure what though… But despite the delightful oddness of it I must admit it’s pleasant tasting.

Another steep to see if it unleashes more flavours, the leaves are tightly wrapped so I feel it needs to open up more. After another few minutes it’s still mild but I can taste more sweet malt tones. Definite cocoa tones too.

Ok another steep, please open up leaves! Ok after ten minutes it’s still very light. So time to double up, it now has six spears in! Another 6 minutes or so to wait.

That’s a bit better, more floral now than before, though still sweet and malty dominating tones, albeit on a still very light scale.

It certainly is an usual tea, both in appearance and taste, but it’s subtly is just not for me. Sorry Blue Unicorn Reserve, you sound awesome but I just don’t love you.

This is such a pretty tea. The spears are made up of what look like mulitcoloured strands — I can pick out light and dark green, mid brown, and a creamy yellow. I followed the recommended parameters and gave two large-ish spears 4 minutes in water cooled to around 180. The resulting liquor is pale yellow-green. The leaves have a mild grapey scent.

To taste, this is really fairly mild. It’s the second mild oolong I’ve tried so far today, so it just goes to show that not all oolongs are overpoweringly awful. I’m reminded most of all of champagne — there’s a deep grape-like flavour with a mild fruity/floral edge. It’s very easy to drink, although it’s another one that’s reminding me more of a white tea than anything else. I feel odd saying this about an oolong, but I’d really like a stronger flavour. Clearly my tastes are changing!