Shui Xian Wuyi Oolong

A review of Shui Xian Wuyi Oolong by Verdant Tea

Date: 11/06/2012
Company: Verdant Tea
Tea Name: Shui Xian Wuyi Oolong
Tea Type Oolong
Region: Taiwan
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf:
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: peach with a blush
Leaf Characteristics:

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes
Note: I am finishing the remains of this Shui Xian Wuyi Oolong. I have a teaspoon of it left and so I pour the warmly boiled water over it. And the aroma as the cup steamed is like milk simmering with vanilla pods; the essence is there with that caramelizing effect towing along. The tea’s color makes me think of peaches with a blush; it is that amber color but not darken.

When I taste this oolong it is heaven. I am reminded of the Chai that I had enjoyed earlier this morning and perhaps that is why I have reached for this tea. It has many folds; there is that buttery sweet flavor left on the palette and that of fresh cinnamon…sprinkles of cinnamon over banana to be exact, but unfortunately I don’t get this.

I know this is one of the better tasting oolongs that I have had, as there have not been any that I did not like. I do remember vaguely one Apple Wuyi Oolong tea that I had purchased and I could never discern the apple, for it had no crispness, tart/sweetness at all. It was oolong tea and yet very mild and they were tea bags as opposed to loose leaf tea.

Anyone that knows of me knows I generally write extravagant reviews in great detail. I’m without a computer and on my phone, so this is going to be short. I will rewrite it later.

This is absolutely the best roasted oolong I’ve experienced. It is that…. an experience. I read verdant’s description and think that it is a little over the top and extremely suggestive with what it smells and tastes like. It taste like fantastic oolong…. nothing more, nothing less. The crop itself is gorgeous and has the smell to accompany it. In short, this may be my new favorite tea.

P.S. Stop hiring poets to do product descriptions. _

I got this with my Black Friday shipment, and I finally had time to try it out today.

I opened the smaple bag, and I could already tell that it was going to be good. IT had a very satisfying roasted smell, reminding me a bit of vanilla which, while a bit weird, is actually lovely. The flavor of the tea wsa just perfect: It is an amazing example of a Wuyi yancha. The delightful sweet-yet-roasted vanilla of the aroma is also a major part of the flavor, with a nice smooth mouthfeel that transitions into the characteristic yancha mineal aftertaste. It’s a bit early to be talking about the subtler flavors, since they are fairly indistinct, but this tea has a lot of promise for development. Oh yeah, I steepd this for 15 seconds.

The second cup was steeped for about 10 seconds, but was actually less interesting than I expected. I thoguht that the flavors would develop a bit faster, but this was pretty much the same as the first cup, except it was smoother. Actually, smoother isn;t the right word, it’s more like it’s a more refined taste, but the point is that it hasn’t developed as much as I expected. The tea still is very complex, so I’m not too disappointed, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Third cup, 15 seconds. This is it, the legendary third cup, the one that is usually the best. It lives up to the hype. The flavor has made a small yet importnat transition from smooth to creamy, yet still makes the transition into mineral-smooth for the aftertaste. The vanilla is tempered by the beginings of spice, and something sweet as well. Right now, this tea has acheived perfect balance. Of course, I’m not realy sure where the flavor will go next, since this is just so much different than my other Shui Xian, which leaves me very excited to see what comes next.

Music of the Day – Cello Sonata in A minor by Edvard Grieg, performed by Martha Argerich and Mischa Maisky.

Link – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z72yOcLmOOE

Whenever Argerich and Maisky play together, you can always expect an expressive and riveting performance, and thisvideo doesn’t disappoint.

This tea is certainly a yummy one, and one that I’ll be savoring for as long as I can. The quality is apparent right from the beginning in the dry leaves. They have this elegant appearance, with graceful twists and a variety of shapes. The dark brown-black color gives ode to some hidden power the tea possesses while the brittle nature of the texture play on it’s many subtle flavors. Smelling the leaves results in a heady, rich aroma of roasted hay and that characteristic Wuyi scent.

Add water and the leaves give off an incredibly intense aroma of pine sap, musty notes, and burnt oak logs. The resulting liquor smells of Da Hong Pao, is sweet and thickly floral, with undertones of sandalwood. A sip from the first steep explodes with flavor: ripe bananas, honey, malt, florals, and sometimes I can even detect a touch of cocoa. The mouthfeel is extra thick, leathery smooth, and so very juicy. Into the next couple of steeps, the fruity flavors from the first steep become more prominent and develop into tastes of dark berries and add tartness, complementing the sticky sweetness of the banana and honey flavors nicely. Sandalwood flavors also become apparent, and the liquor’s aroma expands into something that reminds me of a holiday candle. It’s nice, homey, and reminiscent of late autumn afternoons.

Into the fourth and fifth steeps, the banana flavors subside and a creamier mouthfeel develops as woodier flavors take control. Berries become less pronounced and a thick prune-like flavor rounds out the wood. In the next few steeps, the taste becomes spicier, musty, peaty, and earthy, transforming into more of a pu’er with a rounder, thicker body. At this point the aftertaste has become fruity and sticky with undertones of this weak black tea flavor. The steeps round out in the ’teens with sweet, licorice-like flavors and a subdued ripe fruit flavor.

Found this unopened sample in my sample tin this morning and thought I would be a nice way to start my day. It did not disappoint. Toasty oolong goodness.

It’s been a strange and busy week. Looking forward to my day off tomorrow.

Books. The rinsed leaves, they smell like books. Rows and rows of well-loved library books. I think this is my new tea to sip while reading.

I can drink Wuyi any time. This one is particularly buttery. I’m having it with a little piece of sour cherry tart.

This is review of a generous sample David gave me on my first order! My first thought when drinking this tea is that it is incredibly smooth. There is absolutely none of the bitterness that usually pushes me off oolong tea; it is clear I will be buying some of this on my next order. I caught undercurrents like honey and just a hint of what might be banana and spice; after swishing it around in my mouth, I taste just a hint of maltiness. In summary all the flavors of this tea come through perfectly; I will be buying some of this tea, and I don’t drink much oolong.

After having this tea for almost a year, I finished up the last bit of this in the package. And guess what? I finally taste the waffle cone! It may be because I’m eating little crackers with this tea that are supposed to ‘go’ with oolong; they are little cylindrical crunchy yummies wrapped in seaweed. Whatever they’re made of, they go great with this tea! This is probably the best steeping I’ve ever had of this tea. I still have one more little sample packet of this left, so that makes me happy!

I’m finishing up the last bit of this tea and I haven’t yet reached a decision on what I think about it. I know that when I tried this tea last, I wasn’t very impressed.. or perhaps it didn’t fit my mood. I’m sure that these next infusions will confirm what I think! I’m excited to see what they bring.

First infusion: I’m getting a very strong wood scent – not like rooibos, but something a bit darker… it sort of reminds me of a damp log with mushrooms. There is also a hint of something toasted. Sipping… hmm… It’s so complex that I actually have to sip again to realize what I’m drinking. The dry wood flavor comes first and is the strongest for me. It changes into a nice sweetness in the same way a rooibos tea has that sweet element. It’s also very smooth, finishing with an almost bitter note.

Second Infusion: The cup still has that very woody scent, but it seems to be a little bit toned down. This one has a tad bit more astringency and seems “darker” to me. The wood and sweetness are still very present.

Third Infusion: I’m tasting some nice floral notes in the background.. they sort of explode when you least expect it! The sweetness has taken over and actually finds itself in balance with a playful bitterness.

Fourth Infusion: I like the mouthfeel of this cup. It’s rather full and think. I’m tasting a little bit of something minty at the tail end of the sip. There is still that drying, bitter wood mixed with a soft sweetness.

I will update further if there are any more cups to be had. It’s time for dinner, though & now wouldn’t be the best time to taste important details of this tea. I’m happy that I had the opportunity to try this tea when it was still around. I wish that I had tasted vanilla and waffle cones, but this one reminded me mostly of sweet wood.