Ohh, this tea.
This was the second Teavana tea I ever owned, and I very clearly remember the first time I smelled it. I took one whiff and stepped back coughing, not because it smelled bad, but because it smelled STRONG. From then on, this tea has had the nickname “the stinky oolong.” This nickname, once sarcastic, has now become a term of endearment, as this tea has become a staple of my tea collection.
The tea’s richly spicy aroma carries over when steeped. When I sip, I taste mostly cloves and the creamy pumpkin, with the nutty oolong flavor as a complementary base. The papaya comes in the aftertaste. I love this tea anytime, but particularly when it’s cold. It’s great in the morning or in the afternoon, and I frequently pair it with lighter flavored teas, like Dragonwell or Snowy Peak Downy Tips, or a tea with a similar flavor profile, like Spice of Life (all of which are Teavana’s). Teavana suggests pairing it with Toasted Nut Brulee, another oolong, but I find that the two of them just don’t mesh very well.
