Smooth and slightly sweet; toasty with a touch of dryness.
Oolong means semi oxidized. After rolling, the tea is allowed to ferment only until the edges of the leaves start to turn brown. The tea is then fired which arrests the oxidizing process and captures the interesting character associated with Oolong tea.
In Taiwan, producing oolong tea involves highly specialized skills in the control of the withering, oxidation and firing. A slight variance in any of these gives each variety a distinctive aroma, flavor, color and finish.
Formosa oolong tea
Oolongs teas are best enjoyed when the leaves are briefly infused with hot water, which is then poured off. The tea is then reinfused and tea is poured to the guests after about 1 minute. The leaves may be reinfused several times, with each resulting infusion yielding different liquor from the proceeding cup.
The leaves of this tea are simply beautiful when fully infused.
They look good enough to eat. When brewed, they render a medium oolong with red-brown liquor and an aroma of black tea and earth. The taste is somewhere between black and green. Smooth and delicious, with some earthy notes underneath. Second infusion is as good as first, with very subtle peach and flower notes coming forward. This is one to savor in the aroma as well as the more subtle flavor, because they could be from two different teas.
Reviewed by: Gene Vance from Albuquerque, NM
on 2/25/2010
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