I went to open this sample packet, and I must have popped it… all the oolong ended up on the, luckily, clean floor. This takes “hand picked” to a new level.

I did a rinse, until it started to unfurl a little, and then steeped it in 180F for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

From the smell of the dry leaf and liquor, I can already tell that this 2013 spring harvest is (or was) sweeter than the autumn batch, which I finished off last week. That sweet aroma is like bubblegum or cotton candy.

Has anyone here had dandelion burdock soda, or elderflower? This tea has that kind of sweet floral vibe. Along with the sparkling floral quality, it has a mellow sweet component, like cotton candy, gum, or marshmallow textures. There’s a little salted butter in the aftertaste too.

Soon I’m going to start describing Ferris wheels and merry-go-rounds, so I will end here. This tieguanyin’s first steep is a kind of crazy.. or maybe I’m just crazily projecting my carnival fantasies onto this hot mug of tea, on this miserable rainy day. This tieguanyin has made me doubt my perception of reality.

Flavors: Banana, Butter, Cotton Candy, Dandelion, Floral, Marshmallow

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 30 sec 1 tsp
boychik

Hand picked;-)

gmathis

Yay for clean floors! If I’d tried that, I’d be listing “essence of black cat and lint ball” in the flavor profile.

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Comments

boychik

Hand picked;-)

gmathis

Yay for clean floors! If I’d tried that, I’d be listing “essence of black cat and lint ball” in the flavor profile.

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Profile

Bio

I started my Steepster loose leaf adventure back in 2012. I can’t say I’m completely new anymore, but I still view oolong as a magical, extraterrestrial creature that unfurls in water.

My favourites are teas like Milk Oolong, Silver Needle,and Japanese Sencha/Gyokuro, or fruity and floral flavoured ones. However, I generally enjoy ALL the teas, including a good old cup of Earl Grey or Breakfast blend.

FAVOURITE INGREDIENTS/NOTES:

DESSERT FLAVOURS
Vanilla, Maple, Caramel, Butterscotch, Cream, Toffee, Nougat, Marzipan, Butter

FRUIT & BERRIES
Citrus Fruits, Passionfruit, Banana, Pineapple, Melons, Blackberry, Raspberry, Currants, Elderberry, Persimmon, Rhubarb..

SPICES
Ginger, Turmeric, Clove-forward chai, Cardamom

AROMATIC & HERBACEOUS NOTES
Sandalwood, Frankincense, Juniper, Eucalyptus, Mints

FLORALS
Lavender, Jasmine, Rose, Lilac, Violet, etc.

VEGGIE/GRAIN NOTES
Spinach, Grass, Hay, Cucumber, Rice, Sweet Potato

Less Preferred Flavours/Ingredients:
Stevia, Apple, Cocoa Nib, Almond, Licorice, Cinnamon-forward blends, Chinese Sencha

Subjective Rating System:
I don’t give a lot of low ratings out, since a) I tend to grab tea I know will appeal to me, and b) I don’t have a lot of strong dislikes.

90-100: Favourites. The Desert Island Teas.
80-89: Loved teas. Possibly staple-worthy.
70-79: Good teas, but I’m less likely to repurchase. Minor quibbles.
60-69: Ok teas. Likely a few preference and/or quality issues.
50-59: Cup of meh. Will do in a pinch.
11-49: Varying levels of undrinkable tea.
1-10: Nightmare tea from the chaos realms. This tea is the embodiment of the primordial swamp, an unholy abomination. It’s very gross and I’m almost positive it doesn’t exist.

Location

BC, Canada

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