80

Hmmm first review, no pressure hahah. I will start off by saying that this brew was very stubborn. I opened the package to reveal long black strands. The leaves were a frosted crimson and purple color. They had a light smoke aroma. I brewed these in my new yixing with a generous amount. I washed the leaves once to allow the leaves to breathe. I brewed in increments of 15 seconds, considering the size of my pot. The scent the steeped leaves gave off was intense! The sweet smell of maple, sugarcane, and brown sugar escaped from its spout. I was immediately captured by the air in my tea room. The liquor was a deep rusted orange. The brew had a similar scent to the leaves, but they carried a roasted and ash note. The taste was completely different. It had a dry charcoal flavor. The sweetness had disappeared and was replaced by granite and graphite. The reason why I said that this was a stubborn batch is that the leaves refused to unfurl. It took me about four steepings before the flavor was fully developed. This rock flavor was consistent and lacked any complexity. After, It had been steeped a multitude of times the flavor was finally peaking. The sweetness had returned and blended with the underground flavor. The hard rocky mountains and lush forests clashed together. I could taste sweet sap and the roots that gripped the tectonic plates below. The sweet syrup scent followed me throughout the brew. I enjoyed this tasting very much, but it was lacking and difficult to experience. I bought this solely on the purpose of seasoning my pot, and I had leftovers to brew. The aroma of the leaves is what saved this drink.

Flavors: Brown Sugar, Drying, Limestone, Maple Syrup, Roasted

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec 10 g 8 OZ / 250 ML
Anlina

I’ve had some oolongs that never unfurl, even if I steep them grandpa style and just leave them in the water for an extended amount of time. I’m never sure what to do with these. If they’re still tightly rolled then I’m clearly not getting everything I can out of the leaves, but am I supposed to pull each piece apart by hand to fully expose it to the water?

Haveteawilltravel

That’s what I was thinking. I usually only have this problem with rock oolongs. My solution was to increase temperature and steep time. I always would stir my pot around considerably.

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Anlina

I’ve had some oolongs that never unfurl, even if I steep them grandpa style and just leave them in the water for an extended amount of time. I’m never sure what to do with these. If they’re still tightly rolled then I’m clearly not getting everything I can out of the leaves, but am I supposed to pull each piece apart by hand to fully expose it to the water?

Haveteawilltravel

That’s what I was thinking. I usually only have this problem with rock oolongs. My solution was to increase temperature and steep time. I always would stir my pot around considerably.

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Bio

Young and experienced Tea consumer. I’m continuously learning and developing knowledge about tea. If I have learned anything at all from the world of tea it is that I do not know anything about the world of tea. I enjoy good tea, and I try to acquire the best of the best. I usually brew gongfu but I’ve been known from time to time to resort back to western brewing.

I have an Instagram (haveteawilltravel), and I am proud of my photographs. I use my pictures in my reviews,and I hope that they aid in portraying the beauty of tea and teaware.

https://www.instagram.com/haveteawilltravel/?hl=en

Tea Rating System:
I rate my teas based on the category they fall into (Puer, Red, Oolong, Darjeeing, Flushes, Yancha… etc.)
This means that I will rate a Oolong based on how it stands up as a quality Oolong. I try not to compare teas, rather I work to evaluate them on their craftsmanship, harvest, processing, and qi.

I am most strict with Shou and Sheng Puerh, only because of the vast expanse of various experiences, such as; region, vintage, production, processing, etc.

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