Continuing with first experiences this week. This morning it’s the Wuyi Mountain Big Red Robe from Verdant Tea. I got this as a sample with my last order. My first roasted oolong ever.
I really don’t know what to think. This tea has brought out flavours I never tasted before in a tea. I’m still trying to figure them out.
The dry tea smelled vegetal and roasted… roasted vegetables is more like it.
I rinsed the leaves then steeped it for 1 minute over boiling water. The resulting liquid is golden brown with a slightly floral scent. I also smell typical oolong and there is also a little sweetness to it.
I take a sip. Whoa! Doesn’t taste anything like it smells… I get seriously roasty flavour with some caramel and chocolate. I almost want to say roasted chocolate but there is no such thing… lol
There is something else in it, I can’t put my finger on. Overall, interesting.. very different.
Steep it again…
2 minutes over a boiling water this time. The chocolate taste is almost gone and now it’s mostly roasted, nutty flavour with a tiny bit of astringency tingling the back side of my tongue towards the end of the sip. This tea is complex and tasty. The more I sip, the more I like it.
Overall I got 3 steeps out of it and I’m pretty sure I could have gotten another one but it was time for dinner and then switch to something else. I’m quite excited to try it again in a few days and see if I pick up any other flavours… or if I figure out what is that note I keep tasting that I can’t quite identify…
