I’m surprised not to see an entry for this tea on Steepster, although it could be the same as the Vietnam Flowery Oolong. Nonetheless, I’m making a separate entry just in case.
This tea was harvested in 2014 and was best before 2017. (Note to self: Go through your sample drawer more often.) I steeped 6 g of leaf in a 120 ml pot at the recommended 176F for 25, 20, 25, 30, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 240 seconds.
The dry aroma is of orchids, lilacs, honey, toasted sesame seeds, grass, and sugarcane. The first steep has notes of orchid, lilac, lilies, other flowers, toasted sesame seeds, brown rice, sugarcane, and grass. The second steep is sweeter, with sugarcane, cream, lettuce, and those lovely florals predominating. The next couple steeps are still floral and toasty, like a cross between a green Dong Ding and a genmaicha. The next rounds have notes of butter, nuts, toasted sesame seeds, coriander, grass, and heady flowers. The session ends with nuts, grass, and veggies, with floral hints in the background.
I don’t know if this tea has changed with age, but even three years past its best before date, it’s held up surprisingly well. It’s too much like a green tea to be something I wholeheartedly enjoyed, but I’m glad to have finally tried it.
Flavors: Butter, Coriander, Cream, Floral, Grass, Honey, Lettuce, Nutty, Orchid, Sugarcane, Toasted Rice, Vegetal
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“Note to self: Go through your sample drawer more often.” Yep, pretty much. XD
Yep. I have some pretty old teas in there.
I remember having this tea way back in the day. There used to be a vendor called “Tea from Vietnam” and this was their top grade oolong. I remember it being quite similar to Taiwanese high mountain oolongs, which is what Vietnamese tea is fashioned after, but a bit rough around the edges. Wouldn’t surprise me if What-Cha is sourcing from the same tea farm.
What-Cha doesn’t carry this tea anymore, but you’re right that it’s reminiscent of Taiwanese oolongs. They also recommended a brewing temperature of 175F, so maybe that emphasized the similarity to green tea?
“Note to self: Go through your sample drawer more often.” Yep, pretty much. XD
Yep. I have some pretty old teas in there.
I remember having this tea way back in the day. There used to be a vendor called “Tea from Vietnam” and this was their top grade oolong. I remember it being quite similar to Taiwanese high mountain oolongs, which is what Vietnamese tea is fashioned after, but a bit rough around the edges. Wouldn’t surprise me if What-Cha is sourcing from the same tea farm.
What-Cha doesn’t carry this tea anymore, but you’re right that it’s reminiscent of Taiwanese oolongs. They also recommended a brewing temperature of 175F, so maybe that emphasized the similarity to green tea?