Citrus Flower Scented Four Seasons Oolong Lot 440

I’d never heard of Pomelo flowers, but this tea caught my attention as I was browsing Taiwan Tea Crafts. Its description sounded similar to orange blossoms from which perfumey orange flower water is derived and just happens to be one of my all-time favorite culinary flavorings. It’s a flavor I’ve long sought in tea but alas most teas labeled orange blossom are actually flavored with citrus fruit, not flowers.

TTC’s citrus flower oolong didn’t quite taste like what I imagined but that doesn’t matter because the flavor is unique and enjoyable on its own. This tea smells and tastes like a bouquet of wildflowers. Subtle notes of jasmine float in the background and hints of crisp citrus emerge as it cools. A very pleasant and refreshing tea that leaves behind a syrupy, flowered aftertaste.

Getting the steeping parameters down is important to getting the most out of this tea. The wildflower tones, while delightful, can be almost cloying if you overleaf as I initially did. After some experimentation, I settled on 1.5 tsp of tea per 4 oz for steep times of 50s/40s/50s/60s/70s/90s.

Kudos to TTC for another impressive floral scented tea!

I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy this one as I don’t tend to love floral scented teas (as much as I love floral notes in my teas) and this one was baked as well. But I’ve never seen pomelo flowers added to tea (or anything!) so I went conservative and picked up 25g just to try. I have to admit, I’m regretting not picking up a bit more!

It’s so delightful! Light, refreshing, more complex than I assumed. Very floral, of course. Close to magnolia or jasmine but much less perfumed. A good bit of tangerine comes out in both scent and taste.
I steeped this gong-fu first and fell in love! Absolutely perfect in every way, especially the latter steeps where the citrus flower scent is lessened and you can taste the other notes in the tea. Later I continuous steeped this one and loved it as well. Less complex, but so yummy.

I just have to say how impressed I am with Taiwan Tea Crafts. Every single thing I’ve had from them has been incredible. And the free samples they give come with handwritten personalized notes, which is a lovely touch. Shipping is quite quick as well, only 2 days from Taiwan to SF customs and 4 days to my home from there. I’m desperately trying to put myself on a tea buying hiatus, but I may need to make just one more TTC order…