Brandy Oolong, Ruby 18

Tea type
Oolong Tea
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Caramel, Malt, Raisins, Stonefruit, Sugarcane, Tea, Honey, Sweet, Floral, Peach, Sugar
Sold in
Loose Leaf
Caffeine
Not available
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Kasiopea
Average preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 g 9 oz / 279 ml

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4 Tasting Notes View all

  • “If I had to pick just one tea, to drink for the rest of my life, this would be it. To me, this tea is perfect. I brew 2.5 g in a large mug of boiling water for four minutes. The leaf is...” Read full tasting note
    100
  • “Well, now I love Oolong too. Crap. This means that I’m going to have to spend more money! Up until now I’ve been heavy on the golden-tipped teas and Assams, but this throws something slightly...” Read full tasting note
    94
  • “Got this one to try in my last TeaLyra order. The description sounded exactly like something I’ve been craving lately, and the tea did not disappoint. I usually prefer the stronger black teas, with...” Read full tasting note
    96

From Tealyra

Quickly making its way among Taiwan’s most treasured teas, Brandy Oolong is joining the ranks of Taiwan’s most famous- Tung Ting, Jade Oolong and Aged Oolong! We absolutely love our Brandy Oolong, Ruby 18! It is highly oxidized, yet not fully oxidized (roughly 85%-90%) and is processed using traditional oolong craft methods in Taiwan. The leaves’ rich amber color, and tea liquor gives this tea its unique name. Once steeped, the tea soup is a dark amber color that has heady aromatic roasted notes of caramelized honey and stone fruit. Its flavor has refreshing “cooling” minty undertones, with lots of deep, dark honey and sweet cinnamon like notes. It is wonderfully smooth and complex, without any bitterness and has an excellent sweet finish! Our Brandy Oolong, Ruby 18 will quickly become one of your favorites as well!

About Tealyra View company

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4 Tasting Notes

100
89 tasting notes
If I had to pick just one tea, to drink for the rest of my life, this would be it. To me, this tea is perfect. I brew 2.5 g in a large mug of boiling water for four minutes. The leaf is large and unfurls to be even larger! They call it an oolong, but it seems more like a black tea to me. It must be a very heavily oxidized oolong. And yet, it completely lacks astringency. It’s caramelly, malty, aromatic, with notes of raisin (not really grape to my senses), and with a strong sugary aftertaste. The sensation of sweetness without sweetener. The tea is grown and made in the Sun Moon Lake area of Nantou County in Taiwan. This cultivar, TTES #18, is fairly famous, not just in Taiwan. Teapedia describes it as “Hong Yu (Ruby), cross between Taiwanese wild tea tree (B-607) and a Burmese assamica (B-729).” It is also known as “Red Jade”, but that may refer to fully oxidized black (red) forms of it. The dominant flavor is what I would call characteristically “Assamic”, since it is the taste that I discern in all teas descended from the lineage. But in this case, it is as if the flavor had been distilled and refined and concentrated into this leaf with all the flavors I dislike removed. No tannin, no fishiness, no seaweedy brine, no compost. I don’t know why “brandy“ is in the name because I don’t taste it in this tea. Maybe the color?

I believe a big part of this tea’s excellence comes from the terroir as well as the skill of the teamasters involved. Because another very similar tea (also sold by Tealyra) is called Black Beauty #8, which also comes from the Sun Moon Lake region. But Teapedia describes TTES #8 as “a assamica varietal from Jaipur (India, Assam)”. So a completely different cultivar, with very similar flavors. It is my second-favorite. The TTES is a formal research station, so their pedigree designations are authoritative.

So, yes, Brandy Oolong Ruby 18 is, in my estimation, outstanding. Please also find other tea notes listed for this tea under the company’s prior name, Tealux. This is also among the more expensive tea I’ve had, at $8/25g since I get only one pleasing steeping out of it, thus it rivals good pu’ers, on a per-cup basis. But it handily beats all of them in flavor and aroma! YMMV.

Flavors: Caramel, Malt, Raisins, Stonefruit, Sugarcane, Tea

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec 2 g 8 OZ / 236 ML

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94
23 tasting notes

Well, now I love Oolong too. Crap. This means that I’m going to have to spend more money!

Up until now I’ve been heavy on the golden-tipped teas and Assams, but this throws something slightly different into the mix. Still smooth and caramelly like golden-tipped teas, but with a slightly more complex undertone to it. I don’t know quite how to describe it, and it’s pretty early, so I’m just going to enjoy my cuppa and revisit it many, many times in the future :) It just has a certain “something” that makes it so incredibly delicious and moreish.

Also, I can’t wait to try this tea out Gong Fu style. I bet that that’s going to be delicious.

Flavors: Caramel, Sweet

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 350 ML
TeaEarleGreyHot

Yes, this tea is heaven.

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96
42 tasting notes

Got this one to try in my last TeaLyra order. The description sounded exactly like something I’ve been craving lately, and the tea did not disappoint. I usually prefer the stronger black teas, with rich flavor and malt. This tea, is very well balance, it is low in bitterness, Very aromatic and flavorful. The aroma is Rich! I smell honey, caramelized sugar, malt, and stone fruit like peaches and cherry. I had this tea with some tart dried cherries and it was just delicious. It has floral notes to it which come more pronounced with later steepings. But in general it is a delicious, aromatic brew. I’ve been drinking it all day today and even now (steeping 5-6?) I’m still getting a lovely nose from the cup sitting on my desk and its makes me smile, Ahhh Yuuum. I am really enjoying this one and it will definitely be one of the favorites on the list.

Flavors: Caramel, Floral, Honey, Malt, Peach, Stonefruit, Sugar

Preparation
165 °F / 73 °C 2 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 10 OZ / 295 ML

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