Shui Xian

A very smooth oolong. Fruity, but not citrus. More flavor as it cooled, but I could not detect the chocolate.

Very nice example of this type. A bit lighter than some Shui Xians that I have tried, it’s more refined character makes it a good oolong to pair with food. I wouldn’t be afraid to drink this in the spring or summer, either.

I got this tea as a free sampler from teas etc. It has a very weak, unimpressive flavor profile. I even tossed the leaves back in for a minute more steep time, but the flavor did not improve. It was packaged in a small clear plastic bag, so this tea might have gone south due to prolonged sun exposure in their warehouse.

See my review for Adagio Oolong #8. This is pretty much the same deal but a tad cleaner.

It had a nice golden brown color. The smell was smoky. woodsy and fruity. The taste was equally as pleasant; smoky, and full-bodied. The aftertaste is a slight milk coffee, very warming.

Sipdown no. 132 of the year 2014. A sample. Made in the gaiwan with short steeps starting at 15 seconds after a rinse.

In the packet, the leaves are so dark they look like black tea leaves. They smell a little like wood.

After steeping, they yield a caramel colored liquor that has a brisk, fruity aroma with a toasty, almost smoky note.

The flavor is more interesting and alive than the other dark oolongs I’ve had recently . (Those were all from Adagio.) I can see what they mean by the chocolate note. It’s not as strong as the chocolate notes one finds in black teas, but it’s there. It’s not a sweet chocolate, more of a dark beany one around the edges. Very nice. The fruitiness here is more complex than in some dark oolongs where you basically feel like you’re sucking on a peach pit, and that’s the single note stonefruit flavor. This one isn’t as woody/stoney, and is more reminiscent of the pulpy fruity part of an apricot.

It doesn’t change as much from steep to steep as I’d expect, but the smoky notes come out around steep three, as does a little astringency which is interestingly coupled with a soft mouth feel.

There’s a smoky, woody aftertaste. The steeped leaves are chocolate brown and have a mild woody scent with a sharp fruity note.

If I didn’t have about a thousand other oolongs to taste, I would put this on the shopping list as I think it merits playing around with a bit more. As it is, while I like it quite a bit, it isn’t completely knocking my socks off screaming “drop everything and buy me!”

Rather dark amber liquor, woodsy and deep, yet smooth and fruity. I’m rather fond of this one, since I tend to go for deeper, slightly more oxidized oolongs. A nice alternative for those who find fresh oolongs too buttery/milky.