Company: Tea Forté

Type: Oolong

Cost: $48 for 48 infusers or $12 for 35 serving canister

Tea Notes:

• Pyramid infuser has a very strong perfume smell.  I think it is from the paper wrapping.
• Steeped for 3 minutes in water that was just under boiling.
• Taste was roasted and woody.  Slightly drying in the back of the mouth.  None of the perfume smell came out in the taste thank goodness.

Thoughts:

I am still very new to the world of Oolong teas.  They truly intrigue me but I always feel nervous trying them because of their unique and special characters.  I guess I am afraid I won’t be able to pick up on their subtle qualities.  I know, it is a silly thing.  What can I say.  But I shall push myself to new adventures and get over my weird hang-ups in the tea world.  This tea reminds me of some Wuyi Oolongs that I have in my tea cupboard.  It is roasty and a little bit woody with no sign of anything floral.  There was a slight drying effect in the back of the mouth and I noticed that as it cooled off it got this very odd brown bag taste.  Not that I know what brown bags taste like, but I can use my imagination.  I don’t think this tea is horrible and as long as it stays warm it is actually quite nice.  I had a cup while I was making dinner so I have a feeling it cooled off more than I prefer while I was running around the kitchen.  Again, not bad but not something I would keep around since I already have teas that taste quite similar.

The product(s) included in this post were sent to me to be considered for review by the company mentioned or by a PR agency that represents them.

Company: auraTeas

Type: Oolong

Cost: $9.40CAD for 1.6oz

Wuyi Oolong teas have a special place in my tea cabinet.  Their roasted qualities are what pull me in and auraTeas Organic Wuyi Oolong is no exception.  This kind of tea is grown between rocks in the Wuyi area of the Fujian Province, China giving it the name ‘Rock Tea’.

Upon opening my packet of tea and experiencing the full and roasted fragrance it emitted, I smiled inwardly and became anxious to give it a try.  The dry leaves are dark, skinny and curled.  I decided to brew this in a Gaiwan which I filled up till it was about 1/4 full of tea leaves and used water that was 200 degrees.  As per instructions, I let it steep for 1 minute and then tossed that water.  This allowed the tea leaves to open up and gave them a quick rinse.  For the next infusion, which became the one I drank from, I let it steep for 30 seconds.  I added 20 seconds to the next two infusions for a total of three infusions.

I immediately noticed the lovely roasted fragrance of the steeped tea.  It was comforting to me.  The taste was smooth with a full body that wasn’t overwhelming.  The roasted fragrance came through in the taste as well as some ever so gentle nutty flavors.  All three infusions tasted fairly similar with the third one starting to get a little weak.  I truly enjoyed the experience of drinking this tea and felt like warm arms were surrounding me as I allowed myself to be in the moment and no where else.  I relaxed and enjoyed my tea time, savoring the roasty quality that was just the right strength and what I needed at that exact moment.

The product(s) included in this post were sent to me to be considered for review by the company mentioned or by a PR agency that represents them.

Name: Formosa Wenshan Baochong Choice

Company: auraTeas

Type: Oolong, loose

Cost: $9.20CAD for 1.43oz

auraTeas is a lovely Canadian tea company whose customer service and teas are top notch.  I am very fond of their logo and all the teas I’ve tried so far have produced very satisfying cups.

Their Baochong oolong is no exception.  It is a lightly oxidized oolong, close to green tea, and has a distinctive floral aroma.  The leaves are long and twisted with a medium green color.  The recommendation for this tea is to use 2 teaspoons in 4oz of water and steep for 1 minute in 194 degree water.  Then for every infusion after, add 20 seconds and it can be re-infused 3-6 times.

I mostly followed the brewing instructions and have found quite a bit of enjoyment from this tea.  I just finished a relaxing, quiet tea session where I re-steeped this tea 4 times using a gaiwan and a small drinking cup.  When drinking oolongs I tend to do a quick infusion to open up the leaves and get rid of some of the caffeine.  Whether or not a lot of the caffeine is removed, I can’t say, but it makes me feel better.

The first two infusions of this tea are always very floral to me.  I love to inhale the unique floral fragrance and enjoy the airy quality on my tongue.  The third infusion tastes much more vegetal, something similar to a green tea but missing the grassy flavor.  And then the fourth infusion goes back to being strongly floral.  Even more floral then before I believe.

I don’t have a ton of experience with oolongs yet, but if other oolongs are as fascinating as this one is to me, then I am anxious to explore them more!

The product(s) included in this post were purchased by myself or sent as a free sample along with a purchase.