Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Nuvola Tea
Tea Description:
Taiwan Oolong Black Tea (US$7.7)
Oolong Black Tea is a special black tea created from Oolong Tea. The infusion has a rich amber colour with a luxurious fruity flavour and a smooth mouth-feel. It is not only great as a hot drink that can retain its flavour even after multiple infusions, but also is delightfully refreshing when served cold – a delicious diversion from the everyday.
(Unit Price US$7.7)
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Premium Taiwan Oolong Black from Nuvola Tea has a sinful aroma! It smells sweet, deep, intoxicating. There is a malty aroma cutting through the sweet aroma, then nutty, woodsy, so many wonderful sensations – and this is just the initial smell!
First sip … mmmmmm….always impressed with Nuvola teas! I have to admit, as an oolong lover, I was confused when I read the name of this tea. However upon investigation – which means reading their description, it makes sense. I do plan to do a little more research on this type of tea however because I am very intrigued.
There is a wonderful fruity flavor to this tea, perhaps a berry like fruit. Then we get a deep and earthy note, the mouthfeel is rather on the light side in contrast to the deeper and earthy flavors. Now to qualify, when I say earthy, what I am finding in this tea is a light mineral note, and a slight woodsy note. The deeper, earthy notes would be that of wood, nut, and hay caramel, and cocoa.
The thing is this is one of those teas you want to prepare gong fu style and enjoy multiple steeping sessions. What I am reviewing here are merely steeps one and two. This tea however has so much to offer and will certainly hold up for many more steeps to come! I will be steeping this through out the day and enjoying every wonderful cup!
Steep two for me provides a richer cup, one that is heavier than steep one. It is just lovely! More of the earthy notes come out with a darker sweetness from the cocoa note. The tea becomes more caramel flavored but I can still detect that mineral note shining through along with some slight flavors of the hay as mentioned before. The berry note does not seem as apparent on the tongue but in the after taste it comes through as a cherry flavor. Wonderful! Steep two also has an near creamy texture to it yet somehow still remains refreshing and bright, not heavy or cloying. As the tea cools even slightly the mineral notes get stronger.
I love the complexity of this tea! On one hand its sweet and makes me feel like Willy Wonka in a candy shop but as soon as I find myself relishing in the sweet goodness this fresh breeze rolls in offering a light refreshing note of rock mineral and hay as if I am strolling through the woods on a sunny day. I do a double take and have to ask myself which side of this tea I prefer more but I can’t make that call, no way, both are so wonderful! This is truly a tea for a dual sign like myself, being Gemini I want the best of both worlds and this tea absolutely provides me that! I get my earthy hay and mineral notes that even have an ever so delicate vegetal edge, right down to my need to curb my sweet tooth.
This is a rare and wonderful delight and I highly recommend trying some tea from Nuvola! I know so far I have sampled about 5 of their teas and I have yet to find one that is less than stellar!
See more reviews from the SororiTea Sisters for Nuvola Teas here.
Bai Lin Gong Fu Black Tea from Canton Tea Co.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Canton Tea Co.
Tea Description:
Other names: Golden Needle Congou, Bai Lin Jin Zhen Congou, Ju Hong
One of the earliest Chinese black teas ever to be produced, this Bai Lin Gong Fu is made from young wild white tea buds, twisted into tight elegant gold-streaked curls. The liquor is reddish-brown and has a full-bodied, robust flavour with distinct notes of caramel. This is a wonderful example of whole leaf black tea. It it is a glorious breakfast tea and very reasonably priced for a tea of this calibre. An everyday affordable luxury.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I don’t usually steep black teas in my gaiwan, mostly because the porcelain gaiwan gets very hot, very quickly and I don’t want to burn my fingertips when I try to pour the tea from my gaiwan. However, for this particular tea, I decided to make an exception. I brought the water to a slightly lower temperature (195°F instead of boiling) and infused for one minute for the first infusion, adding 30 seconds to each subsequent infusion. What I have now in the cup sitting in front of me is the combination of the first two infusions.
At first, I wondered if one minute would be long enough, but, as it turns out, the tea tastes incredible after steeping for just one minute, so I am glad I decided not to steep it longer. The flavor is rich and robust and has the most delightful caramel-y undertone to it. Earthy and a little biscuit-y, this tea is very full-flavored and has a nice, rounded taste to it. Very enjoyable, indeed!
After sipping on this for a little while, I start to notice some spice notes emerging. Not strong or what I’d consider spicy, really, but hints of pepper sit off in the background, providing some interest for the palate. Subsequent infusions provided a smoother taste and texture. I noticed some fruit-like tastes in the background by infusions three and four. Still earthy and bold in flavor, the flavors are becoming more unified now.
A truly glorious black tea – bold and invigorating enough to start the day, as well as make a very welcome pick-me-up towards mid-afternoon. This is lovely!
