Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea Mania
Tea Description:
Oolong # 17 Jade Pearls First Flush is picked by hand and rolled. It’s well known for its distinctive flavor and fragrance notes: a little bit orchid and a hint of lily of the valley. Oolong # 17 Jade Pearls First Flush is only picked in the winter. The slow growth in the winter helps to develop the complex flavors.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh … NICE! This is a truly LOVELY Oolong from Tea Mania! The second tea that I’ve tried from this company, This Oolong #17 Jade Pearls First Flush is solidifying my opinion of this company which is – quite simply: they offer great teas!
This Oolong has a lovely floral quality to it – it is both flowery in aroma and in taste. I taste notes of orchid and hints of honey that evoke thoughts of honeysuckle. It’s a very gentle tasting tea … and while some floral tasting Oolong teas can come across as sharp, that’s not the case with this tea. It has a very subtle, soft approach, and it’s smooth from start to finish. Very little astringency.
The texture is also smooth and soft, and it has a delicate broth-y character to it – think of a comforting bowl of chicken broth when you’re feeling under the weather … that’s the kind of texture I get from this tea: soft, warm, comforting.
And because this is a top-quality Oolong, I was able to get a whole lot of infusions out of one measurement of leaves … this is the kind of tea that you want to spend all afternoon with, just allowing the teas to slowly unfurl as you enjoy the soothing liquid they produce. I found that the flavors became stronger with the third and fourth infusions, and then by infusions number five and six, I noticed that the flavors seemed to become more unified and seamless. Every new cup of tea became a new adventure … each cup lovely and delicious … but presenting itself in a new way for my palate to explore it’s complexity.
Really, this is a top-notch tea. If you like floral Oolong teas … this one should be at the top of your MUST TRY list!
