Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Beautiful Taiwan Tea Company
Tea Description:
AVAILABLE THE SECOND WEEK OF JULY!!!
What a smooth tea this is! This tea comes from a farm just above the pristine alpine lake called Sun Moon Lake. It’s hand processed by Mr. Lee and his wife, a wonderful and hospitable couple. They grow without chemicals the old fashioned way. Do you like black teas from India? This tea is similar but has no astringency. It’s a pure stock Assam Black Tea that has been growing in Taiwan since 1926 when the Japanese imperial machine started to foster a tea industry in Taiwan for world-wide export.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have been excited to try this Formosa Assam Black Tea from Beautiful Taiwan Tea Company. I love the teas from Sun Moon Lake and the fact that this is an Assam (but grown in Taiwan!) I was so happy to have the opportunity to try it.
The aroma that I am enjoying from my teacup at the moment is sweet and delicious smelling. I smell rich notes of “black tea” … notes of fruit and flower and earth and molasses that seem to meld together into a unified fragrance that is “black tea.” It’s a rich, soothing and comforting aroma, something that inspires thoughts of being curled up under a big, warm, fluffy blanket in front of a fireplace. A welcome thought since it’s kind of a cold and dreary day here in the Pacific Northwest.
A quick glance at the calendar suggests that this shouldn’t be so, but, that’s the way it is here. On the days that you expect heat, we get wet. On the days that we expect cold, we sweat. On the days that we expect wet and possibly frost, we get … well, we probably do get wet. We are in the Pacific Northwest, where they say that if you don’t like the weather, you should just wait five minutes and it will change for you. But, you should still be prepared to get wet.
My weather rant aside, this is the kind of tea that I like to enjoy on days like this. I prefer a cup of hot tea over a glass of iced tea anyway, and when it’s cold and wet outside, I want something comforting and hot to drink (preferably inside!) And this tea is giving me just what I want today.
The flavor is rich and bold, but there is a smoothness to it too. Similar to an Assam grown in India, but as the definition above suggests, there’s virtually no astringency to this and nary a hint of bitterness which is something that, even with utilizing a very careful steep temperature and time, you are likely to taste slight bitter tones to an Assam grown in India, and you will most likely experience some astringency as well. But this is remarkably smooth and sweet.
The molasses-y notes that I picked up in the aroma are represented in the taste too. There are notes of stone fruit, like a mild plum note and possibly an apricot note in the distance. There is an almost autumnal feel to this cup, as I can pick up on some notes of warm spice, not really so much of a zesty spice but more like a gentle warmth that indicates a hint of spice. There is also that delectable “fresh baked goods” type of taste to this that I often get with an Assam, that chewy, delicious flavor that evokes thoughts of the warm, chewy, caramelized crust of a freshly baked loaf of bread.
While this definitely has a boldness to it, it isn’t quite as bold as a typical Assam would be. It tastes like … imagine if you would: a marriage between the best Indian Assam tea and the finest Formosa Oolong. This Formosa Assam Black Tea would be the lovechild that was born from that marriage, resembling both parents, carrying possibly a few more attributes of the Assam than the Oolong.
A truly lovely tea experience!
Formosa Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
A darker oolong tea from Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa (which means ‘Beautiful’, given by the Portuguese explorers of the island). Deep raisiny and ripe fruit aroma, autumn ‘leafy’ note. Lingering flavor and smooth, refreshingly fruity astringency. A lovely introduction to Taiwanese tea.
Learn more about May’s Selection Club Menu Options here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve mentioned my adoration for Formosa Oolong teas in the past here on this blog, so when Simple Loose Leaf included this Formosa Oolong Tea as part of their May Selection Club Menu, I was a happy sipper!
Ali Shan Oolong is my favorite type of Oolong, but I’ll always have a place in my heart for Formosa Oolong. It was the very first type of Oolong that I ever tried, and for a long time, I didn’t know that there was any other type of Oolong out there. For me, it was Formosa Oolong forever. Since that time, my horizons have expanded and I’ve learned a lot more about Oolong teas, but, I still do love a good cup of Formosa Oolong tea.
And this Formosa Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf is really good. The aroma is sweet and reminiscent of dried fruits with an earthy background. There is a distinct autumn-ish essence to it: the warmth of the toasty color and fragrance of the leaves, and the sweet fruity notes give it a very autumnal feel.
The flavor is also seems to evoke thoughts of autumn. There is a toasty, nutty flavor that makes me think of roasting chestnuts over the roaring fire in the fireplace, and the sweet, raisin-like flavor also has a distinct autumn-like flavor.
The overall flavor is sweet. It isn’t an overly floral Oolong. I find this to be true with most darker Oolong teas, it would seem that the darker the leaves, the floral notes diminish while the fruity notes emerge. I like that while this does have a sweet, raisin-y flavor to it, it doesn’t have that sugar-y sweetness of the dry fruit. There are some woody notes that seem to even those sweeter flavors out enough so that the cup doesn’t become cloying.
A really wonderful, rewarding cup of Oolong. Formosa Oolong teas also offer many infusions, and I find that the later infusions (especially the third and fourth infusions) tend to be my favorite. This is true of this tea as well. The astringency has tapered somewhat, and the flavors are not quite as sharp as in the first couple infusions, allowing for some of the sweeter notes to emerge fully.
Simple Loose Leaf offers a great program to those who are looking to enjoy some really good teas at excellent prices! Check out their Selection Club and use this code: SISTERSELECTION25 to get 25% off when you sign up for the Selection Club! (This discount is not applicable on the retail selection of teas, and is only good for the selection club subscription.)
And through June 20th, all new subscribers will also receive a new teapot! What a great gift idea! Here are the details of this nifty offer.
Formosa Amber Oolong Tea from Upton Tea Imports
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Tea Description:
With an oxidation level of approximately 40%, Amber Oolong (Wu-Long) teas produce a liquor that is darker than the Jade Oolongs. The flavor is slightly more earthy and robust.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Formosa Amber Oolong from Upton Tea Imports reminds me of the first Oolong tea that I ever tasted. It was a very memorable experience for me, because I had never really experienced an Oolong before, and everything about it was just … different! The texture, the sweetness, the distinct fruit notes. It was really quite a delightful experience.
And this tea is taking me back to that moment.
Since that moment, I have learned quite a bit about Oolong teas including the best way to brew them. Well, maybe I shouldn’t say that. How about I revise that statement to say the best way that I know of to brew them. The way that produces the most flavorful cuppa for me.
And that is, as I’ve said many times, in a gaiwan. I use short steeps, starting with just 45 seconds for the first infusion – following a 15 second rinse – and then I add 15 seconds on to each subsequent infusion. The strained liquid from the first two infusions is combined into one cup, the third and fourth infusions will be combined into my second cup, and the third cup will be the combination of infusions five and six … and so on.
My first cup is sweet with lovely peach notes. There are notes of earth to this cup as well, giving it a more pronounced “robustness” than a typical green Oolong. Hints of a roasty, nutty flavor as well as some buttery notes, but I think that the butter is experienced more in the texture than the taste. The tail offers a slightly cleansing astringency which essentially “cleans” the thick, buttery quality from the palate, preparing it for the next sip. I like that this taste and texture doesn’t build and inundate the palate.
The second cup had a little less astringency than the first, and I noticed more of the peach-like notes emerging. This is not quite as buttery, but I still notice the warm, nutty flavors and the notes of earth. The peach-y sweetness is delightful!
Usually my second cup of Oolong tea is my favorite, but with this Formosa Amber Oolong, the third cup is my favorite! The flavor is still going strong, and the delivery is much smoother. This is sweeter and peachy-er! The earthiness is less apparent now, and the nuttiness of the first two cups has melded with the sweetness of the peach notes. I’m also getting a citrus-y note to this cup that I didn’t really notice with the first two. This is a really lovely cuppa!
A really lovely Formosa … perhaps not the best Formosa I’ve tasted, but it’s really nice and a good representation of what the darker Formosa Oolong teas can offer.
Berber Tea Blend from Tay Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tay Tea
Tea Description:
The light and sweet Moroccan spearmint is a crisp counterbalance to the rich, smoky gunpowder green tea. So refreshing, this tea goes down easy. Re-steep this tea a few times to let the rolled gunpowder tea unfurl and release its full flavour. If you want to get authentic with this tea, sweeten it until your heart’s content.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! Minty! After I opened this Berber Tea Blend from Tay Tea, the first sampler packet from this month’s Amoda Tea Tasting box that I decided to try, I was a little overwhelmed by the fragrance of mint. The aroma reminds me of Wrigley’s Spearmint gum. It’s very, very minty.
The strong minty scent worried me a little. I started thinking this was going to end up tasting more like a mouthful of toothpaste than a cup of tea. Fortunately, this doesn’t taste quite as much like toothpaste as the aroma led me to believe. I am happy to say that I can taste the flavor of the gunpowder green tea in this tea as well as the crisp flavor of spearmint, and while it is a minty tasting tea … as I’m sipping it, my palate recognizes that I’m drinking tea and not mouthwash that has been heated up and poured into a teacup.
The Moroccan spearmint was a good choice to use in this mint tea blend, because I generally find spearmint to be a “lighter” tasting mint than peppermint. I’m also finding that this spearmint seems to unite with the gunpowder green tea to create a smooth flavor. The spearmint is crisp and refreshing, but not overpowering.
The gunpowder green tea is light and sweet, and there are some vegetal notes that meld beautifully with the herbaceous tones of the spearmint. It all comes together in a very pleasant way. The texture of the liquid is somewhat broth-y which offers an intriguing contrast to the invigorating mint flavor.
It’s a very clean and fresh taste. It’s revitalizing but also soothing. I’m not about to say that this is my favorite tea that I’ve ever pulled out of my Amoda Box, but, I am enjoying it, and I’m happy that I got this opportunity to try something from a new-to-me company like Tay Tea. Thanks, Amoda!
Formosa Lapsang from Grey’s Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Oolong Teas
Where to Buy: Grey’s Teas
Tea Description:
A most unusual tea combining the earthy characteristics of Formosa’s oolongs with the pinewood aromas of Fujian Lapsang Souchongs. The typically coarse yet deep brown leaf produces a wonderfully balanced and subtly smokey tea that is most appealing.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I first opened the package of this Formosa Lapsang Blend from Grey’s Teas, it smelled much smokier than I expected it to. The Smoky tones are really strong!
I brewed this for three minutes in 195°F water following a quick 15 second rinse, and I’m really delighted with the results. The smoky tones mellow out a bit after brewing (and rinsing!) … this is not nearly as smoky tasting as I anticipated it being based on the aroma I was experiencing when I opened the package.
This is really quite nice! It is smoky, yes, but, the smoky tones are more subtle than I expected them to be. The Formosa Oolong offers a smooth, almost buttery kind of texture to the sip, which when united with the smoky notes … becomes this very soft, smooth, sophisticated kind of smoky note that is actually quite enjoyable to sip. I think that if this was the first smoky tea that I ever tried (and provided I brewed it correctly!) … I might not have been so anti-Lapsang Souchong for so many years! This would be an excellent “gateway” kind of smoky tea for those of you who fear the strong, smoky overtones of Lapsang Souchong!
It has a richness to it, although it’s not quite as sturdy or bold as, say, a black Lapsang Souchong. The Oolong lightens the cup up a little bit, while adding a nice texture to the body of the cup … so I would still categorize this as a full-bodied tea, but, just not quite as hefty as the typical straight black tea might be. It has a very pleasing flavor, especially to me, as I tend to be not so crazy about the overtly smoky teas. I like the subtle approach of the smoke here.
In addition to the smoke, I also note lovely floral notes and fruity tones in the background … like a smoked peach, if you can imagine such a thing! Delicious hints of caramel undertones. A real delight, and a very pleasant surprise, this Formosa Lapsang tea from Grey’s! I like it.
Editor’s Note: I have edited this review based on the input provided by Mr. Grey (see the comments!). When I originally reviewed it, I believed it to be a blend of Lapsang Souchong black tea and Formosa Oolong tea, and have since learned differently. It is a very good tea – regardless!