Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Eco-Cha
Tea Description:
This is a newly developed farm in Taiwan’s prime tea growing region. The tea plants are just coming of age at 5 years of growth out of virgin forest soil in an environment that is ideal for High Mountain Oolong cultivation.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was so excited to try more teas from Eco Cha – I have absolutely LOVED all the teas that I’ve tried from them thus far. This is a really top-notch company! The teas that they offer are some of the finest that I’ve tried. And this Da Yu Ling High Mountain Oolong Tea from Eco Cha is no exception … this is absolutely lovely!
The aroma of the dry leaf is somewhat herbaceous with strong floral tones. The brewed tea has a fragrance that is more delicate, with hints of herb-y vegetation and whispers of flower.
The flavor is positively sublime! I prepared this in my gaiwan, using short steeps. For the first infusion, rather than steeping for 45 seconds, I stopped at 30 seconds just to see how it would be. Then I combined the first and second infusion in one cup (infusion #2 was steeped for 45 seconds), and this cup is fantastic.
I would have expected a very light or delicate flavor, and while it is not what I’d call a strong tasting cup, I would still call it a full-flavored cup. It’s sweet and very creamy. The floral notes dance on the palate. It has a light vegetative note. This cup was so delicious that it disappeared before I knew it!
The second cup (infusions 3 and 4) had a stronger vegetative taste to it, as well as a sharper floral flavor. It wasn’t as creamy as the first. Well … it’s creamy … but, it’s a different creamy. The first cup was a light, fluffy sort of creaminess that I’d call a sweet cream note, whereas this creaminess is more like butter that has been drizzled over freshly steamed veggies.
With most Oolong teas, my favorite cup is the second, but, so far, my first cup was my favorite. I really liked the balance of flavors in that first cup. This cup is still quite tasty, but, I’m missing some of that delectable sweet cream creaminess that was in the first cup.
The third cup (infusions 5 and 6) is a smoother cup than the second, with some of the creaminess still intact and the vegetative and floral tones softening somewhat to create a more seamless taste. The flavors that were very distinct and “individual” in the first two cups are now melding together to present a unified taste for the palate.
This is a very enjoyable Oolong – I highly recommend it to all those who love Oolong!
Toasted Coconut Black HiCAF™ Tea from The Republic of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Republic of Tea
Product Description:
Robust black tea with the tropical flavor of coconut. A smooth and delicious pick-me-up. Try with a splash of milk.
A Better Buzz – We’ve intensified the caffeine content of this black tea by adding green tea extract and pure caffeine isolated from premium tea leaves. Caffeine and L-Theanine (often credited with reducing stress) are natural components of tea providing a state of calm alertness we call Tea Mind®.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Toasted Coconut Black HiCAF™ Tea from Republic of Tea offers an interesting concept … I don’t know if this is something that other companies have introduced but this is the first extra caffeine content tea that I’ve seen. Just the right thing for someone who needs that extra burst of energy but can’t drink (or don’t like) coffee and don’t want (or don’t need!) all that extra sugar that’s in those energy drinks.
When I opened the tin, I was greeted by a strong coconut-y aroma. Mmm! It smells amazing! I used boiling water to brew this tea and steeped the tea for 2 1/2 minutes.
I tried this tea first without any additions, and it’s really tasty! It’s got a lot of coconut flavor, and it tastes just like toasted coconut. It tastes true to the fruit. It doesn’t have an artificial coconut taste and that made me smile. It tastes sweet, a little bit creamy, toasty, and nutty.
The tea tastes STRONG. I can really taste the tea. I don’t really taste specific green tea flavors here, I do taste a different tea flavor. A stronger tea flavor. Like the flavor of the tea has been turned up to eleven. The HiCAF™ is not just something that will be “felt” by the added energy boost, but it is also something that is tasted.
However, the “extra caffeine” gives the tea a taste that veers on the side of being almost bitter. Not quite … but almost. So, I decided to do a little experimentation to see what I could do about that. I added a teaspoon of raw sugar and found that this really improved the coconut flavor. It made the toasted coconut flavors pop! Yum! This is good without the sugar, but it does have a slight bitter tone to it … the sugar helps to curb that.
But the best way to drink this tea is as a latte. I added a splash of almond milk and WOW! The milk smooths everything out really nicely. I really like this as a latte. I still get a strong coconut flavor and a lot of tea flavor, but that aforementioned slightly bitter taste is no longer present. It’s sweet, creamy and decadent.
Overall, I really enjoyed this extra caffeine tea from The Republic of Tea. They have some other flavors of the HiCAF™ teas that are quite intriguing too! Um … Caramel Black, anyone?
Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Oolong Tea from Eco Cha
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Eco-Cha
Tea Description:
This tea garden was planted just 8 years ago, which is younger than most in the Shan Lin Xi area. This skilled farmer’s tea is in high demand and quickly sells out on a seasonal basis. This winter’s yield was record-low. This day’s harvest produced a mere 175 pounds of tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The aroma of this Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Oolong Tea from Eco Cha is interesting – I can’t recall smelling another tea quite like it. Oh, it has some similarities to some other green Oolong teas, but, there is a delicate hint of pine resin to the scent that I don’t think I’ve found in other Oolong teas. The overall fragrance is soft, with fresh notes of grass and flower and whispers of fruit, and then there is that subtle note of pine. Interesting!
The brewed tea is much more vegetative to me than the dry leaf was, it is the scent of mild steamed veggies with a nutty tone.
I brewed this the way I would typically prepare an Oolong … in my gaiwan! My first cup (infusions 1 and 2 following a quick rinse) is a sweet and savory tasting tea, with floral tones and a slight woodsy taste. The floral tones are very soft and pleasantly sweet here. The texture is light and refreshing, it doesn’t have that buttery or creamy texture that so many other green Oolong teas tend to have. This is much lighter and cleaner. There is a mild astringency at the finish.
The second cup had a stronger flavor than the first (as is often the case with Oolong tea). This cup is slightly more astringent than the first cup and the flavor is more floral than the first. I notice a slight resinous flavor here which makes it seem like a perfect Oolong for this time of year! The texture remains light despite the stronger flavors.
I think with this Oolong, my third cup is my favorite. Here is where I notice more of the fruity notes coming forward. I taste a crisp, green apple sort of flavor, and I notice more sweetness as well. The floral notes have tapered, and there is still some astringency here, but, it is subdued compared to the second cup.
Overall, a lovely Oolong. It’s a bit different than some of the green, high mountain type Oolong teas that I’ve tasted before, and I like it when I find something different like this. It still surprises me that with as many teas that I’ve tasted over the years … I can still find teas like this one that challenge what I’ve come to know about teas.
Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Black Tea from Eco-Cha
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Eco-Cha
Tea Description:
This farm is owned and operated by a prominent tea artisan with several decades of experience in tea cultivation. He has been awarded champion of the most prestigious Oolong Tea competition in the world which is held at the Lu Gu Farmers’ Association. Nevertheless, his humble character allows us to sit and chat with him in his modest first generation tea factory on a regular basis. The tea garden is cultivated without any chemical weed killers or fertilizers, and only minimal use of water soluble pesticides early in the growing season.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf of this Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Black Tea from Eco-Cha looks a lot like an Oolong. The name even sounds like an Oolong … that is until you get to the “black tea” part.
The brewed tea is lighter in color than the average black tea. But nothing about this tea screams average to me – and that’s definitely a good thing! The liquid is golden and has a slightly earthy and woodsy aroma. I also smell notes of fruit and flower.
The flavor is incredible! It is so deliciously sweet. I am quick to identify vanilla notes – sweet and creamy. As the tea cools slightly, I am able to notice a minty tone to the tea. This minty flavor is especially noticeable when I slurp the tea, aerating it. I even notice the cooling effect of the mint-like flavor too, it kind of took me by surprise because there is no mint in this tea … only tea leaves!
The woodsy notes that are present in the fragrance start to present themselves in the flavor as well, but they are a bit more distant in the flavor than they are in the scent.
There are hints of flower in the distance, and these emerge more as the tea continues to cool. There is a warmth to this tea as well, like a warm spice note. The tasting notes on the Eco-Cha website suggest cinnamon, and I’m not sure that I’m actually tasting a distinct cinnamon note, but, there is definitely a warm spice note.
In one sip, I taste a slightly earthy note, the cool, crisp tones of mint, a sweet, creamy note that is very vanilla-esque, the warmth of spice and hints of flower and fruit and wood. I find that it is best served hot, but do yourself a favor and let it cool for just a few moments after you’ve poured it from your teapot. The cooling time gives the flavors time to set up, and it’s worth the wait! This is good chilled too, but, I think that some of the complexity is lost as the tea gets cold, and the complexity here is so amazing that you really want to experience it!
Take this one for a second infusion too … it’s still really flavorful! The flavors are not quite as focused as they were in the first infusion, but I still tasted all the flavors I did with the first pot of tea. Amazing!
It’s a beautiful tea, and definitely one worth exploring!
Nonpareil Taiwan DaYuLing High Mountain Cha Wang Oolong Tea from Teavivre
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
The Nonpareil Taiwan DaYuLing High Mountain Cha Wang Oolong Tea is grown in the area at the altitude of 2500 meters, in which the climate is cold and forests grow well. This cold and moisture condition is suitable for tea trees’ growth. In addition, the soil here is fertile, meanwhile performs well in drainage. Thus the tea leaves carry a natural scent of flower and fruit.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The fragrance of this Nonpareil Taiwan DaYuLing High Mountain Cha Wang Oolong Tea from Teavivre is extraordinary. It has such a beautifully sweet, floral scent with hints of fruit and a slight vegetal note.
My first cup of this tea – infusions 1 & 2 following a quick rinse of the leaves – is light, sweet and creamy. There are faint vegetative notes with more prominent floral tones. There are subtle notes of fruit in the layers of flavor here too … reminiscent of apricot.
The second cup – infusions 3 & 4 – is not quite as delicately flavored as the first, and it’s a little less on the creamy side and a little more on the floral side. The floral notes seem to be melding with the vegetal tones to create a seamless flavor. The fruit notes seem to be emerging a little more too. This cup is a little more flavorful overall.
I noticed that my third cup – infusions 5 & 6 – was much more unified in flavor. It was still a little creamy and the floral notes are less sharp and distinct. I find that the fruit tone tastes a bit more like an apple now: crisp, sweet, with vague hints of sour. I don’t taste very much of a vegetative taste now, this is more fruit and flower than any other flavor. The texture is very smooth and there is very little astringency to this cup.
Teavivre offers some of the very finest Oolong teas that I’ve ever tried and this DaYuLing is but one example of what I’m talking about. They also provide excellent customer service, and exhibit exceptional care for their product. I cannot recommend them highly enough … you just can’t go wrong with them.