Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Driftwood Tea
Tea Description:
Osmanthus Oolong combines high quality Jin Xuan variety loose leaf tea with fresh osmanthus flowers to produce a most spectacular tea. Handmade and scented using only natural methods this is an example of an aromatic tea that tastes as good as it smells.
Key Flavours: Bright soft stone fruits. Juicy peaches and ripe apricots with delicate touches of natural creaminess.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
After receiving a wonderful mixed box of samples from Driftwood Tea I selected this as the first one to taste and review. When I opened the bag I was greeted with the aromas of a wonderful milky oolong! The dry leaf is quite pretty with small bits of osmanthus flower through out.
The flavor of this tea is creamy which I love in tea. Beyond creamy what I get is a candy flavor! Yes candy. It reminds me of the White Rabbit candies that my daughter loves so much. Okay I admit, I love them too except they are terrible on my teeth! Now I can have my creamy milk candy in a tea! This tea is somewhat sweet but in a natural manner of course which is so much better! I am sure that comes from the fruity flavors in the tea which I find to be far more subtle than other teas with fruit flavors, yet they are present and pleasant!
The peachy apricot notes come out much after the tea cools. They are light flavors however so do not expect a peach flavored pow in your cup.
I did not do an initial rinse and I am glad as thus far it is my favorite steep being the sweetest and most candy like out of my two steeps thus far.
The oolong base is wonderful, light, and fragrant in and of itself so the osmanthus does not totally take over whatsoever, rather just add a lovely light floral element to the tea and I believe also add to the creaminess.
Overall this is a light oolong and while I do love darker deeper oolongs I am absolutely appreciating the wonderful flavor characteristics of this lighter oolong tea! This is what I would consider a late afternoon or early evening oolong.
As I wait on steep three I wanted to mention how fast Driftwood Tea’s shipping is! I was shocked when it arrived within only a matter of days! I can’t remember for sure if it was three days or five days but it was well under a week and I have waited well over a week for teas from some tea companies right here in the United States!
This third steep is so far the creamiest. Its not as sweet nor as fruity but it is like a mouth full of silk! It has a puffy marshmallow like texture that is just so luxurious! As I reflect upon the smooth sensation in my cup I refer to the founder of Driftwood Tea’s philosophy:
Frequently I have encountered tea aficionados – pompous and aloof – seemingly preoccupied by the grade of a loose leaf, or a wonderfully exotic name, when in reality the resulting liquor that was being produced was, well, blah. For me that’s not what tea should be about.
I have now spent the last ten years searching for and sampling some of the world’s finest teas. During this time I have learned many things about loose leaf tea, yet there really is only one point which I have found to be crucial: do I like it? If you like what you’re drinking nothing else should really matter.
I for one agree, and I can say I DO like this tea!
Balinese Rainbow Jasmine from Green Tea Lovers
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Green Tea Lovers
Tea Description:
A luxury Jasmine green tea with cornflower, safflower, osmanthus, calendula and sunflower petals. The cup is a heavenly mixture of sweet floral notes and grassy undertones. A fabulous blend befitting the island that gives it its name.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
What a lovely Jasmine. This is the kind of jasmine green tea I’d recommend to someone who has had jasmine in the past and has found it disagreeable because the jasmine tones were too strong, verging on the edge of soapy. This jasmine is so gentle and soothing, I think that it could those tea drinker’s beliefs about jasmine tea.
The green tea base is light. It has a sweet overtone and just a hint of grassy taste. It is smooth with a creamy note that melds quite nicely with the floral tones. It is not bitter and there is very little astringency to the cup. A very nice, mild tea to meld with the exotic flavor of jasmine.
As I’ve already indicated, the jasmine notes here are quite gentle. It doesn’t come across as soapy or aggressive, instead it is smooth; a very harmonious match for the creaminess of the green tea base.
The osmanthus flower is probably the next flavor that I notice, and it offers a whisper of peach-like flavor that weaves its way in and out of the sip. Adding a bit of contrast is the sharpness of sunflower. The other flowers – calendula, cornflower and safflower – do not affect the flavor as much as the affect the appearance of the dry leaf, giving it a gorgeous look to match its beautiful flavor.
Overall, a very smooth floral tea, where the jasmine is the most pronounced of the flowers, but it is not so strong that it overpowers the other floral notes. A very nice cup; this is one of those jasmine teas that jasmine lovers as well as those on the fence about jasmine are likely to enjoy.
Fairytale from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Product Description:
Fairytale tea is an inspired blend of colorful herbs and flowers whose vivid infusion and magical aroma will take you back to your childhood fairytales of magic and romance, lovely damsels and dashing princes. It has a smooth light taste with a slightly minty finish and a hint of spice. Just the right combination to accompany your imagination on its magical journey…
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf of this tisane looks and smells gorgeous! Lots of blossoms and petals – chamomile, jasmine, osmanthus, rose and calendula – to please the eye and the nose. Once brewed, the aroma is quite herbal, so that worried me a bit. But I could also smell a promising note of peppermint.
The flavor is really quite nice, despite that herbal note. I’m not a fan of an overly herbal-y or medicinal tasting tisane, but, I think that the other flavors in this tisane keep it from tasting like a cup of medicine. The peppermint is a subtle flavor, and I like the way it melds with the other flavors in this blend.
I like the floral combination of this blend – it creates a flavor that is definitely flowery but not distinct. That is to say, it tastes like flowers … but not like any one particular flower. Instead, I taste sweet floral notes with fewer sharp tones and without any perfume-y taste.
When I first started sipping on this, I was a little disappointed that I did not taste any anise. But now that I’m about halfway through the cup, the flavor of the anise has developed. It is just a hint of licorice. Kind of like sneaking a quick treat before bed!
While I enjoyed this tisane while it lasted, I can’t say that this is my favorite cup from Shanti tea, because it isn’t. However, it is one of the tastier “bedtime” blends that I’ve encountered, and that is saying something, because there are a lot of bedtime blends out there. And it certainly does what it is supposed to … I can feel my body and mind relax and I do believe a good night’s sleep will follow.
Gui Hua ‘Osmanthus’ Oolong from The Tao of Tea
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: The Tao of Tea
Product Description:
Native Name: Gui Hua Oolong
Origin: Hunan, China
Introduction: Gui Hua (pronounced “gway hwah”) is the Chinese name for the fragrant osmanthus flower, which blossoms in the Phoenix Mountain area during tea season and is used in scenting this oolong.
Osmanthus Scenting
In the final stages of processing, the leaves are baked with fresh osmanthus blossoms “heat-infusing” the tea with the flower’s fragrant essential oils.Flavor Profile: A light, bright, sweet flavor and a fruity, floral aroma with hints of apples and apricots.
Ingredients: Oolong Tea Leaves.
The aroma of the dry leaf is lightly floral, and that delicate scent remains in the brewed product. It is a treat to inhale deeply before taking a sip to enjoy the lovely fragrance.
The flavor is sweet and has beautiful fruit notes. Yes, I can taste the apple and the apricot as described by The Tao of Tea. The melding of these two fruit essences creates a sweet, delicious flavor that is absolutely mesmerizing. My taste buds are experiencing nirvana! Yes, it really is that good.
I think that this is a MUST TRY for all tea enthusiasts. If you like Oolong, yes, you must try it. Even if you aren’t crazy about Oolong teas, try it anyway. It’s so good, it may just change your mind about Oolong!