Sipdown no. 191. A sample, and the last Life in Teacup oolong sample. (Sniff.)
At least they went out with a bang. The leaves smelled grassy green in the packet but did some amazing things after steeping. I steeped this in the gaiwan starting with 15 seconds and increasing in 5 second increments.
1. Pale yellow tea with a milky, floral scent. Flavor is light, more floral/grassy than vegetal, something that initially presents with a slightly bitter edge but quickly smooths into a sort of green nutty flavor like chestnuts.
The cup smells very fragrant, a distinctive floral smell. I’m guessing this is why it is called osmanthus.
2. Same color, similar aroma but deeper. Flavor is fascinating. Starts as green floral and ends as green nuts. Along the way it morphs into various things too fleeting to pin down and describe. Really wonderful and, dare I say, fun.
By the end of the second steep, the leaves have almost tripled in volume.
3. Greener color. Nectar in the aroma! Nuttiness is forefront in the flavor now with floral afterwards, but the nuttiness returns in the aftertaste, light and raw and reminds me of Brazil nuts.
4. Greener again, nectar has become milder. Flavor similar to 3.
5. Similar to 4 but the nuttiness is now milder and the floral aroma/flavor is much more noticeable.
Aftertaste is sweet and fresh for a while after drinking.
Just delicious.
Flavors: Chestnut, Floral, Green, Milk, Nectar, Nutty, Osmanthus
