Oolong Owl select Send Message

I’m freaking terrified of this tea.

I purchased it during my last Adagio Teas order, got it, smelled it and promptly put it on my cupboard and it got shifted to the back. Once in awhile I’ll find it and sniff it, then the shifting happens again.
Then I started to think that I should save this tea next time I make Korean food or bring home some kimbap. Of course, I never remembered to make this tea when I had Korean food.
This tea was requested to be traded and it was weird I never tried this tea, but I was shipping some of it away. I figured I should actually taste it.

DRY: Smells kinda oily and of course, like sesame oil. The leaves look almost oily.

STEEPED: typical Black tea look. Smells mysteriously nutty. Odd film on the top… maybe my cup or steeper wasn’t clean… or is it the tea? Oh man I’m scared.

TASTE: BITTER!!!!! Bitter black tea with an aftertaste of nuttyness once I got past the bitter. Then there is more bitter taste. Never ending bitterness. Why is this so bitter?!?!?!?

COMMENTS:
Okay – maybe using boiling water and 4.5minute steep is too much. Next person needs to try this tea at like 185 or 2 minute steep. That might save you from making the OMG BITTER face. If I finally work up enough courage to try this tea again, I will do that.

One upside to this tea, I think it would taste great with kimbap, it goes with more sesame oil and the bitter tea could offset the salty soy sauce.

I was expecting this to taste like a sesame oil slick. Okay, maybe not. I think when I ordered it I was hoping it would taste like black sesame bubble tea. Hey, I think sesame tea could be pulled off! A tea with creamy stuff (like white chocolate/yogurt), and black sesame bits. OOOOOOOhhhh Yeah! Someone make this, now!

Sorry to the nice person I traded this tea to. I hope it goes over better with you.