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drank China Fujian Zhangping Light Roasted Shui Xian "Fruit" Cake Oolong Tea by What-Cha
1604 tasting notes

Hello and Merry Christmas to Steepster celebrators.

I haven’t had any holiday-themed teas to drink besides around Thanksgiving with some less than stellar Republic of Tea blends. This one better fits my preferences and is the closest to that Holiday category simply by name alone: ‘___"Fruit" Cake___’. Heh. Thanks for the sample, Togo :)

Autumn 2017 harvest. I used the whole 6.8g cake in a 150mL gaiwan with 200F water. The oolong cake is really a lovely sight with lots of large whole green leaves with splotches and outlines of pink-red-purple oxidation. It almost looks like there are rose petals in the cake. It brews up a pink champagne color. Unfortunately, this beauty does not translate to beauty in taste.

I did longer steeps with this cake, having had some experience with Zhangping Shui Xian oolong cakes before, starting with 30s and subsequent steeps of 60/30/45/60s.

Despite this being a ‘fruit’ cake, the most noticeable fragrance and flavor was gardenia. I’ve never experienced such a clear gardenia expression in a tea before. It was lovely, yes. There were also light tastes of red cherry, banana bread, rose and green apple that were stifled by the gardenia. The aftertaste was one of the strongest butter flavors I’ve ever experienced, mixed with some cream. The liquor was very drying and left an unpleasant starchy feeling in the mouth long after the sip.

The tea still had more to give but the I wasn’t having it, so I cold-brewed the leaves overnight. The resulting liquor this morning is more palatable. The astringency is tamed but the aroma and taste is one-note with that gardenia.

An awfully chunky, lopsided oolong that couldn’t decide which way it wanted to go.
Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 0 min, 30 sec 7 g 5 OZ / 150 ML
3 comments
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tea-sipper
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A “Fruit” cake oolong for Christmas! Perfect! I just wish it was a better tea for you.

Nattie
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Merry Christmas! ♥

Mastress Alita
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I like your thinking! I think I may have one of these… maybe I can find the time to squeeze in a gong fu session the last weekend of the month to try it.

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Comments

tea-sipper
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A “Fruit” cake oolong for Christmas! Perfect! I just wish it was a better tea for you.

Nattie
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Merry Christmas! ♥

Mastress Alita
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I like your thinking! I think I may have one of these… maybe I can find the time to squeeze in a gong fu session the last weekend of the month to try it.

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This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. Yet I persist.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, and Nepal. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possesses off flavor/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s puerh, I likely think it needs more age.

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Sonoma County, California, USA

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