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Here is yet another review that I have put off posting for a couple of months. I think I delayed posting this one so long because this tea bored me. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t good. It just was. I mean I know I am more than a bit spoiled when it comes to roasted oolongs, but this one was just very basic, and I ended up not feeling particularly strongly about it.

I prepared this tea gongfu style. After a quick rinse, I steeped 7 grams of rolled tea leaves in 5 ounces of 208 F water for 8 seconds. This infusion was chased by 13 subsequent infusions. Steep times for these infusions were as follows: 10 seconds, 12 seconds, 16 seconds, 20 seconds, 25 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds, 1 minute, 1 minute 15 seconds, 1 minute 30 seconds, 2 minutes, and 3 minutes.

Prior to the rinse, the dry tea leaves emitted aromas of toasted rice, black raspberry, blueberry, and raisin. After the rinse, I noticed a stronger toasted rice aroma and a hint of roasted peanut. The first infusion brought out a slightly stronger nuttiness and hints of wood on the nose. In the mouth, the tea liquor offered notes of toasted rice, black raspberry, blueberry, raisin, wood, and roasted peanut that were backed by touches of cream and butter. The subsequent infusions quickly introduced a nuttier, grainier nose and new impressions of minerals, roasted almond, lemon zest, pomelo, and honey in the mouth. The final few infusions offered lingering, often barely perceptible notes of minerals, cream, and toasted rice. In places, there were a few hints of roasted nuts and butter, but otherwise, I could not find anything else.

This was more or less a very mediocre roasted oolong. The only things this tea had going for it were a nice texture in the mouth and a pleasant combination of aromas and flavors during its brief peak. These factors alone separated this tea from some of the other mediocre roasted oolongs I have tried, but not enough that I would actually seek it out again. While I suppose this tea may be good for easing newcomers into the world of roasted oolongs, I cannot see it being good for much else.