Si Ji Chun

Gongfu!

Paired this with some mini mangoes imported from Columbia!! I look forward to these mangoes every Spring and Summer. They’re sweet, tender, and practically melt in your mouth when you eat them. I knew they would pair wonderfully with this Taiwanese oolong! The tea is on the more light to medium bodied side, but it’s wonderfully aromatic and has a strong floral aroma that reminds me of Easter lillies. The taste has the same Easter Lily type of floral notes, but softer and more fresh and creamy with flavours of coconut oil, fresh churned butter, and jasmine as well. I have to say, compared to the session I had in this same park a few weeks ago, this was just a much better experience all around; it’s really great to be getting back to brewing outside!!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrYkz-6oiP8/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y_0Bg-T4cg

Beautiful twisted leaves. Unfortunately, my taste buds are not precise enough. I can’t smell or taste the flowers or caramel that every body else is talking about. To me, it just tastes like … a good wulong.

Origin: High mountains, Taiwan
Thank u to Camellia Sinensis for this sample with purchase!!
Dry Leaf: Tiny, rolled dark forest green pellets. Scents of hazelnut, cream, honeysuckle. Smells so delish!!
Method: 10 oz ceramic gong fu pot – measured out 100ml/3.4 oz water – 2 tsp tea – 200F
10 " rinse/ 15"/25"/25"/30"
Wet Leaf: Roughly chopped medium size pieces and then very tightly rolled forest green leaves. No stems. Very bright green and leaves open fully after 3rd steeping.
Liquor: Light, clear pearl. Mostly floral scent. Hazelnut scent has gone :(
Flavor: Flowers and cream. Not a very creamy mouthfeel, just a tiny tiny touch. Unfortunately, I didn’t detect any hazelnut in the flavor as I had in the scent of the dry leaf. There was a tiny touch of nuttiness after the leaves had fully opened but not as much as the dry leaf scent had teased me with :(
Very good Oolong though, with no bitter, astringency, or stomach upset.
I have a bit more of this sample and must try it again to see if I can coax out the rich cup with a touch of nutmeg and an edge of fresh vanilla that are expressed in the tasting notes. They do say an explosive floral nose and an echo of caramel in the aftertaste. I do detect that from my tasting. Gonna use one of my smaller gong fu pots now that I see these leaves are smaller and chopped and don’t need a super large expansion space,,,that might be where I can get those flavors :)

Gros bouquet floral, rond et goûteux, manque un peu de profondeur et de complexité. Il fait complètemetn la job quand tu as envie de fleurs…. ça pour ça, il y en a du lilas là-dedans!!! Super Oolong rapport/qualité prix.