Black Dragon (OT02)

Decupboarding. Another oolong sample where I initially only used half the sample but now know I should have used the lot for the best result.

I wasn’t happy about this one the first time (it was a random pick in the basket). I was surprised by it tasting greener than it should what with it being a darker type. I notice now though that it’s a Taiwan oolong, so I’m wondering what it’s like in comparison to the boring stuff I have at work.

Yep, same sort of grass-y semi-not there aroma. Same mildness. I think it might have a tad more of a kick than the stuff at work, but it really isn’t all that great a difference. This is not one I’m going to bother with again, at work or at home.

ETA: And upon checking I find, suitable enough, that I originally gave this 57 points and the work stuff 58 points…

I made my first mug of this with a moderately-heaped teaspoon but I may have left the water a little too long to cool (they recommend 80°). I brewed for three minutes. I was slightly surprised that the tea was still floating at the end. I could detect absolutely no aroma. To taste it had a touch of the basic tea flavour and a touch of butter and I didn’t really get anything else.
I made a second mug with the same tea and with the water a little hotter, again for three minutes. Again the tea was still floating at the end. I thought I detected a hint of roast beef in the aroma, but it wasn’t noticeably different to taste.
I made a third mug with the water perhaps a little hotter again. This time the tea sank to the bottom of the infuser immediately but I didn’t detect anything different about the flavour.

I made a second brew of this with rather more tea – a well-heaped teaspoon rather than moderately-heaped, but I couldn’t detect any differences.

I found this pleasant enough to drink, but with nothing memorable or impressive about it.