China Fine Ti Kuan Yin Oolong

While listening to One Hit Wonders Of the 90s I’m going thru some tea stash piles and putting some more swap packages together…this one it going to go to a good home – but not before I have one last cuppa.

Loose
Appearance: knobby oolong, small curl, bicolor
Aroma when Dry: creamy, notes of cucumber
After water is first poured: creamy, vanilla, cucumber, faint mint notes
At end of first steep: sweet, creamy, buttery, faint mint
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: light buttery yellow
Staple? Unsure, first tasting
Preferred time of day: afternoon, evening
Taste:
At first: buttery, earthy, chewy
As it cools ? Notes get deeper, less creamy, more vegital
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, velvety floral notes with hints of woodyness

Second steep (4min)
Tea liquor: light yellow
Aroma: fruity, floral
Taste: rich, woody, floral
As it cools: gets fruity, very brothy melon, cucumber, mint, and slight salt notes

Third steep (4 min)
Taste: rich, salty, floral,cucumber, mints, melon notes
lingers like restuarant tea

Fourth steep (5 min)
Taste: serviceable floral restuarant tea, still lingers

A big thanks to Doulton for sending me some of this tea!

It’s a fantastic Ti Kuan Yin. Smooth and creamy and sweet. Beautiful.

This is really nice… I enjoyed it better than a more expensive Ti Kuan Yin tea I tried from the Chicago Tea Garden. It has an amazing floral scent to it, especially in the first steep. The overall flavor was kind of weak though. Slight sweet aftertaste, somewhat vegetable. Overall, this is an enjoyable cup of tea.

Did the first steep yesterday and didn’t have time for a second until this morning. Used 2 heaping tsp in a 14oz Yixing pot. Water was at about 195 for both steeps, 2 minutes and about 2 1/2 minutes. Both infusions were very good, the second definitely a bit darker and stronger.

This is a nice ti kuan yin, a gentle embrace of a tea. Fragrant and… best way I can think of describing it is it leaves your palate feeling fresh. Of course, it’s not minty fresh, it’s spring flower fresh. I’ve been spoiled by Chicago Tea Garden’s version, which has both more flavor and more subtle, dancey notes.

All I can say is that this is my first oolong and that I really enjoy it.

Green, earthy aroma reminiscent of steamed edamame.

Its initial flavor is light and vegetal, mostly activating the back of the tongue but the aftertaste is where this tea shines, coming through with notes of fresh, green melon.