Tea of the Week: Tea Ave’s Taiwanese Oolongs

It’s been a long week. Lots of rushing and unexpected happenings and not enough rest. Probably sounds familiar, right?

When you feel overwhelmed, the best thing to do once you have a moment to catch your breath is to take a tea break. In the right setting with the right tea to drink, this simple act can bring you back to center, back to sanity.
Lucky for me, I had a box of Tea Ave’s Taiwainese Oolongs patiently waiting in my tea closet, ready to be discovered at the right moment. My sampler consisted of 4 shiny gold packets of oolong, 2 straight and 2 scentedIf you’re curious to explore this world of Taiwanese Oolongs for yourself, definitely check out Tea Ave. Their selection and attention to detail (look at those info labels on each packet of tea!) are most impressive.

Tea Tasting #1: Wenshan Baochong Oolong

First off, the smell of these leaves steeping is heavenly! The steep has mild honey notes with an intoxicating floral scent. The leaves are only twisted and not curled up into balls so they release their flavor faster than the other oolongs. Delicious for up to 7 infusions. A refined, medium-bodied sip, only lightly oxidized…like a fresh bouquet of gardenias!

Tea Tasting #2: Jasmine Oolong

This tea gets its taste from an ancient process where jasmine blossoms are mixed in with the tea leaves during baking. I taste fruit notes here, like star fruit or unripened passion fruit. Clean, strong, and super refreshing, you’ll get up to 4 steeps from these leaves. Pay special attention to your first steep as it will be the most complex in flavor notes.

Tea Tasting #3: Alishan Jin Xuan Oolong

This steep is mellow and creamy, a milk oolong with a smooth finish. This tea has a delicate taste and is grown on the foggy Alishan Mountainside. Pay special attention to the tastes experienced following each finished sip. Good for up to 3 steeps.

Tea Tasting #4: Osmanthus Oolong

This tea is processed much like the Jasmine Oolong, except that this time the blooms added are osmanthus. On its own, osmanthus has an apricot taste. Mixed with Alishan Jin Xuan, the result is honey-like and slightly woody. This is a sunny and warm sip, good for up to 4 infusions. Would be delicious iced too.

The Verdict:  I think the Wenshan Baochong may be my favorite of the bunch! Can’t get over that captivating gardenia scent…amazing!

All oolongs tasted here are courtesy of Tea Ave. If you’re curious to try their teas for yourself, use code “ThirstyForTea” for 15% off upon check out until 8/31/2016!

<< PREVIOUS POST NEXT POST >>