 | "I couldn't stop drinking this, I must have gotten half a dozen infusions from each teaspoon, probably far more than were feasible, but far less than I wanted."
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To me a great tea is like an interesting first date, you think you've got her pegged, but after five minutes you realize you didn't know the first thing about her. I know I need to lay off the romantic metaphors, though in this case I couldn't think of a better way to get the point across. The teas closest to my heart are the ones that utterly broke the mold I had formed for Carmelia Sinensis. Sometimes we get so deeply ingrained in those teas which fit right where we expect them, that we forget the astounding diversity this simple leaf can present to the human palate.
In my mind Oolongs are a sort of health food. Despite the claims I don't believe that Oolong tea will, chemically, help me lose weight, live longer, or make a hundred women smile every night*, but I do think it has value as a health food. You see, whereas some health foods are good for you, some are simply good at keeping you away from those things that are bad for you. Nobody chews gum as a health food, its simply a substitute for unhealthy stress relievers. For me that characteristic pan fried flavor found in your typical Oolong satisfies my well reared taste for fried foods. That's the only field in which this tea falls flat.
This tea only has the slightest hint of pan fired oils on the tongue. Where this one really surprises is in the buttery vegital taste that explodes from one end of your tongue to the other. Think less green beans and more butter drenched artichokes and Broccoli. I couldn't stop drinking this, I must have gotten half a dozen infusions from each teaspoon, probably far more than were feasible, but far less than I wanted. I'm seriously considering another Yixing pot dedicated to Emerald Oolongs, they are a really unusual and light tea, that works well at most times of the day.
*note: I'm sure millions of women smile every night, possibly even due to Oolong tea, but I don't think I personally factor into this.
— To purchase Zhi Tea Emerald Oolong, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
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Troy Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Troy's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Troy. |
October 14th, 2008 at 10:30 am
I smile whenever I drink a good oolong! I also laugh at many of your reviews and metaphors—keep em coming!
October 14th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I agree; a buttery, succulent superbly finishing oolong. However, the photo is not of this tea!
- Dr. O
My Rating:
9/10
October 15th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Whoops – fixed the image.