Nov 15
Jamie’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "Creaminess is not pronounced in this tea, but the osmanthus seems very well suited to the oolong base."
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Naivetea is an online company specializing in oolong teas only. About their Osmanthus Oolong they write, "Intense osmanthus aroma with hints of oolong. Light and smooth body with floral sweetness and subtle oolong flavors. Elegant finish with a natural sweet after taste."The oolong in this sample is a smaller and more tightly balled oolong than the previous samples I've tried from Naivetea. The coloring is a dark green, nearly black, with small bits of osmanthus here and there. The scenting is pleasant. It's bright and floral but has a hint of something else that I somehow associate with piquant raspberries! No berries are in the mix, but somehow I pick up on this scent anyway. Osmanthus is not a flower that I am often in contact with in my tea drinking, so quite likely I'm just not accustomed to all of osmanthus' charms. It's quite nice overall.
Using a tablespoon per 8 ounces of tea, I let this tea steep nearly three minutes. Such a long steeping isn't actually necessary with this tea and I found I preferred a two minute steep. Naivetea also recommends a lot of leaf and a series of short steeps for this tea (gung fu style) but I didn't prepare mine this way. The steeping tea exhibits a lovely scent - sweet and honey-ish with a creamy floral character.
The taste of the liquor mimics this scenting nicely, again, I thought it did better taste wise using a two minute as opposed to three minute steep. The creaminess is not pronounced in this tea, but the osmanthus seems very well suited to the oolong base. The oolong is not so mild as some of the other offerings I've tried from Naivetea, it has a good sturdiness to it that made it ideal for a late afternoon cup of tea. Perhaps it has something to do also with the mellow but pervasive fragrance of osmanthus being very well balanced with the leaf.
Whatever the case may be, I found this to be a very enjoyable and thoughtfully scented tea.
— To purchase Naivetea Osmanthus 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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