I love this tea as much as I love the story behind it. The description for this Alishan oolong on the Asha Tea House website said not only was this grown using organic methods but it was also created at the hands of one of Taiwan’s top tea masters, Mr. Li (who apparently once sold 600grams of oolong tea for $60,000). While this is all very impressive, for me the most important aspect was the way I could check out videos of where this tea was grown, learn more about the farmer and feel like I had a more personal connection with what I was drinking. Online sites and food stores all too often add to a culture without knowledge of where food comes from, so telling this story was especially important to me.

But back to the tea…these beautifully rolled dry leaves certainly possess that “intoxicating” aroma as promised. I brew about 1 tbsp of leaves in 6oz of water according to their instructions, steeping close to boiling for one minute for the first steep, then decreasing the temp and time for the next two (I also did an initial rinse over the dry leaves). The first steep has a balanced mouth feel, smooth texture and a nice rounded sweet flavor. It also has a great clean finish – a quality that I often find in organic teas. So while it has a nice creamy texture, it doesn’t linger or coat your mouth, making this tea very refreshing to drink. The second steep unexpectedly blew me away – Mr. Li has done well! The flavor became more complex as these sweet, brown sugar notes emerged amongst the velvety smooth texture in my mouth. It had a very balanced mouth feel and a strong, pungent flavor. This one lingers a bit more on the tongue, but no complaints here! This steep alone makes the tea worth drinking.

The third steep also had that same great flavor and texture. I did taste hints of tannin towards the back of the mouth, but I think that second steep would be hard to beat in comparison. Overall, this was a very balanced, deliciously smooth tea with some very surprising brown sugar notes that make it really fun to drink. Well, that and the videos I encourage you to watch on the website so you learn all about Mr. Li’s farm!

— To purchase Asha Tea House Pure Heart Alishan Oolong, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular tea, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Rebecca Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Rebecca's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Rebecca.

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