Country of Origin: Thailand
Leaf Appearance: deep green, tightly rolled
Ingredients: oolong tea
Steep time: 30 seconds
Water Temperature: 195 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: amber
I’ve had a handful of Thai teas with some mixed results. Their tea industry seems to still be in a transition period but there are some really exciting things happening. This Tie Guan Yin has a higher level of oxidation of around 70%. Although technically a darker oolong, I was reminded more of honey and brown sugar than roastiness like I might expect from a Chinese version of this tea. The taste was surprisingly sweet and fruity. There was also a floral aftertaste but it wasn’t a dominant part of the flavor profile. Overall it was a tasty cup of tea and a fairly affordable one to boot. One of my favorite things about +Tea Journeyman Shop is that the wizard behind the curtain, +Kevin Craig, started out as a blogger like myself. Because of this perspective he includes all of the nitty gritty details that the nerdy sort crave. A full set a pictures and tasting notes gives the tea buyer a really clear idea of what tea they are purchasing.
Thea Kuan Imm Thai Oolong Tea sample provided by Tea Journeyman.