The Jade Leaf Caramel Oolong Spring 2015
Country of Origin: Taiwan
Leaf Appearance: deep green, tightly rolled
Ingredients: oolong tea
Steep time: 30 seconds
Water Temperature: 212 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: gold
This intriguingly named oolong hails fro Yu Shan, the highest mountain in Taiwan. I tend to favor more heavily oxidized teas but the expert roasting made it very well balanced in the cup. The taste was sweet with notes of brown sugar and a lingering floral aftertaste. A pleasant toasty quality stayed in the background throughout my many infusions. There was no bitterness or astringency to speak of. The leaves were quite beautiful to look at once they unfurled. They were mostly whole and I spotted some with pretty purple oxidation signs on the edges. It’s hard to explain but after a few rounds of brewing the leaves had a sort of sticky texture to them. From what I’ve read this a sign of a good quality tea, especially for oolongs. As far as high mountain oolongs go I think this one is very well priced. The Jade Leaf is the only one to offer this tea outside of Taiwan so it’s worth giving a try for that reason alone. I love how much information that the product page provides. Not ever vendor can tell you the cultivar, elevation level or who made the tea. The fact that they are on the ground in Taiwan really makes a difference. In case you missed it, make sure that you check out my podcast interview with Emilio of The Jade Leaf!
Caramel Oolong sample provided for review by The Jade Leaf.
