Tea Name: Bigelow Chinese Oolong Tea, 20-Count Boxes (Pack of 6)
Brand: Bigalow
Type: Oolong
Form: Paper tea bag, individually wrapped.
Source: Grocery store
Cost: About $3.50 per 20 bag box. Lower prices available if purchased in bulk.
Review: I wasn’t expecting to be impressed by this tea: Oolong can be fussy and since a good oolong is a thing to remember, I didn’t expect much from this “mass market” oolong. But for an inexpensive, paper bagged tea, Bigelow Chinese Oolong is a surprisingly tasty treat.
The nose is roasted and tobacco-y, with just a hint of spice. The liquor is a burnished gold: Not extraordinary, but not unattractive, either. The taste is smooth, no bitterness, with a bit of grass and, again, tobacco, though I am not picking up any spice in my mouth.
Recommendation: This is a tasty, inexpensive, and convenient oolong that I would recommend to anyone. I have enjoyed it on its own, as well as with food (today I had it with chicken and shirataki noodles in a spicy peanut sauce). I’d particularly recommend it to someone who is trying to kick a coffee habit: The roasted flavor is a great antidote to coffee cravings.
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
The types of tea I favor feature a hint of vanilla or a strong berry. I’m also an Irish Breakfast fiend, but that’s about it. The subtleties of an oolong might be lost on me. I can taste hints of flavor in green tea when I’m taking my time, but I sometimes use tea in the same way others gulp coffee – to fuel my day.
The underlying argument here is that we all – even those who have had pineapple-infused tea in Hawaii and real Shannon tea at Dromoland Castle outside Shannon Ireland – can sometimes use a tea roadmap.
Keep up the great work Lainie.
I too love a good oolong. Actually, oolong is one of my favorite types of tea. This is a pleasant surprise as I am leary of grocery store, tea bag oolongs. Thanks for sharing.
I love oolongs! Sometimes price can be deceptive- I bought a box of 100 bags at one of my local asian stores around here, for just a few dollars (maybe 7-8, I can’t remember exactly) and it is some great tea! Another thing with oolongs is that some are better iced, while some are better hot. The cheapy stuff I bought at the asian store is very good hot, but not good iced, while this more expensive oolong that I bought at the Tea Source is definitely better iced.
Keep up the great work in spreading the word about quality teas!
Jeff: Thanks for visiting and your kind words. Readers: Jeff does a great review blog and was kind enough to ask me to guest blog a tea review: http://columnsbyjeffcutler.blogspot.com/
Check it out!
Tea Escapade: Thanks so much for your visit and comment. I agree: Oolongs are touchy things and I never expected to find a reliable oolong at this price and in a grocery store!
John B: Thanks for stopping by…never tried an iced oolong. What brand do you recommend for iced oolong?
Well, I’ve only tried the two I mentioned already as iced, but the one I really liked was Ti Kwan Yin, Jade Oolong, from the Tea Source. (2 oz. for $11.23, or 4 oz. for $21.82.) A little pricey, but I really liked it a lot. It was good hot, too, but it just seemed a little too light-bodied for me.
Thanks! I even think I can get that one here.
John B: Thanks so much for the info!
Susanna: I look forward to hearing your opinion of it!