Name: Formosa Shanlinxi High Mountain Ooolong
Brand: auraTeas
Type: Oolong
Form: Loose leaf (half-ball style)
Review: This is a very pretty tea, processed in a “half ball” style, with a few stems and colors that range from medium jade to olive green. The dry nose is sweet, with some wood and floral/honeysuckle notes: When I placed the dry leaf in a pre-warmed gaiwan, the nose really developed into something akin to hot honey.
Once the liquor infused to a light, greenish gold, the nose remained sweet: Again, honeysuckle seems to be the best descriptor.
This was an incredibly smooth drinking tea: It was almost slick on my palate, with minimal astringency. It is, however, a somewhat austere tea: It is slightly sweet, but not fruity, and maintains its floral character along with a touch of wood.
I enjoyed drinking this tea, though I would note that it is something of a fusspot: When I tried making it according to package directions, I ended up with a bitter, disagreeable brew. I tried again, using cooler water and an uncovered gaiwan, plus short infusions. It worked. 
Tips: Keep the temperature down on this tea, and don’t oversteep. I recommend water at 185F (85 Celsius) and using an uncovered gaiwan, at least for the first infusion.
Affiliate Links in this Post: No
_64.gif)
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
was here, didn’t know about this until you brought out the review…
Supernova’s last blog post..This blog will be Under Construction some time soon
thanks for sharing this …
Lainie, thanks for sharing the tips. It’s a good idea to bring the temperature down to reduce the bitterness, also works for green teas. I usually make it at 95 Celsius, it worked fine for me (but I’m a strong oolong person). I do pre-warm the tea and discard the first infusion (just quickly wash it), maybe that helps too. Thank you a lot for the review.
Fionna’s last blog post..Ayurvedic Relaxing Tea