By A.C. Cargill

The Subject: Tie Kuan Yin Iron Goddess Oolong from The English Tea Store.

Rating:

Water temperature: 165-190° F
Steeping time: 1-3 minutes

Tea type: Oolong
Scents, flavorings added: N/A
Aroma, dry tea leaves: Fresh, planty, but also fruity sweetness
Aroma in the cup, plain: Grassy, fruity, slightly smoky
Taste, plain: Grassy, fruity, slightly smoky
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: N/A
Taste, enhanced: N/A

Additional Infusion(s): Did 2 more (a total of 3)

Comments:
Looking for an Oolong that you can enjoy daily, that will stand up to multiple steepings and still be wonderful? Give this one a try.

As Oolongs go, this one ranks midway on the fermentation scale:

The liquid retains characteristics of green tea, that is, a grassy quality, yet also has gained fruity and woodsy/smoky characteristics due to the amount of fermentation that the tea leaves were allowed to undergo before the process was stopped.

We did 3 infusions. The first and second were best, with no bitterness, and a lightly grassy taste (that gets stronger as the liquid cools) accompanied by a fruity/woodsy/smoky quality (hubby thinks it’s peachy/apricotty). The third was too weak. I think that is because we started out with too little dry tea leaves. We used 1.5 tsps in 2 cups of water. Start with 2 full tsps in 2 cups of water. You might have a bit of bitterness in the first infusion, though.

All around, this Oolong is one to keep on hand when the Oolong urge strikes. It’s appropriate (at least, for us) with such Fall favorites as baked squash. (See Little Yellow Teapot’s buddy Little Yellow Squash posing with him.)

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.

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