Stephen Daniels, who won my little facebook contest, requested that I do New Mexico Tea Company's Orange Blossom Oolong.
the pictures on their website show a much greener, less roasted oolong, which is NOT what I received.
This tea poses somewhat of a paradox. NORMALLY for oolong teas, I use my gaiwan.
But for flavored teas, I use either a gravity steeper, or basket infuser in either a mug or teapot.
I went the route of gravity steeper today, since I just have trouble getting more than 3 steeps out of this tea, even in a gaiwan.
That would be 2 teaspoons of leaf in my gravity infuser, as you might be able to see, I put cheaters marks on my gravity steeper so that I don't accidentally overflow a mug. (I'll be doing a whole post on my gravity steeper later.)
at the one minute mark you can see the tea is already fairly tinted.
I almost never go to the 3 minute mark with this tea. I go to 2 minutes then I put the steeper on top of my mug.
This tea has HUGE orange flavor. it does not completely occlude the flavor of the oolong, but almost.
I'm almost disappointed that it is not the tea shown in the photos. I feel that with a greener oolong, this tea could have an almost creamsicle like flavor.
That being said- it is a very tasty tea. Earthy, with that orange punch.
The higher oxidation on the oolong comes out when I steep this a second and then third time, with nutty, bready flavors.
It doesn't do well past the third steeping though, becoming astringent and wan.
7/10- I wish it were the same version they show on their website, I think it would have tasted much more smooth and cohesive. the earthiness is nice in later steeps, but it distracts from the orange flavor.
My husband bought this tea for me in my NM Tea Co mini haul.
I am currently listening to Pentatonix radio on my pandora. They have such good harmony and collective tonal range.
Ooh yeah, you're right-- the tea on the website is definitely much greener! Another thing I find misleading is that the tea is flavored with orange peel, but it is called "Orange blossom." If you've ever been in Florida when the flowers on the orange trees are indeed blossoming, the floral aroma in the air everywhere is absolutely wonderful-- and it smells nothing like oranges. Although I love orange flavor and I believe I would really enjoy this orange peel flavored oolong, I think it would also be great to have an oolong that tastes like actual orange flower blossoms. I'll keep my eyes out for that-- surely it exists!
ReplyDeleteI have been to florida when the orange trees are blooming, but it has been a LONG time. If you ever find one flavored with actual orange blossoms, let me know! I would be glad to hear of it. (^_^)
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