ZO80: Tie-Guan-Yin Oolong First Grade
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Commercial Description:
An Oolong (Wu-Long) with a full, spicy flavor, hinting of chestnuts. Rich golden liquor with a heady aroma and a delightful aftertaste.
Brewing Instructions: (from Upton Tea Imports)
Leaf Quantity: 2¼ g/cup
Water Temp: 190º
Steep Time: 4-5 min.
Ratings & Reviews:
| Review by Alex Zorach (308 reviews) on Mar. 16th, 2010 |
| Total: 20/30 : Aroma: 8/10, Flavor: 3/5, Value: 4/5, Overall: 5/10 |
 The tightly curled brown leaves unfurl only partially when brewing...producing a tea that's completely clear and golden in color.Complex aroma, strongly suggesting apricot, and also having some skunky tones, and a hint of olive. Smooth, mellow flavor, contrasting with the aroma, which suggests a sharper tea. No astringency and almost no bitterness. A hint of sourness, which sinks to the bottom of the cup. Thin-bodied, like ZO78. I followed Upton's recommendations for brewing, but I found it's important to brew for the full 5 minutes (or possibly longer), and to use a generous quantity of leaf, in order to keep the thinness of this tea in check. I tried brewing at a higher temperature in the hope of obtaining a more full-bodied cup, but this yielded poor results: it destroyed the complexity of the aroma, and yet the tea was still very thin-bodied. I wasn't able to get multiple infusions out of this tea. After the first 5 minute infusion, there's almost nothing left in the second cup. This is a good tea, and I would imagine that people who like more delicate teas might love this one. I found it too thin for me. It's also pricey. I strongly prefer Upton's Se Chung oolong (ZO10); it is much cheaper, and has some elements of the aroma in common with this tea, but is much richer, and does better with multiple infusions. |
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