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This oolong smells amazing—notes of orchid, and buttery sweet rice mochi. Compared to its fragrance, its taste is a bit bland and anticlimactic although it is still nice, subtle and herbal.

Not much of a scent or flavour, and doesn’t really resemble tea but at least it’s smooth and not bitter. Good enough for an everyday tea, but I am on the lookout for something better. Wish I hadn’t bought a box of 50 bags on Amazon.

I remember this tasting pretty vegetal, grassy and unmemorable for me. I personally would not buy it, but my partner, who is more of a tea connoisseur himself, liked this the most of all the teas we tasted at Song that day.

Very subtle, floral, unobjectionable tea. On some sips it tasted pretty close to water though. We tasted two infusions.

Note to self: Next time try brewing at 170˚F for 2 minutes.

Update: I brewed it correctly and it’s a nice simple tea to drink at work.

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First infusion: 5oz of 175˚F water for 1:15. Beautiful aroma of jasmine, but the tea flavour is very subtle. Perhaps I should’ve brewed it hotter and for longer.

Second infusion: 5oz of 190˚F water for 1:30. Tastes slightly bitter, I probably burnt it a little. Fairly one-dimensional flavoured tea.

Third infusion: 5oz of 185˚F water. Tastes smooth and subtle, a bit watered down though. This is probably the last possible infusion this tea can handle.

Note to self: For first infusion, brew this tea at 203˚F for 1 minute only.

This tea smells divine. 1st infusion smelled strongly of deep, woody, spicy maraschino cherry notes. Tasted of slightly bitter cherries, and really bitter when I drank it while eating an apple.

2nd infusion smelled more like spicy cardamom or nutmeg. Tasted bitter, I think I brewed it too hot and for too long.

3rd infusion I cooled the water a little more and brewed for 1:30 and it tasted fine even with the sweet doughnut. The leaves are beginning to smell vegetal without any more of the spicy cherry scent though.

I’ll have to try this again after I buy my temperature-control kettle.

Very dark green, almost black, long rolled-up leaves. (Dachi Tea describes this as a black tea.)

My favourite thing about this tea is the heavenly smell. The fragrance is harmonious––a rich blend of chocolate, floral, fruit, honey, and vegetal scents. This is the first tea I’ve ever made in a gaiwan, so I’m glad it turned out well.

On the first infusion, the overpowering flavour of this Honeysuckle Oolong is a dark, bitter chocolate. The tea smelled good but tasted bitter and the tea leaves smelled bitter (I feared I had burnt it) so I threw out most of the first infusion.

But it brightens up by the second infusion, and the fruity notes (kumquat, plum) and vegetal notes are out in full force by the 3rd infusion. Oh my goodness I love this tea. On the 5th and 6th I’m really noticing the vegetal / herbal notes more, but also more astringency, dryness though. I don’t think it can handle a 7th infusion.

–– Pairings ––
This tea goes great with pastry to counter and complement the sugary-sweetness of a baked good. I feel like I’m pampering myself when I have this with my breakfast.