My craving for a highly oxidized Taiwanese red oolong came late this year. I remember drinking a bunch of it around Thanksgiving in 2018 while picking persimmons from my aunt’s tree. The tree was pruned heavily this year so it didn’t produce anywhere near 300 fruits and therefore she didn’t need my assistance with harvest.
I’ve never tasted longan, the fruit for which this tea is named. To me, this tea tastes of overripe persimmon with no astringency. I hit the leaf with boiling water and was greeted with a balance between its nectar-syrup like body, deep fruity-floral-spicy-cocoa aroma and tastes, and a lingering perfume in the mouth. I was able to get only 4 infusions in gongfu before I had to carry on with my day, so the following day I dumped the leaves in a jar for grandpa and it was still as delicious if not more so. Certainly a tea I’d consider purchasing again. Thanks, Togo!
