I really enjoy their green Colored Species oolong but my tummy lately has been favoring roasted oolongs. Seems like the greener the tea, the more my tummy hurts. :( I was brought up with mainly green tea and matcha, basically what I drank for years and now when I drink them (unless I’m on a full stomach), it’s like battery acid. Ugh. So, having said that… I’m glad that I got into oolong and even more glad that I can enjoy roasted oolongs with no tummy aches. ^^
Back to this new Mandala tea… It’s very good. I like it much better than the green Colored Species. I’ve had it as recommended 1 tsp per 8 oz 200F, 30 sec, then add 10 sec each subsequent infusion up to 3 minutes and I’ve had it gongfu style: Gaiwan, 6g, 110ml, 200F, 10 steeps, rinse, 5s, 10s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 1m, 1m15s, 1m30s, 2m.
I prefer it much better gongfu style. The wet leaves have a very strong roasted aroma that lasted the entire time. The flavor seems to last much longer gongfu style. I get a fuller and more satisfying taste. Lots of nice notes that I favor in roasted oolongs are present… Roasted nuts, sugar cane, spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and later some minerals, a little smoke. Like the green Colored Species, there is a little tartness that plays on the sides of my tongue and it has many notes of that version as the steeps progressed.
I like this. :)
Flavors: Cinnamon, Mineral, Nutmeg, Roasted, Roasted nuts, Smoke, Spices, Sugarcane, Vegetal
