Tea: Osmanthus Oolong Se Chung

An Osmanthus Tea from Upton Tea Imports

This tea has been retired/discontinued.

Picture of Osmanthus Oolong Se Chung
Brand:Upton Tea Imports
Style:Osmanthus Tea
Region:China
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Loose?Loose
# Ratings:2 View All

Review of Osmanthus Oolong Se Chung

AromaFlavorValueTotal
9 of 105 of 55 of 593 of 100
SuperbExcellentOutstanding

I love this tea. Se Chung is absolutely my favorite style of oolong, and my favorite Se Chung is Upton's ZO10, so I was eagerly anticipating this one, and I was pleased to find a rich, complex tea that added a completely new element to the mix. I can't say whether I prefer this or the unscented tea more. They're very different but both amazing.

I found this tea is much better brewed with boiling water than with 190-degree water.

Like other green oolongs but much fresher, crisper, and bolder in flavor and aroma. The osmanthus is obviously adding something very different to the aroma, but it's significantly less floral than one would expect. Very different from Upton's other Se Chung, ZO10--the skunky and woody tones are presente but much weaker, but there are more herbaceous tones, like the freshness of parsley added to the rich earthiness of autumn leaves. The aftertaste is tangy and yet clean and light. There's a fair amount of bitterness but very little astringency.

Great for multiple infusions. The leaves hold a great deal of flavor and even with long brewing times you can easily make 2 or 3 strong infusions. I recommend 4 minutes followed by 10+ (this tea does not acquire any unpleasant characteristics if brewed for a long time), or 3 then 5-6 then 10+.

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