TT57: Formosa Amber Oolong Select

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Brand:	Upton Tea Imports
Style:	Amber Oolong
Caffeine:	Caffeinated
Region:	Taiwan / Formosa
Loose/teabag:	Loose
Product page:	TT57: Formosa Amber Oolong Select

Commercial Description:

This grade of Amber Oolong (Wu-Long) has more complex flavor and finer leaf style than our TT55. Highly recommended.

Ratings & Reviews:

Total: 90/100 : Aroma: 9/10, Flavor: 4/5, Value: 5/5, Overall: 9/10

Nice mixture of green and black tea

Total: 93/100 : Aroma: 9/10, Flavor: 5/5, Value: 5/5, Overall: 9/10

The dry leaves were not very aromatic, but when I brewed it...wow.

This tea has a very rich and complex aroma: bold, earthy, with some nutty and woody tones, and a floral quality as well. Of all the teas I've tried from Upton, this is the one which seems to deviate the most from its lower-grade counterpart--this hardly resembles the basic Amber Oolong. It's certainly worth paying more for this higher grade.

The flavor is smooth, but with some very pleasant bitterness; this tea is very full-bodied and astonishingly rich. It actually seems more bitter than the lower grade--but in a way that I enjoy very much. There is also a mild objectionable quality to the lower grade amber oolong that is totally absent in this tea.

I find you can easily get away with using significantly less than one teaspoon of leaves, and brewing for a shorter period. Most people might actually prefer using fewer leaves and shorter brewing time, as this is a powerful tea. It is good for multiple infusions, whether you brew a long time or not. I prefer making two cups, but if you use 1+ teaspoons/cup as recommended, and brew a shorter period of time, you can make two very flavorful cups and a third fairly flavorful one.

This is among my favorite teas from Upton yet. It's not cheap, but I think it offers outstanding value, especially given the richness of flavor and complexity of the aroma you are able to get from so few leaves.

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