A mediocre tea, disappointing among Se Chung oolongs, a fairly broad group of oolongs that I tend to enjoy a lot.

Dry leaf looks unusual for Se Chung oolongs, the leaves are mostly in long, twisted shapes like Wuyi oolongs, unlike the tightly-rolled shapes of Tie Guan Yin and other Anxi oolongs. The leaf is fairly broken, but there are some larger, more intact leaves as well. The leaf smells fairly strongly of cinnamon, with a strong roasted and woody quality too.

Brewing produces a well-rounded cup with moderate body, a light bitterness, and a mellow but balanced aroma that has woody and lightly roasted notes.

Not the most interesting oolong; lacks the herbaceous, fruity, or floral notes that I like in higher-quality oolongs.

Cleaner and with more of a cooling quality, less warming, than most oolongs. Easy to drink, and surprisingly, tastes better when cooled. I find the herbaceous notes come out more as it cools.

In the end I was underwhelmed. I didn't enjoy this tea that much and wouldn't buy it again. Also, really expensive for a tea of this type. Contrast with Upton's Se Chung, which is much cheaper, and I think a much better tea.

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