I received this oolong in a set of samples from Life in Teacup, but could not find it for sale on their website.

This one immediately got my attention from even smelling the dry leaf--so aromatic. I have rarely encountered such intense floral aromas outside of the most expensive Dong Ding or Tie Guan Yin oolongs.

I brewed a 3 minute infusion and the result was a cup of tea with a clean, clear, but full body, and an intense floral aroma. Most importantly, there was a complete absence of the soapy qualities that plague some of the lower grades of greener oolong. This is a completely different tea from the lower grade of Ben Shan oolong offered by Life in Teacup--in my opinion it's in a completely different category.

I made a second 6-minute infusion, and the cup had a noticeable different character: less of the lighter floral tones, but still fairly complex and very full-bodied.

Compared to that basic Ben Shan, this tea has less roast in the aroma, and more complexity and strength to the floral aroma (that one just smells like orchids whereas this one is harder to describe). The aroma, especially in the second infusion, is not at all soapy, unlike the basic ben shan. Overall, this is a much more interesting and complex tea, much smoother too, and with fewer objectionable qualities.

Among the best of green oolongs that I've tried.

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