Fresh, naturally grown rose flowers give their fragrance to this Rose Oolong Tea: the process takes two days for the tea to fully absorb the aroma of the rose petals.
A fine high mountain oolong tea that proves to be a perfect drink to enjoy even after dinner, either hot or infused cold to cool off with taste in the summertime.
Tasting – Sight and smell
Rose oolong tea leaves are tightly balled and small in size, with a glossy surface and hues ranging from bright green to dark green and some yellow-ochre hues, especially at the stems. Along with the tea leaves, fragments of dark magenta rose petals can be seen, creating a beautiful color contrast. Once infused, the leaves give off floral aromas of damask rose and notes reminiscent of glutinous rice, with a very faint vegetal note and a distinct sweetness that is reminiscent of powdered sugar. The liquor in the cup is golden, clear and bright.
Tasting Notes
GONG FU CHA
The first infusion of Rose oolong tea has mild notes of rose and roasted notes of nuts and cereal starch. A delicate sweetness, reminiscent of honey from sulla, is also detected. With the second infusion, the flavors become more intense: the taste of the rose is now stronger without ever becoming pungent. The sugary notes, which remain at the back of the throat, also increase considerably, as do the stronger notes of nuts, particularly almond and cashew. With the third and subsequent infusions, the rose becomes more delicate again, while the roasted nutty note is accentuated and the starchy, sweet component reappears to envelop the palate.
WESTERN
In the opening, Rose oolong tea presents a very gentle floral note of rose, followed by hints of acacia honey and on the finish of nuts, with the intense sweetness of praline almonds. The body is medium, very silky on the palate, with a complete absence of astringency or bitterness. The persistence is sweet and floral, with pleasant notes of rose and almond.
Place of origin
Bei Shan, located in Nantou County, Taiwan
Infusion method of Rose Oolong Tea
We strongly recommend infusing Rose Oolong Tea in the traditional Chinese method (Gong Fu Cha) with a gaiwan with a capacity of about 150 ml. By following this preparation, multiple infusions can be made with 5 grams of leaves that are useful to best capture all the flavor nuances of the tea.
After a quick rinse with water at a temperature of 85°C, proceed to an initial 30-second infusion. Keeping the water at the same temperature, you can then continue to exploit the same leaves by adding more water and increasing the infusion time by 10 seconds each time (30-40-50…).
This tea has a longevity of 5-6 infusions.
For a more classic preparation according to the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves (about 2 teaspoons) in a 200-mL cup with water at 85°C for an infusion time of 3 minutes.
For a better tasting experience, we suggest that you strain the infusion as soon as the brewing time is over. The brewing time recommendations, however, can also be slightly adjust by your personal taste in order to obtain a strong or more delicate cup of tea.
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Benefits of Oolong tea
The main health benefits of Oolong Teas come from the relevant content of minerals and antioxidant phenols in the leaves.
Some studies, in fact, report that the daily assumption of Oolong can influence the bone health by improving the quantity of mineral in the tissue and also reduce the sugar content in the blood thanks to the stimulation of insuline provide by the phenols.
The Oolong Teas, furthermore, show, generally, a reduced concentration of caffeine. This feature make the oolong easier to be consumed in every moment of the day also for the people more sensitive to this exciting substance.