Fancy tea review! Jade Oolong

Honestly it looks a bit like cannabis before brewing!!

Tea: Jade Oolong (Taiwanese high-mountain oolong)

Source: TeaLyra.ca

Cost: 100 grams for $15.97 CAD

I was once told that oolong is the halfway point between green and black tea. That's an oversimplification. Green, oolong, and black (or red) tea are all oxidized to varying degrees, and then they are heated in different ways to stop the oxidization. Green is oxidized the least, and black is fully oxidized. How they are heated also has an effect on the flavour. Same with how the leaves are shaped, like if they are rolled into balls or pearls.

An oolong can be very lightly oxidized, so it's possible to confuse an oolong with a green, but the flavour is a bit different. That's because oolong is generally roasted, whereas green tea leaves are generally steamed. Also, oolong tends to do better with multiple steepings, unlike greens which can increase in bitterness.

The unfurled pearls

(Oolong teas are generally between 8% and 80% oxidized. So at the other end of the spectrum, they are can look similar to black/red tea, and yet at higher oxidization, I find the roasted flavour is more pronounced. One of my favourite oolongs is a 99% oxidized purple. Even though it makes a darker cup, you are not likely to confuse the distinct flavour with any black tea.)

TeaLyra's Jade Oolong is lightly oxidized so it's definitely close to a green tea in appearance. The aroma is amazing, very sweet and reminiscent of a Taiwanese milk tea. It's also similar to green tea in flavour, although with less bitterness (tannins). There are other high-mountain oolongs out there with more flavour, but they tend to be a lot pricier. For what it costs, this is an excellent light oolong for a great price.

I'm already looking forward to my next cup!

Happy sipping :)