Milk Oolong
Originally posted: December 1, 2014
Quangzhou
Quangzhou Milk Oolong is a strange tea. Grown in the Wuyi Mountains of China, it is supposedly quite rare. The flavour is described as a "creamy blend of oolong with natural milk flavouring and a hint of orchid." I didn't really know what to expect and having only tried oolong tea once before I figured that this would be a good choice to get to know the flavour.
When I took the first sip I wasn't sure how I felt. As usual I had added a teaspoon of sugar, but I was worried that because of the sugar I wouldn't get a true account of the flavours so I tried it without as well.
Without sugar: The tea was quite earthy, not bitter but more similar to a very strong green tea. It didn't have
a remarkable scent, simply tasting and smelling like a straightforward cup of earthy tea. I didn't taste the "hint of orchid" or the creaminess from the milk at all. Overall with this preparation, I didn't feel that this tea was any more unique than anything else I have tried before.
With sugar: This is the preparation where the tea really shines. The flavours were amplified the sugar, undoubtedly this is how I would suggest to drink it. It starts with a strong earthy taste, but with the added sugar the jasmine really comes out to play. It was also easier to taste the milk flavour, all these factors mixed together makes it taste a lot like a sweet but strong green tea with a comforting creamy aspect that
would be great if you like a straightforward tea with a hint of exoticism.
While this is a tea I'm not likely to repurchase, but just because it isn't a favourite doesn't mean it's not quite nice. If you do want to try it, keep in mind it's one of DAVIDs more expensive offerings so you might want to consider buying it in a kit before you fully invest into 50 or 100 grams.