Tea Blog

Name: Oolong Orange Blossom

Brand: The English Tea Store

Type: Oolong, flavored

Form: Loose leaf

Review: Some teas are at their tastiest when consumed during cold weather, while others taste better on balmy days. I am happy to report, however, that Oolong Orange Blossom from The English Tea Store is an all-weather tea.

A tea for all seasons, if you will.

It’s base is a dark oolong and it’s been blended with orange  and flower essences. The result is a tasty, deeply flavored tea that can be quite comforting on a cold night, but then can be prepared as incredibly refreshing iced tea.

Very versatile indeed.

The scent of the dry leaf can be a bit deceiving: It is redolent of orange oil, which may lead you to suspect that this will be a super-citrusy tea. However, once the tea infuses to a medium bodied, red-orange liquor, the intense orange nose dissipates a bit and gives way to some floral notes. The orange flavor takes even more of a backseat on the palate, as the tea shows itself to be balanced between the “toasty” flavors of the dark oolong, floral notes, with a bit of citrus. This tea is naturally sweet, no honey or sugar needed, making it a good choice for conquering sweet cravings.

Good stuff and highly recommended.

Serving Tips: This can go with food but is also tasty on its own. Try serving it with breakfast instead of orange juice!

Brewing Tips: Don’t kill the sweetness of this tea or its floral notes, with too-hot water or over-steeping. Try bringing the temperature down to about 190F, and then steeping the tea for about 2 minutes. Definitely try this tea on ice: Dark oolongs make really delicious iced tea to begin with, and the nice balance of floral and citrus flavors make for a very refreshing drink.

More great tea info on Lainie’s blog, Lainie Sips!

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