Aged Heritage Wuyi Oolong from Floating Leaves Tea

Floating Leaves Tea recently came back from Taiwan with a lot of goodies, and one of the first teas I got was their Aged Heritage Wuyi Oolong. Dive deeper into the details, and this tea is from 2011, a Wuyi cultivar, grown in Shi-Ding where Baozhong is grown. It was processed with higher oxidation and roast, similar to a Wuyi tea. Leaf and Steeping Method The leaves smell like an old cupboard filled with roasted nuts. I went with a gongfu ratio of around 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, steeped in boiling water. After a rinse,… Continue reading, hoot!

2022 Winter Diva High Mountain Oolong from Floating Leaves Tea

For the past couple of seasons, I’ve seen Floating Leaves tea come out with the Diva High Mountain. I keep meaning to try it, so I snagged the latest 2022 Winter Diva High Mountain oolong during their anniversary sale. This Qing Xin cultivar oolong was grown at 1500 meters at Smangus village in Northern Taiwan. Diva High Mountain Oolong is a more traditional style, so it is not as green as other high mountain oolongs. Leaf and Steeping Method Opening the package of oolong releases an explosion of scent. The leaves have a heavy floral scent of orchids and butter.… Continue reading, hoot!

2020 Nightshade Old Tree White Tea from Floating Leaves Tea

I’m always excited to see a new white tea being offered by Floating Leaves Tea, as one of my favorite white teas of all time is their Red Peony. Today is a brand new white tea – Nightshade Old Tree White Tea! This is a 2020 Lincang, Yunnan white tea, so a bit different than their usual Taiwanese teas. Leaf and Steeping Method Not too much scent from the leaves. There is a powdery sweet scent and lovely grayscale like appearanceI used 1 gram of leaf per 20ml of vessel size, gongfu steeped in boiling water. After a rinse, I… Continue reading, hoot!

Furry Crab Oolong from Floating Leaves Tea

Floating Leaves Tea’s Furry Crab oolong is a special reserve high mountain oolong grown in Wuliang Shan, Yunnan China, but by Taiwanese Farmers. Furry Crab was an oolong I bought as a tea newbie because of the inexpensive price – I recall the leaf being so broke and full of holes. Many years later in a tea industry convention, a trusted vendor told me the secret that many purchase Furry Crab and sell it as TieGuanYin, as it is cheaper and western drinkers can’t tell the difference. However, Floating Leaves Tea’s Furry Crab isn’t a low-quality tea, clocking at $1… Continue reading, hoot!

Dong Ding Red from Floating Leaves Tea

As the name says, Dong Ding Red is an oolong with plenty of oxidation and roasted in May 2020. Floating Leaves Tea has some of the best Dong Dings, so with my last order, I bought 2oz of this tea for fun. Leaves and Steeping Method The rolled leaves have a caramel scent. My gongfu ratio is 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, steeped in boiling water. After an infusion, the leaves slightly unravel and give off a fruity sweet scent, along with caramel. Tasting of Floating Leaves Tea’s Dong Ding Red Oolong First and Second Infusion:… Continue reading, hoot!

2020 Spring Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Oolong from Floating Leaves Tea

Typically every tea season Floating Leaves Tea does blind tastings with all the new High Mountain oolongs. This year obviously group tastings cannot be a thing. A number of my friends reported Floating Leaves Tea’s 2020 Spring Shan Lin Xi was amazing this year, so I went in on 2oz. It was an easy sell as I tend to prefer Shan Lin Xi out of all the High Mountain oolongs. Leaf and Steeping Method The leaves smell creamy and buttery with a slight vegetal scent. I used 1 gram of leaf per 15ml, gongfu style with boiling water. Floating Leaves… Continue reading, hoot!

Lo-Shan Hong Shui Oolong from Floating Leaves Tea

A few months back Floating Leaves Tea did a live stream tea tasting for their hong shui GABA oolong on their Facebook / Instagram. Prior to the live session, you can purchase the teas to drink with them – perfect for those not in Seattle or in quarantine. Floating Leaves Tea sent me the sampler, but I ended up drinking mine sometime later as I was sick. I then learned it is really hard to drink back to back multiple hong shuis, especially Floating Leaves Tea’s hong shuis, as they have high body feels. Either way, from that blind tasting… Continue reading, hoot!

Taman Hong Shui Oolong from Floating Leaves Tea

I wanted to finish 2019 by posting my most profound tea experience of the year – Floating Leaves Tea’s Taman Hong Shui Oolong. Floating Leaves Tea got me with their Lalashan Hong Shui. I loved that tea so much I didn’t review it as I wasn’t sure I could give it justice and now that tea is out of stock to buy (but I got a bag in my stash). Taman Hong Shui is similar to Lalashan Hong Shui as it is the same farmer, but it is from a different, higher peak in the same farm area. This tea… Continue reading, hoot!

2019 Red Peony White Tea from Floating Leaves Tea

One of my favorite teas of all time is Floating Leaves Tea’s Red Peony, a Ruby 18 cultivar usually made into black tea, but made into white tea. I check out their Red Peony every year, deciding whether I will buy volume. If you want to compare, here is the 2016 Red Peony and 2017 Red Peony cake reviews. This year Floating Leaves Tea started a podcast, and we sampled the newest Red Peony together. Floating Leaves Tea podcast is available on all your podcast listening places as well as youtube.  After the podcast, I purchased an entire 5oz bag… Continue reading, hoot!

2019 Smooth Water Baozhong Oolong from Floating Leaves Tea

2019 Smooth Water Baozhong is my favorite Taiwanese oolong this season from Floating Leaves Tea. I sampled it in the shop (already going in knowing I’ll love it as I enjoyed last year’s Nangang Baozhong), purchased, and I keep reaching for it. Smooth Water Baozhong is from Nangang, the birthplace of Baozhong. Modern Baozhong has gone very floral compared to the traditional old school Nangang style. I know many dislike Baozhong as it drinks like perfume, but this classic Nangang Baozhong is different. Leaf and Steeping Method Smooth Water Baozhong ‘s leaf has a milky floral scent. For today, I… Continue reading, hoot!