Apricot Oolong is blend of tea, dried peach & apricot pieces, and marigolds. This fruity tea blend is sold by Sterling Tea, online tea seller based in Texas.
Little bit of confusion here – right on the box it says “Green Tea” but it also says Oolong. Green oolong? The website shows a different packaging which doesn’t mention green tea.
I’m excited to try some fruity teas that are in season – oh man, I wish I had better access to peaches and apricots. I know they are in season now and ripe for canning! Anyways, lets have some tea!
Dry Leaf
I opened the packaged and smelled the tea without looking at it – awesomely creamy sweet oolong scent accented with a fruity sweetness. Looking at the leaf, it indeed looks like a jade green oolong with light oxidization. I didn’t find much in fruity chunks, but the oolong looks quite nice!
Steeping Instructions
I did go-to western style oolong steeping method, which was within the parameters of what is on the package of Apricot Oolong (170 to 190 for 2-3 minutes). With that said, I did a 190F water with a 2.5 minute steeping.
After the 2.5 minute steeping I had a pale marigold cup of tea that smells very creamy.
Tasting of Sterling Tea’s Apricot Oolong
Sips in creamy, buttery green oolong that is lightly grassy and sweet. The overall flavor is on the light side. The texture is on the thick side adding a creamy mouth feel, even adding a creamy sensation to the lips. End of sip the tea blooms with a light floral (3/10 on the Floral Meter) and apricot/peach flavor. The floral and apricot flavor lingers after each sip. The main attraction in this tea is the oolong creamy base, with a twist of apricot/peach at the end.
Iced: I prepared a strong steeping of Apricot Oolong then poured it over ice. I didn’t add any sweetener. I can’t be trusted with food photography props – I eat them! It looks like little orange creamsicle Tea Owl is going for the last apricot!
This oolong is even better iced! The apricot/peach flavor comes out stronger and at first sip, carried with the creamy floral vegetal oolong flavor. The texture is still creamy and I get a lingering apricot/peach aftertaste. Mmm, I wonder if I have a fruity breath? I think for future steepings I will make this tea iced.
Comments
Sterling Tea‘s Apricot Oolong is a great oolong with a stone fruity twist that makes a really good iced tea. I can see Apricot Oolong being a great picnic drink paired with cucumber sandwiches.
(tea provided for review)
