Today’s review is a tea from Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co, a UK tea seller with a HUGE tea line up. I’m talking they got over 700 different teas and coffees, that’s bigger than my stash! (It crazy that I have bigger tea selection than many sellers!). They also do wholesale as well.
The tea – Oolong Shalimar, is an oolong blend with half-fermented tea Aronia berries, Mango cubes, and Rose petals.
Dry Leaf
Wow that smell! Oolong Shalimar smells really strong, and of sweet dried fruit and floral. The oolong leaves are dark and a little twiggy, cut with rose petals, whole berries and mango fruit chunks.
Steeping Instructions
I used boiling water for 2 minutes. The instructions simply stated brew for 2 to 3 minutes, so I assumed I was to use boiling water and oolong can take some hot temperatures. I used 1.5 teaspoons, which worked out to 4 grams of leaf. Steeping the tea in a mug was actually quite pretty with all the rose petals, Oolong Shalimar would look really nice in a glass tea pot.
Tasting of Kent & Sussex’s Oolong Shalimar
Oooh, a nice blend. The oolong is a higher oxidized one, adding a woodsy flavor that develops a full fruity floral profile. I’m getting strong rose notes, and lots of red berry flavor that I haven’t tasted before, which I’m guessing is Aronia berry. The berry is on the vibe between raspberry and cranberry – it’s got that watery crisp of a cranberry, but background and sweetness of a raspberry and a little tart but nothing that would make you pucker. The rose works quite well in this blend. The finish I sometimes get mango, but mostly rose notes.
The sweetness of the berry and floral make it so you probably don’t need to add sugar, if you are the sugary tea type of person.
I tried another cup, this time 5 grams of leaf for 3 minutes and the oolong and rose are stronger, with a more tart flavor, so I think 2 minutes is the better steep time to taste all the flavors.
Comments
Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co‘s Oolong Shalimar is an exotic oolong blend that is quite different than other oolong blends I’ve had. I really liked the higher oxidized oolong (too many green oolong blends out there). Aronia berry is apparently pretty trendy of a super fruit, up there with goji berries.
If you love floral teas, you’ll like the strong rosey flavor of Oolong Shalimar. Oolong Shalimar would make for a great iced tea or a pretty afternoon tea too.
(tea provided for review)
