My Perfect Cup of Oolong

Great minds think alike- I was going to title this entry "Ode to Oolong" but alas I have been beaten to the punch.

My perfect cup I am quite sure will be an Oolong. Long before I began my affair with loose leaf tea, I've always had a special place in my heart for Oolong teas. My only experience with it growing up was at Chinese restaurants, therefore it was always reserved for special occasions- dance recitals, family birthdays, New Years...and my mother let my sugar sensitive self put three or four packets in the little tiny cups so I'd be zooming for days on it, which is probably the larger reason I loved it so.

During high school when I began to dabble in the loose leaves, I learned that most Chinese restaurants serve Oolong, and the hunt began. I spent way too much at Teavana trying all their Oolongs, and purchased over a dozen samples from SpecialTeas and Upton trying to find my perfect cup of Oolong. I was looking for that warm, breadlike taste that would refresh all the special memories from childhood.

I figured at this point, I'll publish my findings so far....more for my shoddy memory so I don't waste more money on teas I've already tried, but also for our reader's enlightenment as well:

1. Monkey Picked Ti Kuan Yin Oolong: This tea is damn close to my perfect cup. I can't even begin to describe the wonderfully complex light jade flavor of this...it's a simply beautiful. However, it is expensive. (Cheapest I've found is $15/2oz) Any tea that is described as "Monkey Picked" is the highest quality, and although I believe it is worth the price...I'm a broke college kid.
   
   
   
   
2. Ti Kuan Yin Oolong:  Monkey Picked of this is like spending the $50 for the special occasion wine. Therefore, I found the good quality $6 bottle of wine for anytime consumption. This type of Oolong is available almost anywhere, and is fantastically light with sweet, almost peach flavor undertones. Cheap enough to buy in bulk and tasty enough to enjoy daily. Also sometimes spelled Tin Quan Yin. This is usually what you'll find in my cup because I love it so.
   
   **Update: Upton's Formosa Jade Oolong is a nice compromise between this blend and a Formosa Oolong. A tad more expensive, but a very unique taste...it has all the qualities of Ti Kuan Yin with a hint of smoky, darker flavors. I recommend !
   
   
   
   
3. "Eastern Beauty" Oolong: I suckered a Teavana employee into letting me try this, and it was a delightful cup. Much darker than what my palate usually enjoys, therefore I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Again, it is expensive. I have been on the hunt for a similar, cheaper version through Upton and SpecialTeas. My findings are below:
   
   
   
   
4. Formosa Oolongs: Turns out 3 is a type of this Oolong. Darker, much richer flavors than my typical Ti Kuan Yin. I have yet to find one as high of quality as Tevana's Eastern Beauty, however mixing some Lavender with Upton's Fine Grade Formosa produces a pretty good blend. Does wonders for an upset stomach or that murky feeling associated with hangovers.
   
   Another type of Oolong I sampled was "China Oolong Se Chung" also from Upton. It was way to dark for me, and had very strong peach and bread undertones. I tend to favor lighter teas, but if you like a powerful dark tea (or are typically a coffee drinker) this is a good tea for you...make sure you add some honey to it though to really bring out the peach flavor!
   
   Turns out Oolongs are typically associated with this darker texture, and my lighter palate tends to run with the elite and more expensive blends. (Of course I like the expensive stuff- I am a girl after all !) However, with the help of my cowriter, I did find out something interesting about Formosa's....
   
   
   
   
5. Bigelow's Oolong: That's right ladies and gentleman, I found the tea from my childhood. Turns out it wasn't an expensive blend at all, it's actually graded as dust. And Bigelow sells it dirt cheap and at most grocery stores. Go figure. 

My hunt will continue throughout the Formosa blends- I have found success with Monkey Picked Ti Kuan Yin and am determined to find a cheaper equivalent to "Eastern Beauty." We'll see what next payday brings....

FYI: "Fomosa" simply means it is tea from Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa. Yes, that little tiny island produces a lot of tea! 

Your Faithful Addict,

The Tea Mistress Extraordinare