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Two Yunnan "Oriental Beauty"-Style Oolong Teas
August 2010

2009 Fall Bai Yun Oolong--Yunnan Oolong Tea, from Wu Liang Mountain in Jingdong county,  from Norbu (BYO)

Yunnan Wild Arbor "Oriental Beauty" Oolong from Yunnan Sourcing (YSOB)

Note:  this is comparing the end of a sample bag of the BYO, so the leaves were not in as good a shape as those in the YSOB sample. 

In the end, both were lovely teas.  Oddly enough, given that the BYO was end-of-bag with more broken leaves, it took the 2nd infusion to start showing the spiciness and full flavor that the YSOB gave immediately.  The BYO, however, seemed to hold that lovely flavor a little longer, but by the 5th infusion, both are starting to thin out, pretty much done.  I have only had one Taiwanese Oriental Beauty, and that was a rose scented version that was quite unlike roses or like these lovely teas.  A high quality Taiwanese Oriental Beauty is reputedly quite hard to come by, but these teas are quite satisfying, and not too pricey, so I don't feel any particular need to try the genuine article.

1.9 grams of tea
about 4 oz water (larger gaiwans, not preheated)

1st 195 degrees, 45 seconds
2nd 185 degrees (too impatient to wait for full reheating), 30 seconds
3rd 175 degrees (ditto), 1 minutes
4th:  195 (more patient this time), 2 minutes
5th:  water just off full boil, 1 minute
(stopping because of diminishing marginal returns)

2009 Fall Bai Yun Oolong--Yunnan Oolong Tea from Norbu
Leaves:  thin, dark twists, with sweet fruity tea scent
1st infusion:  sweet, fruity, floral
2nd:  spicy flavor there now, still fruity and floral
3rd:  still spicy/sweet/fruity/floral, but starting to thin a little esp in the fruity notes
4th:  a little thinner, but still quite enjoyable; holding up better than the YSOB
5th:  thinner, still a little fruity/spicy
Wet leaves:  dark red leaves with hints of green; scent is sweet/tart

Yunnan Wild Arbor "Oriental Beauty" Oolong from Yunnan Sourcing
Leaves:  thin, dark twists, with sweet fruity tea scent
1st infusion:  sweet, plummy, floral, with a spiciness that is not there in the BYO
2nd:  spicy, fruity, floral
3rd:  losing a bit of the spicy and sweet edge, thinner flavor, perhaps dissipating a little faster than the BYO, but really not much to choose between them at this point
4th:  4th:  a little thinner, but still quite enjoyable; not holding as well as the BYO
5th:  thinner, still a little fruity/spicy
Wet leaves:  dark red leaves with hints of green; scent is sweet/tart



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