Ali Shan from Adagio

After hours of downpour, the sun is out! I know I have said it is Fall because we had a hard frost, but I take it back, this is Indian Summer. Or something. The leaves are still on the magnolia so it isn't total autumn. Our magnolia leaves hang on and on and then suddenly, one sufficiently cold night they all fall off!

I think I may have to take back what I have said about Oolong teas. I have had a number of them lately that I have really liked, especially todays. It is Ali Shan, from Adagio, part of my summer fling of tea buying. I only got a sample, but when I order again I will get some more. This one of the floral oolongs from Taiwan/Formosa. The dry leaves are like tiny little packages, not balls. There is a very strong floral scent with an almost fermenting sort of understory. The instructions say to brew the tea at 212 degrees for 5 minutes. I reluctantly do so, checking all the time. Even with 5 minutes, some of these huge leaves and long stems are not totally unfurled, so I brew them again at 212 for 4 minutes. Unheard of! But what a tea! My mouth was full of sweet floral that was not at all overwhelming. It certainly was not oversweet or I wouldn't have liked it. It was almost a jasmine, almost a mock orange, with a little bit of greenness at the edges. The second cup was almost identical. I had some later that had completely cooled and it was still super! I used 9 little packages for my cup.

As I think about it, I believe that more of the Oolongs I have really liked have been Formosan. I really am loving this tea journey. I don't ever expect to be an expert, but I feel like my tea world is constantly opening up and broadening.