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Category: Oolong
Tea Company: Canton Tea Co. (website)
Ingredients: Oolong Tea
Vendor Suggested Preparation: 1tbs per cup (200ml); water temperature: 100 deg C (212 deg F) infuse 3 minutes
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To brew this tea, I used about a tablespoon of leaves and four cups of boiling water. Steeped in a glass teapot, it was easy to see the leaves as they released a burnt orange liquor. Upon initially steeping this tea, the first thing I noticed was the incredibly light mouthfeel. After the first cup, the flavour continued to linger in my mouth. This oolong has a much lighter taste than other oolongs I have tried. It’s a delicate taste, and very good.
The taste itself…in the first few sips of a cup, one can really taste the leaf, but the flavour seems to fade as one finishes a cup. Perhaps the initial flavour, light as it is, coats the taste buds in one’s mouth so that subsequent sips merely slide through the mouth.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this tea. The flavour was a bit too light for me, but it was still enjoyable to drink. This was very reminiscent of the oolong served in Chinese restaurants with Dim Sum.
I’ve decided that I will give teas that I review an approximate rating, on a scale of 0-100, based on my personal enjoyment of this tea (not it’s comparison in specific areas to other teas). Canton Tea Co’s Big Red Robe oolong receives a 92/100 for its exceptionally delicate taste, light mouthfeel, and lasting flavour.
EDIT: I later tried resteeping these same leaves. This was a major disappointment, as I got barely half of the original body and flavour. This lack of “stamina” in the leaves significantly decreased my rating of this tea (now an 85/100).
You can purchase the Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) Oolong directly from the Canton Tea Co. website. Save 15% right now when you use the code LEAF at checkout!
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Written by Spencer E Its All About the Leaf Reviewer - Read more about this author on Spencer E's profile page - View recent posts by Spencer E |




Hi Spencer,
I would personally try using less water – more like 1 cup to 1 tablespoon of water. This tea will then give you many good infusions. I brew this gong fu style (http://www.cantonteaco.com/tea-school/how-to-tea-guides-simple-guides-to-enjoying-china-tea/gaiwan-guide.html) and often get 8-10 infusions from the same leaves.
Hope this helps?
Thanks
Edgar
@Edgar
You are right, and that is something I should have experimented with more and something I will keep in mind for the future. Thank you for the suggestion!