Rose Scented Oolong Tea is beautifully and mildly scented Taiwanese qin xin oolong with rose petals of first and second day of blooming. 

Name: Rose Scented Oolong Tea
Tea Vendor: Taiwan Tea Crafts
Type: flavored Taiwanese oolong

Rose Scented Oolong Tea – introduction

Rose Scented oolong tea

Rose Scented oolong tea is mildly and beautifully scented Taiwanese qing xin oolong with fresh rose bud petals. Price is 8.50 USD for 50 grams, which is quite low (in online spheres) for a Taiwanese oolong (scented or non-scented). What really impressed me with this oolong is that unlike some other scented teas, this one is of a really good quality, one can easily say it was made with lots of love and care. Here, they did not just scented the tea, but rather added value to an already really good tea with delicate rose petals. It comes from a tea bushes in Baguashan, Nantou, from an altitude of 300 meters. Leaves were hand-picked and lightly oven roasted. What is interesting that the fresh petals were mixed with tea and left overnight so that the leaves can absorb their aroma, then removed next day. I conclude that the already dried petals in the tea were added after the scenting process.

Rose Scented oolong tea

We had the opportunity to drink this tea on our tea & literature “Talkative Tea Party vol.2” last year, which found many many admirers among tea-desirous audience. What a great choice this tea was!

What is really beautiful about this tea is the appearance of dried leaves with smell delicate petals. Not too much, not too less, just a perfect amount for a sophisticated look. Absolutely beautiful leaves rolled in small yellowish-green semi-balls with visible branches, and scarlet-violet rose petals would impress all rose scented tea lovers. What is really interesting is that rose is usually found in black teas, not in oolong ones. Nevertheless, this combination is a prove that scenting is not always to cover up quality.

Rose Scented oolong tea

Brewing

Rose Scented oolong tea can be brewed both in western and Chinese way. Multiple steepings are possible, and depending on the time, each will have more or less pronounced rose notes.

Water temperature around 90 degrees Celsius, 40, 60, 90 seconds steepings. Nevertheless, I do like to brew scented teas in a western way, to get the most out of both leaves and petals. Petals can have at most two good steepings, while tea itself can have more. Still, this is a very well balanced oolong tea with a great combination of mild and full creamy oolong with soft and delicate rose. Subtle, mild and quite fragrant infusion. Liquor is pale yellowish-green color, sophisticated with violet hue and subtle just like the aroma.

Rose Scented oolong tea is a pure little delicate pleasure among scented teas.