Okay, so I’ve been on this huge oolong tea kick lately, and I wanted to find, like, the best Taiwanese oolong. It’s a whole world, you know? So, I started this little mission to taste-test a bunch.

My Oolong Tea Adventure Begins

First, I hit up a few local tea shops. I smelled everything, I mean everything. Some smelled like straight-up grass, others were kinda floral, and a few had this roasted thing going on. I grabbed a few that seemed promising, mostly based on the descriptions the shop owners gave me.

Then, because I’m impatient, I also ordered a bunch online. I read some reviews, looked at pretty pictures, you know, the usual. I tried to get a variety – different mountains, different oxidation levels (that’s a fancy term I learned, it’s how much the tea leaves are exposed to air).

The Taste-Testing Extravaganza

• Setup: I got my little gaiwan (that’s a Chinese tea-brewing thingy), my tiny cups, and a notebook. Felt very official.
• Brewing: I followed the instructions… mostly. I’m not gonna lie, I messed up the water temperature a few times. Boiling water is apparently a no-no for some oolongs. Oops.
• Tasting: This was the fun part! I sipped, I swirled, I tried to be all sophisticated. Some were super light and floral, almost like perfume. Others were richer, with notes of honey or even a bit of a baked taste. Some were… well, not my favorite. Let’s just say “grassy” doesn’t always mean good.
• Notetaking: Scribbled down notes as fast as my taste,like “fruity,” “smooth,” “kinda bitter,” and “OMG, this is amazing!”.

My Oolong Discoveries(still trying)

I’m still in the middle of this whole experiment, to be honest. But I’ve already found a few that I really, really like. There’s this one, I can’t remember the name now, but my notes had it that it’s from Alishan, and it tastes like peaches and sunshine. It’s crazy! I have ordered some others,I want to try next is a Dong Ding oolong. Supposedly, it’s got this roasted, nutty flavor that I’m dying to experience.

So, yeah, that’s my oolong journey so far. It’s been messy, delicious, and definitely a learning experience. Still on the hunt for that “best” one, but I’m having a blast trying them all!