Okay, so I’ve been seeing “Four Seasons Oolong” tea popping up everywhere, and I finally decided to give it a try. I’m a big tea drinker, but mostly stick to the basics, you know, English Breakfast, Earl Grey, the usual suspects. So, branching out to oolong was a little adventure for me.

Finding the Tea

First things first, I had to actually find this stuff. I checked my usual grocery store, nothing. Then I hit up a couple of specialty tea shops in my area. Finally, bingo! One of them had it. They even had different grades, which was a bit intimidating, to be honest. I just grabbed a mid-range one – didn’t want to go too cheap, didn’t want to break the bank either.

Brewing It Up

I got home, ripped open the package, and took a big whiff. It smelled…floral? Definitely different from my usual black teas. I boiled some water, and because I’m a total newbie, I checked the package for instructions. It said to use water that wasn’t quite boiling, around 195°F (90°C).I don’t have a thermometer so I waited a while after switching off. And to steep it for like 3-5 minutes.

• I preheated my teapot – because that’s what fancy tea people do, right?
• I put in a couple of teaspoons of the tea leaves.
• I poured in the hot (but not boiling!) water.
• I set a timer for 4 minutes. Because I’m indecisive.

The Taste Test

Okay, timer went off. I poured myself a cup. The color was this beautiful golden-amber. First sip…wow. It was light, a little bit sweet, and definitely had that floral thing going on. It wasn’t bitter at all, which was a nice surprise. I usually add milk and sugar to my tea, but I didn’t even feel the need to with this one. I kept sipping, and the flavor actually changed a bit as it cooled down. It got a little more…vegetal? Like, in a good way.

I ended up having three cups. The package said you could re-steep the leaves, so I kept adding more hot water. Each cup was a little different, but still really enjoyable.

My Verdict

Am I a Four Seasons Oolong convert? Yeah, I think I am. It’s a nice change of pace from my usual strong, milky teas. It feels…lighter, more refreshing. I’ll definitely be keeping this one in my tea rotation. If you’re looking for something a bit different, I’d say give it a shot. Just don’t be like me and spend an hour hunting it down – maybe call the tea shop first!