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Oolong Tea

Oolong teas are renowned for delivering a highly satisfying cup. There are many different types but their taste is typically soft, smooth and fragrant, with a long, sweet finish. Our Oolong is one of the most exclusive Formosa Oolong teas.
Oolong tea

What is oolong tea?


Oolong tea leaves

  • Like green and black tea, oolong tea comes from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis tea bush.
  • Oolong tea is picked and allowed to partially oxidise – a natural process which causes browning of the leaf, just like a slice of apple exposed to the air. Heating and shaping cut this process short.
  • The resulting dark leaves are also known as ‘Wu Long’, meaning ‘Black Dragon’.

Between green and black

  • Oolong tea sits between green tea (which is not oxidised) and black tea (which is fully oxidised) in colour and richness.
  • The resulting complex and nuanced tea is highly prized.

Royal approval

  • An exquisite example of oolong tea, Eastern Beauty (or ‘Oriental Beauty’), was apparently named by Queen Victoria, who was enchanted by the tea’s sweet, mellow and elegant flavours.

Brewing

Many factors can influence the taste of your final cup of oolong tea, from water temperature to steeping time. Here are some recommendations to help you get the best out of your Dragonfly Eastern Beauty Oolong tea.

Water

  • Fresh, filtered or spring water makes better-tasting tea.
  • Ideally, add only as much water to the kettle as you need for your cup/pot. This saves energy and avoids the need to waste the spent water when you come to make your next cup!

Temperature

  • Oolong tea leaves are best brewed in not-quite boiling water.
  • Keep an eye on your kettle and click it off before it reaches full boil, or leave it to cool for a minute or two after boiling.

How much tea?

  • Dragonfly large leaf tea pyramids contain just the right amount of tea leaves for a mug of tea (about 250ml capacity).

Steeping

  • Combine the water and teabag or tea leaves.
  • Infuse the tea for 2-4 minutes to allow for the release of the complex flavours and beneficial compounds.
  • Re-infuse up to three times for new and interesting aromas and flavours in each cup.

Taste

Complex and nuanced

  • Oolong tea can have a greenish-yellow, rose gold or amber liquor.
  • The partial oxidation and extensive shaping of this special tea accounts for incredible complexity and a wide range of tastes and aromas.
  • While there are many types of oolong tea with a variety of tastes and characteristics, oolong teas are typically soft, smooth and fragrant, with a long, sweet finish.
  • Dragonfly Eastern Beauty Oolong Tea is elegantly mellow, with golden undertones of sun-drenched fruit.

Wellbeing

Properties and benefits of oolong tea

  • Oolong tea contains the same health-promoting compounds as the other ‘true’ teas, which come from the Camellia sinensis leaf.
  • The natural compounds and antioxidants present in oolong tea include caffeine, amino acids (such as L-theanine) and polyphenols (such as the catechin epigallocatechin). These are implicated in a range of health benefits.
  • A quiet moment with a cup of Dragonfly Eastern Beauty Oolong tea is an opportunity to practise some ‘tea mindfulness’, a great way to bring a little peace, calm and clarity into your day.

Tea Growing

Growing oolong tea

  • Like black tea, oolong tea is made from leaves of Camellia sinensis.
  • China and Taiwan are home to some of the best oolong teas. Revered ‘rock oolongs’ hail from the legendary Wuyi Mountains in China’s Fujian province.
  • Due to differences in tea bush varietal, growing, harvesting and processing styles, oolongs come in many forms, shapes and colours.
  • These can be generally categorised as lighter, more floral oolongs, which are less oxidised, and darker, spicier oolongs, which are more heavily oxidised.

Making oolong tea

  • Oolongs are one of the most complicated teas to make.
  • After harvesting and withering (a brief period of air drying), the tea master stirs, tosses and gently bruises the leaves, using smell, touch and sight to monitor the operation.
  • Once the master believes the leaves are at the optimal level of oxidisation, he quickly applies heat to stop the process.
  • The warm leaves are then rolled or twisted and dried.
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