Mi Lan Xiang - Honey Orchid

This is a Phoenix Oolong I snagged at the Red Blossom tea shop in the San Francisco chinatown. I loved the set up of the quaint shop and the employees were helpful and polite.

As soon as I got a whiff of the dry leaf, I knew I had to make a purchase.

The tea has a strong peachy, vanilla fragrance and the slightest earthy hint.
Masterful combination of these aromas drew me in.


The liquor of the tea is very aromatic and puts forth roasted nutty nuances.
The color is beautiful.


First infusion;
Apricot is the first flavor revealed;
a light, floral astringency follows.

Second;
The vanilla is found and is dominant;
the aftertaste is subtly roasted walnuts.

Third;
Floral scents dominate this round;
a sour aftertaste pleasantly tingles.

I am shocked by the differences in each brew.
This pushes me, to push the tea.

Fourth;
Sour has turned to spicy;
cloves appear, along with the apricot.

Fifth;
The tea suddenly drops off to sweet water;
the last taste this tea imparts to the liquor is mint.


The complexities and shifts in this tea's flavor make for an interesting session.
This is not a tea to relax and enjoy, this is a tea to actively discover.



The one thing that did bother me about the tea was the sudden drop off.
The flavor did not ween out slowly like usual.

Overall, quite an experience.
I actively discovered every minute of it!


~Billy

P.S.

See Asiatic Fox's opinion here