When processed, the ginseng tea is rolled and dried into deep green spheres. A sign of a good Ginseng Oolong is that when brewed, these spheres will open up to reveal tender oolong leaves, something lower qualities won’t do. Ginseng oolong is also very good for you. Aside from being refreshing and good for weight loss, another lofty benefit ascribed to the tea in Chinese medicine is the ability to prolong life and prevent coronary heart disease. The most interesting thing about ginseng oolong is that it was once the common drink of the imperial palace courtyard.
- Formosa - Modern day Taiwan
- Strong mesmerizing aroma, rich crisp oolong taste with a pleasing ginseng aftertaste.
- Medium
Brewing Guide
Temp:
194F/90C
194F/90C
Size:
1 tsp/8oz
1 tsp/8oz
Time:
3-4 min
3-4 min
Rhonda –
My daughter introduced me to Ginseng Oolong tea and I love it. Rich soothing flavor.
MAH –
I hate to give a bad review but this Ginseng Oolong was not good. I bought this three days ago and was looking forward to it. The culprit – the leaves didn’t unfurl.
I also tried brewing at a higher water temp (over 200º) and at 8 mins, still no opening up. I was able to squish a few between my fingers but that ended up more like a paste and not any kind of return to a more natural leaf form.
On the plus side, the aroma was very pleasant. The ginseng came through pretty well and was very appetizing. The ginseng finish was there also, which was good. However due to the lack of unfurling of the rolled tea beads, the flavor was pretty watered down even after the aforementioned 8-minute brew. For comparison, I finished off a bag of another Oolong (Huang Jin Gui) a week or so ago, and those beads unfolded beautifully and looked like leaves. So luckily I had a prior Oolong as a reference.
Please don’t take this as a criticism of Tin Roof Teas overall. I’ve had a few of their teas and they’ve all been quite good. Their staff have always been very helpful and positive. It’s just that this batch simply didn’t work out. Can’t recommend at this time.