One of the first things you notice when you drink loose leaf tea is the quality and consistency of the leaves.  This Oolong is both consistent in size and shape and the leaves unfurl to reveal their beautiful jade green color.  It’s a very relaxing and entertaining tea experience.  The scent of the dried Oolong was very elegant.  The air from the Anxi mountains escapes from the leaves.  If there’s one thing I’ve learned about tea, it’s the strength it gives you simply by enjoying the scent and taste.  I know it sounds odd to those of you that don’t enjoy tea, but the scent of the dried tea is very much a part of the tea experience.  This is a tea where you can get lost in the scent.  Anyway, as the tea steeped it was fun to peek in the clay tea pot to see how the leaves were unfurling.  The first cup had an oceanic vibe with a light buttery flavor.  As the tea cooled the sweet floral flavors were revealed.  You can get several steepings from the lush tea leaves.  I really enjoyed the subtle tones of this tea.  I’ve read about the treacherous nature of the mountain and just how difficult it is to pick tea there, let alone drive up or down the mountain.  So, for those of you that farm and pick this tea - Thank you!

Just4Tea.com describes the Oolong as: a unique and beautiful tea grown in the high remote AnXi mountain in the Fujian province of China. The tea makers go through a very rigorous making and grading process to produce this limited edition tea. It delivers light golden liquor with a distinctive sweet, creamy and subtle floral aroma.

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June Lau, founder of Just4Tea, offers a focused selection of teas that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.  Lu’An is no exception.  I admit it, I’m a sucker for roasted tea.  Just4Tea deploys their traditional Chaozhou family recipe to this green tea that I can’t get enough of.  One morning before I left for work, my wife made this tea for me and put it in a thermos.  I had no idea what she had made me.  When I arrived at work, I poured a cup, and I knew immediately it was Just4Tea’s due to the distinct roasted scent lingering from the cup.  I knew if it smelled and tasted great in a thermos that it would be awesome when prepared in a Yixing clay tea pot and served immediately.  I was right…

Fancy Liu An described by Just4tea.com: Fancy Liu An is a Chinese Rice Flower (Mei Sui Lan) scented tea; which has been finest produced in the province of GuangDong of China. Premium green tea is used as the base and roasted using our traditional Chaozhou family recipe. The scenting is a natural process, involving mixing the Mei Sui Lan flowers so that the tea absorbs the scent. Liu An is darker than our normal roast and consequently develop an intense, full-bodied flavor. The aroma is well balanced and complex.

As the tea rolls over my tongue, I detect a wide range of flavors.  Tasting the tea is equivalent to experiencing its production in reverse order.  First, you get a smokey bite that fades to a chocolate-like flavor brushed lightly with a faint floral and sweet green tea flavor.  Since the tea is layered with so many flavors, it makes for a very satisfying cup of tea.  I have to say as a (very) part-time coffee drinker, it easily gives the same full-bodied beverage experience without the caffeine overload.  I absolutely enjoyed this tea from start to finish.  It’s full of character, and it entertains me with every drink.

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