In my last post I gave you some information about Yong Chun Fo Shou.

In my cup…

The dry leaves were various shades of green – army green, but also mottled with other greens such as olive, moss and a lighter green perhaps like fresh asparagus. I thought the color “mishmash” of greens was lovely. The particular leaf style was semi-balled – tiny like nuggets. The leaves were aromatic and reminded me of hay or fresh corn on the cob when first shucked before cooking.

http://www.teaspring.com/Yong-Chun-Fo-Shou.asp

Brewing…

I used my small Chinese Yixing pot (6 ounce capacity).  The water temperature was 180 degrees F. and I used about a teaspoon of leaves. The amount of tea leaves with oolongs, depends on the style of the leaves themselves – the general rule of thumb is that with semi-balled leaves a smaller amount of tea can be used, compared to a strip style or open leaf style of some other oolongs. Those leaf styles require larger amounts of tea. If your oolong has large open leaves for example, you could use up to 2 tablespoons of leaves. Ultimately, the volume of leaf for most oolongs will be similar after rehydration, so gauge your teapot selection on the known or anticipated volume of the leaf when you are finished, not when you start.

Infusions…

My first steep was for one – minute and it had the initial flavor of a typical green oolong – slightly sweet and floral but there was also a fresh, fruit-like juiciness that didn’t quite come across as a citrus tanginess, but something like that. The infusion was a sunny, perky yellow. The aroma was definitely more citrus than floral at this point.

My second steep was for less than two minutes. This steep was less floral but there was decidedly a more a citrus taste and this cup as a whole, had a fuller body and a more rounded flavor.

The third steep was just under three minutes.  This cup was a bit lighter in color and flavor, but still yummy. I could have continued with additional steeping’s as is possible with this type of oolong.

Final thoughts…

Unquestionably a refreshing oolong that featured delightful fruity/citrus notes.  It had a beautiful balance of floral and sweet corn flavors and when REALLY thinking about it very, very subtle hints of berry. A full, smooth and creamy mouthfeel with a deliberate, lovely lingering aftertaste.  I encourage all of you Oolong Lovers to try this one!  It’s worth it!! This is 5 out of 5.

Rating Scale

All teas will be rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 for dislike and 5 as love:

1. Dislike (I didn’t like the tea and would not repurchase)
2. Passable (I didn’t dislike the tea, but I didn’t think it was very good)
3. Average (I didn’t find it good or bad and would drink it again)
4. Good (I liked it but it and may repurchase)
5. Love (I enjoyed it lot and would repurchase

Next… Zazavarka