“Oh my, this tea is lovely!” This was my reaction upon opening the vacuum-sealed foil pouch and smelling the amazing aroma that wafted out of the package. The lavender bouquet is powerful, but it does not overwhelm the fresh, somewhat woodsy scent from the high quality Oolong tea leaves.
I watched in amused amazement – and with eager anticipation! – as the tightly rolled Oolong tea leaves unfurled in my smart tea maker. It is as if the leaves were dancing in the hot water. The Oolong leaves used in this blend are a bit greener than some Oolongs I’ve sampled, and once brewed, they reveal themselves to be rather large, full, brightly colored leaves, as if they had just been picked off the tree. Truly, this is a very high quality Oolong.
And the fragrance of this tea does not mislead. This tea is incredibly lovely! The lavender essence is indeed prominent, but does not masque the delicate buttery notes of the Oolong tea. Rather, the lavender here is quite soft tasting and complimentary to the smooth, rich Oolong flavors. There is a very nice “mouthfeel” – soft, almost silky texture when you drink the tea, followed by a beautiful, lingering lavender finish.
Naivetea describes this tea as:
Let your mind wander to south of France and take in the fragrance of lavender on the sunny hills of Provence.
We infused high altitude Alishan oolong with natural lavender according to production process of traditional infused tea. This tea is an elegant and absolutely exquisite fusion of east and west.
Intense lavender aroma with hints of oolong. Light and smooth body with a perfect blend of calming lavender and subtle oolong flavors. Elegant finish with a natural sweet after taste.
As those who have followed my blog posts may have noticed, I adore lavender teas. I love lavender’s aroma and its soothing effects. But I think what I like most about lavender is that it can be at times quite strong and vibrant, while others, it can be very soft and subtle, making lavender a very versatile flavoring agent for teas (and other cooking too). In this tea, the lavender is soft, yet vibrant, creating a unique experience for the palate, and a “must try” tea for any lavender lover!
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Recent Comments
"When I was a kid, in the middle of winter, my friend Penny and I eachbought a quart of ice cream, skated to the island in the middle of our lake and ate them. Soooo good and soooo naughty. It keeps us young to be naughty sometimes. I would just go for it an enjoy!"
marlena said, in reply to Better Belly Blend from Two Leaves and a Bud on August 30, 2010 at 12:35 pm
marlena on:
Better Belly Blend from Two Leaves and a Bud
"Well, as someone who has tasted a lot of chai tea, I can attest that this really is not very similar in taste to Chai. Chai tends to focus on the spices, whereas this tea’s focus is on the orange, with the spices being very gentle and more of an accent to the orange."
liber-teas said, in reply to Harvest Orange Spice from Octavia Tea on August 25, 2010 at 11:00 pm
liber-teas on:
Harvest Orange Spice from Octavia Tea
"How fun! I love drinking tea so I love that you have a whole blog related to reviewing them. One brand that I really love that I don’t see on your list is the Portsmouth Tea Company. When I lived in Boston I used to buy lots of their teas and they were oh so unique. They had some really great fruity and floral blends. It’s interesting that..."
Kelly said, in reply to Harvest Orange Spice from Octavia Tea on August 25, 2010 at 11:25 am
Kelly on:
Harvest Orange Spice from Octavia Tea
"Haha!! My co-worker told me that she purchased this tea after having purchased the Matcha Latte at Seattle’s Best, and her and another co-worker purchased this because they believed it was what was served there. She stated to me today that “it didn’t seem the same exactly…it felt like their was something..."
The Tea Guru said, in reply to Matcha Latté with Honeydew from Tazo Tea on August 20, 2010 at 8:55 pm
The Tea Guru on:
Matcha Latté with Honeydew from Tazo Tea
"I’m not absolutely certain, but I believe that this is the concentrate that Seattle’s Best coffee shops use to make their matcha latte. The lattes I’ve enjoyed there were sweet with a definite melon flavor… and I have noticed that they sell other Tazo teas there. If it IS the concentrate that they use… I am..."
liber-teas said, in reply to Matcha Latté with Honeydew from Tazo Tea on August 20, 2010 at 8:47 pm
liber-teas on:
Matcha Latté with Honeydew from Tazo Tea
"I Love this tea!! This flavor is my favorite. I am so addicted to it! Thanks
"
Betsy said, in reply to Raspberry Earl from Zhena’s Gypsy Tea on August 20, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Betsy on:
Raspberry Earl from Zhena’s Gypsy Tea
"Steph: Thank you for your information about the naranquilla. I didn’t find the flavor to be very tart at all – which is what I would have expected from the combination of lime and rhubarb. Perhaps the maraschino sweetened it up a bit and made it much more peach-like. It reminded me a bit of candied apricots or peaches."
liber-teas said, in reply to Easter Tea from Dammann Frères on August 19, 2010 at 7:42 pm
liber-teas on:
Easter Tea from Dammann Frères