365 Challenge > Day 46 - Thai Dewdrop Oolong

I have written about great oolong teas from Thailand and this is one of them. Dewdrop Oolong (not sure why it is called this way) had a very strong aroma and taste. I did not have prior information, but it is a flavoured tea. I found out that it has been flavoured at the baking stage with jasmine and other floral aromas. Its taste had a good balance, very pleasantly aromatic. Ideal for those who like jasmine tea and look for an alternative to green tea which is normally blunter than oolong (at least in my opinon!).

This was a fresh tea from 2020 and had a medium level of oxidation. I am aware that there is a Dewdrop Oolong from Ali Shan in Taiwan. I have not tried one yet and I could not find any information to confirm that it is also a flavoured Oolong. The title ‘dewdrop’ is used to signify the altitude of the tea plantation which makes the tea’s aroma very distinctive. In my previous posts, I wrote about the Royal Project that brought over tea plants and knowhow to Thailand from Taiwan. It would be enlightening to understand the background of making Dewdrop Oolong in Thailand. Does anybody know?

Tea Profile:

Type: Oolong

Origin: Northern Thailand

Harvest time: 2020

Leave colour: Green with lighter tones

Liquor colour: Light amber

Tea aroma: Very floral

Tea taste: Jasmine with a sweet finish

Steeping/brewing: You can use around 85°C water temperature and brew for up to one minute in gongfu style or up to three minutes in Western-style. You can brew the leaves many times (until the taste is lost). To each infusion add additional time. Experiment for a result that suits your taste.

Shelf-life: Up to one year, the fresher the better.