Oolong Tea
Oolong Tea
- Allow 7 to 14 days
Country of Origin may differ from what is shown above.
Oolong tea comes from Camellia sinensis, the same plant as green and black tea, stopped partway through oxidation instead of at either end. That middle ground gives a smooth, toasty, faintly fragrant cup with much less bite than a strong black tea. A good oolong will give you several infusions from the same leaves.
Key Benefits
- Certified organic: grown without synthetic fertilisers or pesticides.
- Partly oxidised: anywhere from about 10 to 70 per cent, which is why oolong sits between green and black in both colour and flavour.
- Several infusions: the rolled leaves open slowly, and the second and third cups are often the best of the lot.
- Moderate caffeine: roughly 30 to 65mg a cup, between green tea and black tea.
- Forgiving to brew: much harder to over steep into bitterness than green tea, so it suits anyone who finds green tea sharp.
- Drunk on its own: no milk, no sugar, nothing to hide behind.
Use a teaspoon per cup and water just off the boil, around 90 to 95 degrees, and steep 2 to 3 minutes for the first cup. Then keep the leaves. Re-steep three or four more times, adding a little time each round, and the flavour shifts with every cup. For the traditional approach, use more leaf, less water and short steeps of 20 to 30 seconds.
It sits neatly between Sencha Green Tea and English Breakfast Tea if you are still working out what you like. A few Jasmine Flowers in the pot is a classic addition and needs nothing else.
Oolong means black dragon, said to describe the long dark twisted leaves. One old story pins the name on a farmer who was distracted mid harvest by a deer, and whose leaves quietly oxidised while he was away.
The degree of oxidation varies enormously between styles. A light oolong can taste almost like a green tea while a heavily roasted one drinks closer to a black tea, from the same leaf and the same plant.
Rolling matters as much as oxidation. Tightly balled leaves give up their flavour slowly and stand many steeps, while ribbon rolled leaves open fast and brew a more immediate cup.
Oolong contains caffeine, so go easy in the evening or if you are sensitive to it. Tea tannins can reduce iron absorption, so it is best taken away from iron rich meals. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult a healthcare provider before use, especially if pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medication.
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