A very soft and round oolong with plenty of depth to appreciate. Don’t let its silky texture or its remarkable resistance to high temperatures & long steep times fool you – this is actually quite a complex gastronomical experience, one that is ridiculously easy to brew up. I find the focal point of this tea to be its silky-smooth, buttery-soft body… it’s just such a thick and luscious sensation that greets you right when you take a sip, and hangs out on the palate even long into the aftertaste. In terms of the flavor profile, I get overt and thick notes of mango flesh – bright, fresh, tropical and dank, with sweet undertones of plums and berries, plus soft hints of spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. The thick note of mango flesh is intertwined with the buttery-smooth body of this tea, the two seem inseparable in the cup, and even the lingering sweetness in the aftertaste these two notes continue to be present in unison. The aroma coming off the bottom of an empty cup, as its cooling, has a distinct herbaceous quality to it, reminiscent of sweet pine, rosemary, and sage. There’s some pineapple fruitiness in there somewhere too. The leaf quality is superb. The leaves are quite large, processed very uniformly, and not over-compressed. They unfurl slowly and reveal thick, full leaves that were clearly handled well in every step of the making of this tea. This is very complex oolong – especially considering Si Ji Chun is a rather generic cultivar. It’s popular because, as its name suggests, it can be harvested in all four seasons which makes it ideal for mass production in all of Taiwan’s tea-growing regions. The market is saturated with Si Ji Chun that, at best, is acceptable quality. It’s difficult to find truly exceptional representations of a cultivar that is ultimately intended for mass production. This, however, is about as premium as Si Ji Chun gets. The price is quite humble considering this tea is a flavor bomb that is impossible to over-brew. However you brew it up you’re likely going to have a really good cup.
