Oolong Gone

Oolong and herbal blend
Amoda Tea

All organic ingredients: Oolong, hibiscus, lemon peel, ashwagandha root, strawberry leaf, rose buds, licorice root, sweet orange extract.



Oolong Gone serves as my second review of Amoda Tea's November monthly tasting box.



The colors in Oolong Gone are so rich, I could simply put it on display. It looks like a wedding tea. The oolong leaves are a beautiful burgundy. Again, I'm impressed with Amoda Tea's (combined with BlendBee.com) choice of ingredients.

Specifically, the hibiscus. Hibiscus is tart and has a lot of personality, so I'm curious to see if it dwarfs or enhances the oolong, which is usually delicate in flavor. There's also the ashwagandha root, which looks like ginger. Ashwagandha will be a first for me. I notice citrus and hibiscus in a first smell of the tea, so I'm expecting that to lead the flavor.



I would normally never make an herbal tea in my gaiwan, but I'll make an exception for the oolong base. It calls for 4-8 minutes, which seems like a wide range to me, so I'll pick 8 minutes for the full effect. I expect a longer steep to enhance the hibiscus, though.



I'm surprised! I smell the oolong first, in a dusty sweet tone. That sweetness could be enhanced by the rose buds, but it's definitely still oolong. It's a ruby-red color that hints at pink.



The taste is strong with the red hibiscus, but it's much more sweet than tart. The directions suggest a cold brew, and I agree that would be the best way to serve this tea. It's not the straightforward oolong flavor you would expect from your gaiwan, but a fun treat I'd love to have at a garden party.

This tea was provided by Amoda Tea.