Oolong Tea: Why we love oolongs

What is an oolong tea?

An oolong is a type of tea. All tea comes from the same plant Camellia Sinensis, it is how you process tea that makes it into the type it becomes. Oolongs are widely regarded as the most complex type of tea. They can differ greatly in taste with some being more like a green tea and others being more like a black tea. Some oolong’s are tightly rolled often by hand and un-ravel to reveal a beautiful long leaf. We have five oolong’s currently in our tea collection, each one ready to delight your taste buds.

Milky Oolong

Milky Oolong is a new addition to our shelves. Surprisingly it contains zero milk so everyone can enjoy this creamy treat. In China it is named ‘Nai Xiang’ which means milk scent. It is lightly oxidized which gives it a  sweet, cream like taste. It can be enjoyed over multiple infusions, our favourite is the second when the different flavours combine to create the perfect cup. We would recommended brewing a cup of milky oolong for 3 minutes at 90 degrees. Make each subsequent infusion shorter and you should get about 6 infusions from one teaspoon of tea. Get some for yourself here here. 

Gaba Oolong

We have the Japanese to thank for the discovery of GABA. In particular DR. Tsushima Tojiro who in 1984 discovered that anaerobic conditions encourage the conversion of gluanate to GABA. Basically DR. Tsushima and his group of researchers at the National Institute of Tea (sounds like a great place to us) produced a new type of tea.

GABA stands for (prepare yourself for some long words) gamma-aminobuytric acid. GABA is a chemical messenger or neurotransmitter (yes tea is that cool) that naturally occurs in the brain and helps ensure that information reaching your brain is fast and effective. I certainly need some assistance with that every now and again!

GABA is created by oxidising tea in a high nitrogen, oxygen free environment instead of oxygen during the oxidisation process, pretty clever huh!

The positive effects that GABA can have on your whole wellbeing have long been studied. Lots of research has been published on GABA including in a journal named ‘biofactors’ who noted that it had many positive effects. Some of the positive effects are supposedly helping to reduce stress levels, improving sleep, reducing depression and reducing anxiety. It may also help your circulatory system, aid in weight loss and has anti-ageing properties.

You can find GABA oolong for sale exclusively in our Concept Store.

Oriental Beauty

Oriental Beauty is an Oolong tea, with layers of depth and flavour.  It is incredibly smooth and well-balanced.

This tea is best enjoyed on its own to fully appreciate the flavour profile (leave the cake for a simple Breakfast Tea).  We absolutely love to enjoy a tea in mind moment while sipping on this high grade Oolong in the early afternoon.  It is very refreshing and full of character.  Oriental beauty is exactly what you would expect from a traditional (and exceptional!) Oolong.

We use our traditional Gaiwan sets to enjoy Oriental Beauty because of how exquisite it is.

Orange Oolong

Orange Oolong Supreme is a traditional Chinese tea which is made by unique processes to create a semi oxidised tea sitting between a black and green tea.  Our Orange Oolong Supreme has a sweet and citrus twist. The hand-rolled leaves create a mix of sweetness & tangy-ness, with a warming orange finish. This tea has all the distinct earthy notes of an oolong yet it is light and refreshing. Just like the Milky Oolong, Orange Oolong Supreme can be enjoyed over multiple infusions. You can find Orange Oolong here.

Yellow Gold Oolong

Yellow Gold Oolong is also a  traditional Chinese tea. What’s impressive, is our Yellow Gold Oolong is delicately hand-rolled.  When you steep this tea in hot water, the leaves open to create a complex mix of sweetness and notes of fresh grass.  The deep and earthy taste of this brew is truly unique and refreshing. It surprises everyone who drinks it especially when they expect a very grassy oolong. It is surprisingly sweet and can again be infused multiple times. Brew this one from 3 minutes at 95 degrees.

It’s oolong time…

Can you see why we love oolong’s so much? They are a versatile, special, complex type of tea that deserves a spot in your tea collection. Pop into our Concept Store on 111 Rose Street and ask one of our loose leaf tea experts more about our oolong’s or to try a pot, pop into our Tea Room on 41 Frederick Street.