Some fine new oolongs from Palais des Thés

One of the things I most enjoy about sampling new teas is comparing varieties and discovering new flavor experiences. This week I received samples of two new oolongs from Palais des Thés, some rare Grand Cru teas, and I couldn't wait to try them!

The first oolong I tried was this Dong Ding Jade Oolong Tea. The color of the leaf tells us a bit about how this tea gets its name, and I enjoyed watching these leaves unfurl to full size in my cup's infuser basket. My favorite oolongs have an almost creamy, coconuty taste, just as this one did, and this Dong Ding Jade Oolong was very rich and crisp tasting. It was a perfect afternoon pick-me-up.

I also enjoyed seeing how different these two oolongs looked. This second one, Feng Huang Dan Cong Special Oolong Tea, has very dark, very wiry leaves. When steeped, this tea did not at all have a creamy, coconuty taste but, to my surprise and delight, the distinct flavor of citrus! I wondered if I was going nuts to imagine that, but when I read the company's press release afterward, I saw that this tea is described as having "intense fruity, floral and spicy notes that are very rich and last incredibly long in the mouth." I quite agree, and I loved this tea! These teas are probably some of the most expensive ones I've ever had the pleasure of sipping ($42 per 3.5-ounce pouch for the Dong Ding Jade Oolong and $90 per 3.5-ounce pouch for the Feng Huang Dan Cong Special Oolong), so these definitely fall into the "luxury" category of teas. You can read more about these terrific Grand Cru teas here!