Leaves of Taiwan Alishan Oolong Tea from TeaVivre, After Brewing

In Albums: tea

Oct 16th, 2013, by Alex Zorach

This photo shows the wet leaves, after brewing, of Superfine Taiwan Ali Shan Oolong Tea sold by TeaVivre. I thought this tea had beautiful leaves--look at how they are completely intact. I like how you can see the whole of the plant parts--leaves, buds, and attached stem. This is a far cry from the broken-leaf teas that populate most tea bags.

I thought this was a decent tea, but it was my least favorite of the oolongs I received from TeaVivre. You can read my review on RateTea. I found it weaker in flavor, and also it had a soapy quality to the aroma that I found mildly objectionable. It was still perfectly drinkable and enjoyable, but I have had Alishan oolong for a lower price that I enjoyed more, like Tradition's A-Li-Son oolong. By comparison, the other samples I received from TeaVivre have been excellent--if not unparallelled in quality.