Golden Oolong is a blend of Tieguanyin and Yellow Gold. Both are intensely aromatic, but one has notes of sweet licorice, and the other is honeysuckle-like. Custom made at the farm to get the blend just right, we tested out many batches of both spring crops to come up with the 'golden' ratio of the two revered oolongs. Perfect for cold steeping as well as hot brewing, this is one of the only oolongs that can claim both! A great affordable gift to introduce your friends and family to whole leaf tea drinking.
Osmanthus flowers are added for a lush floral aroma. The golden yellow flowers that blossom in autumn impart a smooth and lightly sweet, clean flavor. The flower is a cooling Chinese herb used for reducing inflammation.
Harvest and Processing
Osmanthus grows in autumn around the moon festival season. The Chinese use it for drinking and cooking quite regularly. It does not grow on a bush like roses or chrysanthemum, but instead it grows on a tree that can reach up to 5 meters tall. Osmanthus flowers are tiny, and large amounts of them grow on the branches.
There are farms that are dedicated entirely to growing Osmanthus trees since it has become such a popular herbal tea. The time between when the buds open and completely drop onto the ground is short. In fact, it is only 9 days and there are only 3 days during this time when Osmanthus has the most ideal aroma and taste to make into a tea. Once the farmers pick the flowers, they take 14-16 hours to slowly dry the flowers in order for it to retain the original yellow color. This process will remove most of the moisture which helps reduce the risk of infestation.
Additionally, in Chinese culture, Osmanthus are mythological trees that grow on the moon and it’s possible we can also attribute this to the story about Houyi and his wife Chang’e. It is not uncommon for the moon to be depicted as the color of Osmanthus flowers.
Cold Brew tea preparation:
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- Place one or two sachets in a half-gallon container of cool filtered water
- Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4-5 hours
- Steep longer for a stronger tea
