In my mind, green teas are more monotonic and oolongs are more multi-flavored, greens are lighter and oolongs are roastier.
I can tell the category of tea from the type of gaiwan/pot that we use at Teance, the water, and most of the time, the steeping time, so when Iris gave me a blind taste test between green and oolong, I had to take a walk away from the bar so that I didn’t see anything (including the leaves), and she used porcelain for both kinds.
Blind taste test 1:
– First tea: smells roasty, smoky, aged; looks light reddish brown; tastes dry, burnt, bitter upfront
– Second tea: smells sweet, barky, vegetal, aged; looks light greenish yellow; tastes light, smooth, floral, a little bit bitter at first but sweet afterwards, a little nutty (or buttery)
Blind taste test 2:
– First tea: smells light, floral; looks faint chrysanthemum yellow; tastes light, floral, simple
– Second tea: smells buttery, aged, strong; looks light green; tastes dominantly buttery, rich, savory, dry aftertaste
Can you guess which one is green and which is oolong? You can trust that my descriptions are accurate.
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Answers:
– Test 1: first tea: Mao Jian (green), second tea: Buddha’s Hand (oolong)
– Test 2: first tea: Fours Seasons (oolong), second tea: Lu Shan Clouds & Mist (green)
My preconceptions of greens versus oolongs are completely shattered. Some (Chinese) greens can be quite roasty because they are pan-fried, and some can be buttery (like the Lu Shan) just because. Iris said that I should look for the grassy note in the green and the vegetal note in the oolong. Muzumi said that if it’s floral, it’s oolong. I think if it has that tannin taste, it’s green (but some oolong can be dry, like Tieguanyin).
Or you just drink it, and remember its flavors and its name.