New Zealand Waikato Oolong
New Zealand Waikato Oolong
New Zealand Waikato Oolong
New Zealand Waikato Oolong

New Zealand Waikato Oolong Loose Leaf Oolong Tea

9 reviews
Regular price £19.99
(27p per cup)

209 in stock

The Tea Masters in New Zealand work from a simple precept; tea is a science, but it is also an art. It’s this kind of attitude to tea making that we admire. The leaves are hand harvested and crafted to reveal extraordinary complexity of flavour; floral notes, succulent vegetal greens, tropical fruit and a creamy sweetness.

This Oolong Loose Leaf Tea from New Zealand has certain resemblances to our Iron Goddess of Mercy (tieguanyin) yet is unique and nuanced. Try them side by side and find out for yourself.

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Customer Reviews
4.3 Based on 9 Reviews
5 ★
67% 
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4 ★
22% 
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3 ★
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2 ★
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1 ★
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Filter Reviews:
04 August 2022
WB
william B.
United Kingdom

A Mightu Oolong

This is at the full and vigorous end of the oolong spectrum and yet with a delicate smokey taste as well. Very distinctive and classy and now a regular on my shopping list

18 December 2021
A
Alex
Australia Australia

Exquisite

This tea is so beautiful it almost brings me to tears. An amazing piece of art. I'm honored to serve my friends this tea.

01 May 2021
AP
Anna P.
United Kingdom United Kingdom

Heavenly drink

A delicate oolong with a hint of flowers and a lingering aftertaste. I love it in the evening. One of my favourite Rare Tea Co teas.

05 March 2021
MR
Miriam R.
United Kingdom United Kingdom

MR

This is a wonderful tea with a flavour that outperforms all other oolongs I have ever tasted. It is redolent of the earth and sun, reflecting the undoubted care and love poured into its care.

22 September 2020
R
Ran

Zealong

After leaving this in the tin for 3 months - since my original review - I have now found this tea really nice. So I now find it has a nice smooth mouth feel. Pleasant sweet floral notes. (The pea-shoot notes and astringency have mostly subsided.) It is now a more rounded, balanced and enjoyable tea. Which is good as I have stacks of it to get through!

01 September 2020
D
Deborah

Delicious!

This was a gift and it was a lovely surprise to like it so much. The mineral quality is combined with a gentle sweetness and subtle creme Anglaise flavour. It's delicious and now a firm favourite.

15 August 2020
R
Ran

Bong water

Vegetal,roasted nuts,araca nut, pea shoots,woody,slate,very mineral,overbearing astringency at 90ºC. At 80ºC more palatable if discard initial infusions. Maybe Tea Pulling may help ?

02 November 2019
MS
Mark S.

Core tea in my life

I first tasted this tea in Waikato at the plantation on NorthIsland New Zealand a couple of years ago when visiting my son. It is truly crafted by hand from the loving plant care to the rolling and packing. I was so taken that I e-mailed the Rare Tea Company to start supplying it. Shortly after they did. Coincidence? Was it in the plan I don't know but what I do know is that if you drink tea buy the Oolong and the Black. They are from the same plant just a different process. They are essential daily necessities to my life.

21 October 2019
MF
Marcella F.

Unroasted Oolong Freshness

I cupped this oolong upon arrival of my tea order from Rare Tea Company. The first steeping was extremely vegetable, even with a prior quick wash. But the second and third steepings were a delicate sweet pea freshness with a definite butter mouth feel and lingering after taste. I am a fan of New Zealand’s Sauvignon Blanc and wanted to know what their wines offered — I am not disappointed and will definitely order this tea again.

Tasting Notes

The fresh-tasting leaves are unroasted giving a green, slightly mineral note, with a long-lasting sweetness, reminiscent of crème anglaise. The second infusion reveals a hint of fresh pea sprouts.

Quantity

Use 2g of tea per 150ml of water.

Temperature

For the optimum infusion use 90°C (194°F) water.

Time

Infuse for 1 - 2 minutes, tasting regularly.

Infusions

You can infuse this tea at least three times.  With each careful infusion, different subtleties of flavour are revealed.

Cost Per Cup

27p per cup based on 2g of tea per 150ml of water and 3 infusions.

This tea can be infused several times to reveal incredible subtleties of flavour. We recommend infusing your loose leaf oolong tea in a gaiwan tea set. Using small amounts of hot water with a high leaf to water ratio, and infusing many times rather than making one large pot can uncover countless flavours.

Use an inch of hot water at 100°C (212°F) to rapidly "wash" the leaf for a few seconds. You can discard this first brew. This opens out the rolled leaf and allows the water to penetrate.

Subsequent infusions are best made at high temperature but rapidly - just 20-30 seconds. You don’t need to reheat the water as you go – the softened leaf will require lower temperatures. In all we recommend at least six steps to allow the leaf to completely open out and reveal all its beauty.

You can also enjoy one teaspoon of leaves all day; coming back to the same pot and reinfusing it – but in this instance reheat the water to 90°C (194°F).

Here is a short video demonstrating how to get the most out of your precious oolong leaves with a gaiwan:

Seedlings

Careful propagation

New Zealand

Waikato, Hamilton

The Zealong Tea Estate’s home is the Waikato region in Hamilton, New Zealand. Hamilton is renowned for its fog and this plays a key role in ensuring the tea bushes maintain the perfect level of moisture to thrive.

CLIMATE

Gentle sunshine, and abundant rainfall

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