Alishan Oolong Losse Thee

The leaves unfurl into these big whole pieces, not the dusty broken stuff I usually get, and the first steep came out buttery and floral with zero bitterness. For a 1500m grown tea it's surprisingly forgiving too — I forgot about my second steep for a good five minutes and it still wasn't astringent

I've been drinking oolong for years and this Alishan is noticeably smoother than the lower-elevation stuff I used to buy. The leaves hold up through at least five steeps, still tasting floral and buttery by the last pour.

The leaves unfurl into these big whole pieces, nothing like the dusty broken stuff in grocery store bags. Being grown at 1500m really comes through — it's soft and buttery with almost no bitterness, even when I forget and oversteep it.