Tea Review: Strawberry Rhubarb Oolong Tea

 It's been a hot minute since I did a tea review that wasn't part of an advent calendar, but this morning I felt like trying something new, and so - a review is in order!

A while back, Plum Deluxe sent me this Strawberry Rhubarb Oolong sample as a freebe with one of my orders and it has gotten lost in my tea cupboard for longer than it should have.  This morning, while digging for the right tea to satisfy my mood, I rediscovered this little dime bag hiding among the larger stashes and decided that her time had come!

First off, I was surprised that while being a billed as an Oolong, that the package said it should be brewed at boiling temperatures since light Oolongs are usually brewed at 180-190 degrees Fahrenheit and dark oolongs at 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit. But then I noticed that the oolong was blended with some black tea, and so that made more sense.

I felt like drinking out of a newly arrived witchy mug that happens to be a very dark burgundy, so I don't have a photo of how dark the tea brews - but you can have a bonus pic of my fun new mug!

Ok, so straight off the steep, the strawberry is prominent on the bouquet which made me think that this might be a lighter oolong since those are more floral and fruity and would pair well with the fruit flavors on the description - but my first sip made me wonder if this was a dark oolong instead since it tasted richer an nuttier.  After drinking the entire cup, I'm still not sure.  Honestly, the addition of the black tea into the blend is messing me up on figuring out what kind of Oolong I'm dealing with.

The type of Oolong aside, I think that this blend is a great fruity option for those of us who are not usually fruit tea types.  I say that because, while the strawberry is prominent on the nose, it is not at all overpowering on the palate.  The top note is nutty oolong with rhubarb.  The mid note is the black tea and strawberry which overrides the ending tang that you can sometimes get from rhubarb.  The strawberry continues into the end note but its sweetness is mellowed by the raspberry leaves which bring back the earthy notes of the tea leaves.  Those finishing earthy notes are lightened by the rose that comes in on the finish which gives the entire sip a slightly floral aftertaste.

Half way through the cup I became convinced that adding a touch of cream and sugar would make the cup taste like the tea version of strawberries and cream or rhubarb and custard.  So, I added a touch of Chobani sweet cream coffee creamer (one of my sweeter cream options which is what I was looking for).  I was correct in my assumption.  The top note changes to a rhubarb custard in tea form and merges with strawberry on the mid note.  The finish is pure strawberries and cream with a sort of rose whipped cream aftertaste.

Plum Deluxe markets this as a seasonal summer tea but nothing in the flavors make me think "summer".  Maybe the strawberry would be more prominent on the palate if it was iced thus making it more summery to me.

Regardless, it's a delicious blend well worth purchasing next time Plum Deluxe decides to make it available.