Silk Oolong Formosa

The "oolong" refers to the variety. Formosa, the place of origin. But silk is what you feel wrapped in when you sip this divine brew.

I could have sworn that the folks at Red Blossom told me this tea was at some point infused with milk. However, my research tells me that its deep, caramel flavor is in fact a natural attribute of a rare, sudden shift in temperature during harvest. Either that or the result of a comet falling in love with the moon. Either way, it's delicious.

Some of my favorite teas are those which naturally mimic the flavors of other flora. Peach Dan Cong, for instance, has none of the fruit chunks that you might expect in something from Teavana, or in a bowl of potpourri (same difference). It's just camellia sinensis, but you can clearly identify the flavor of a peach, or more accurately, the flavor of the red, slightly astringent flesh close to a peach's pit.

Elise has always been a dyed in the wool black tea drinker. So much so that she'd actually rather just have coffee. Until now. This has been the only one of a parade of fancy teas I've made for my tolerant companion that really got her excited. But can you blame her? Just look at these gorgeous leaves.