TeaSource's Red Dawn (2023)

I've been on a real fujian oolong kick recently so I thought I'd review this extremely unique tea. It is currently out of stock on their website, but I am very much hoping they release another batch soon <3

For background, this was an experiment by teasource's suppliers on combining some black and oolong processing practices on tea material from the Huang Jin Gui cultivar ("Yellow-Gold Osmanthus", a cultivar almost exclusively used for oolongs similar in technique to Anxi tieguanyin/iron goddess of mercy).

Despite the higher oxidation than what is typical for Huang Jin Gui, the osmanthus fragrance is rich and thick after the first steep, and blended with the caramel and fruit notes typical of lighter black teas. Early steeps are juicy and thick, while later steeps are woody and lingering. Everything blends together to create a truly unique cup that, in my opinion, cannot adequately be described as a black tea or oolong. Definitely hoping they bring this back for future seasons!!