Presenting our first oolong from the region, the 2024 Meghalaya Autumn Oolong. We love doing firsts, they're just so special! This tea is made from one of the most famous cultivars we've developed in India, the mighty AV2. The tea maker went ballistic on the this trial and delighted us with the results. All the samples were extremely delicious and it was a hard time picking this one, but we did pick the most unique profile amongst the samples.
 
The dry leaf smells very sugary, with notes of vanilla and malt. When placed on the heated ware, the signature AV2 creamy aroma hits you with hints of jaggery and vanilla wafers. When you take the first sip, you get notes of hazelnuts with almond frangipane. The floral notes make their appearance on further sips, delightfully perfumy with notes of gardenia and jasmine. Although perfumy, the floral notes are not as sharp as they sound, binding perfectly with the nutty profile. As you sip further, you can taste dried oranges and figs, there's a hint of pears as well. There is also a hint of malt, making its presence felt when you take larger sips, this makes the tea perfect to wake up to. A complex oolong from the region with nutty, fruity and floral notes is all we wanted and we are happy to share that with you!
 
Appearance : Light orange
Taste : Vanilla, malt, gardenia, jasmine, dried orange, figs, hazelnut, almond frangipane
Steeping Time : 3 minutes western style, 25 seconds gongfu style adding 10 seconds every subsequent steep
Leaf to water ratio :  1 gram per 100ml for western style, 3 grams per 100ml for gongfu style
Recommended Steeping Temperature : 83°C
Recommended Steeping Method : Works good both ways
Harvest Season : Autumn 2024