I was first contacted by Temple Road Tea back in late-March. They were a relatively new outfit specializing in Taiwanese high mountain oolongs. The foremost oolong they wanted me to yack about was their Tiger Monk Roasted Oolong. My first inclination was to decline because…roasted oolongs weren’t really my thing. That and I really didn’t have anything specific to talk about regarding them.
However, the description of this particular oolong caught my eye. As per the product notes, they said the name was inspired by the Warrior Tiger Monks of millennia old martial arts traditions. Frankly, I’d never heard of Warrior Tiger Monks before. The only thing I knew about tiger-related martial arts were what I learned from Kung Fu Panda.
In other words, not much.
All I knew is that I started picturing myself as a warrior monk in tiger-skin robes – leaping from tree to tree – felling enemies with my deadly claw-slings! Okay, those probably weren’t actual weapons back then, but I saw something similar in Kung Pow: Enter the Fist…so, it’s totally relevant.
That aside, the fact that this was a triple-roasted, medium-oxidized oolong really sold it. I was in – hook, line, and cupper. A week or so later, I received it.
The package was already made of WIN. The oolong was vacuum-sealed in gold foil with a golden label. If anything could bring out my inner Charlie Bucket – besides being poor – that was it.
The leaves were the standard brown, ball-fisted oolong fair, but with an aroma of hickory, charcoal and chocolate. It honestly reminded me of a medium-roast Dong Ding on first impression. The nuttiness toward the end of the whiff also added to that. It was a very pleasant, warming smell.
Temple Road Tea recommended brewing 3 grams of leaves (roughly a teaspoon) in a 200ml pot of boiled water. I was a little dicey with this, so I opted for a gongfu-ish approach instead. Thirty-to-forty-second infusions each.
The liquor for the gongfu approach came out green on all three steeps I tried for. The roastiness was also similar with each infusion. They only differed in intensity. Subsequent steeps developed more depth in flavor – more toasted nut notes further down the line. All very Dong Ding-ish, save for a creamy texture on the finish.
After (not much) inner deliberation, I finally decided to chance the six-minute steep on another go-around with fresh leaves. I dipped a teaspoon of leaves in boiled water in a gaiwan…and waited. Kinda prayed that I hadn’t blown it, too.
The results were…
Oh my.
The liquor brewed a lovely, bold amber with a requisite roasty aroma that wafted from the cup in plumes. Taste-wise, it was like buckwheat, Ali Shan and a Buddhist prayer all rolled into one. Seriously, I hadn’t quite experienced that effect with a roasted oolong before. Tea drunkenness hit after one sip. Imagine how I looked after five.
Later on that day – for monks and giggles – I took the spent leaves from both brew attempts, and stuck ‘em in a pot. I was almost ready to take a nap and needed an evening upper. I boiled some fresh water and poured it over the already-used leaves. Both rounds still had plenty of flavors to grant. Roasted stubbornness personified.
Charlie Sheen, I think I found your tiger’s blood source.
I don’t care how dated that pop-culture reference is. Totally relevant here.
Amanda
From the first steep I was hooked on this tea, I absolutely loved it.
lazyliteratus
Was that with a gongfu prep, or with a A THOUSAND HOURS STEEP OF AWESOMENESS!?
Geoff
Thanks so much for the review! You have basically summed up perfectly how we felt after trying the Tiger Monk Roasted Oolong for the first time. I believe my first words, after emitting noises most often heard in the bedroom were, “It’s like drinking liquid smoke. Like taking in the roasted coals of a burning oak wood fire.” Mixed in with a healthy dose of expletives of course. With regards to the six minute steep. We knew it might be controversial in some quarters, and we were skeptical at first, too. However, our tea master Mr. Liu assured us it was the way to go. And damn he was right! The six minute steep also makes it very approachable to those new tea converts as well. Something we considered deeply. Now, you got to try the Crane Monk next! Happy sipping!
lazyliteratus
I look forward to the opportunity. And that six-minute steep…whoah.
Renée B.
You have a wonderful way of making something I usually think of as mundane seen fascinating. There is something quite magical and appealing about the whole “tea” thing. (Said the woman who had her first sip of tea ever not more than eight years ago.)
lazyliteratus
No worries. I didn’t have my first really good tea until 2006. So, around the same time.
Xavier
So this is a tea that brings the inner Warrior Tiger Monk out of you?
Since I have a Weretiger as salesperson, should I drink it?
lazyliteratus
Short answer: Yes.