A darker oolong tea from Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa (which means 'Beautiful'). Deep raisiny and ripe fruit aroma, autumn 'leafy' note. The lingering flavor and smooth, refreshingly fruity astringency and a lovely introduction to Taiwanese tea.
Customers use these reviews to describe their experience with Formosa Oolong, including flavor, aroma, preparation preferences, strength, and how the tea fits into daily routines. Browse the full review history page by page to compare tasting notes, steeping tips, and favorite ways to enjoy this tea.
Honestly, I wish I liked this more than I do. It's a fine tea, there's nothing wrong with it, but compared to some other oolongs it just doesn't hit. It has kind of a toasty, raisin-y character but it's not as fragrant as I'm accustomed to.
This is a standard favorite for many of us who appreciate a bold tea. The most recent batch loses flavor after breed, so I am disappointed. I love a bold tea especially when serving beef or fish.
Purified water and steeping time is critical on this one.
A little less tasty than the vanilla oolong, but wonderful nonetheless! A little earthy, but a lot of boldness. I enjoy with honey and stevia.
This tea leans more black than green, and as such makes an excellent iced tea. Sun brewed, this is excellent.
This one is just okay for me. Tastes like a plain black tea but lighter and without bitterness. Didn't add sweetener, will try that next time.
For oolong tea. It is good. I would drink this again.
This Formosa oolong has a smoky wood like taste to it, makes me think of family I only get to see once a year, their house always smells like this in a weirdly comforting away.
Smooth, but strong and earthy oolong. More like a black tea than other oolongs. Very smoky flavor so if you don't enjoy that, I'd go for something lighter
Makes a great caffeinated cold-brew tea with a blend of earthy, mineral, and black tea flavors. Use a teaspoon per 16oz of water and put in the fridge for 4+ hours.
This has become my go to for hot tea. It has a good flavor and I really like the feel of this tea in my mouth.
Very good, and what I associate with the pot of tea served at Chinese restaurants. Straightforward and simple.
This oolong has a warm, wood-like taste. My sample has roasted charcoal notes that remind me very strongly of hojicha, but it still retains some of the underlying sweetness and almost floral complexity of an oolong. I really enjoy this one!
I just can't get into this tea. I can't put my finger on what it's lacking for me, but it just doesn't come together for me.
Amazing incredible oolong. Smooth and delicious. Grabbed a sample loved it and bought a bag. Also grabbed Fujian Rain also good but this one is very special.
This is a very smooth and soft tea, and it only gets sweeter and fruitier with each steep! I've gotten up to three steeps before the tea has been exhausted and it's a very nice tea for a long afternoon.
I can definitely taste the malt flavor. And to me it seems somewhat grassy. It is ok, but not something I am going to buy. 195F 3 minutes.
My drowsy self accidentally hit 'meh' instead of 'loved it'. I had accidentally brewed at a higher temperature than I intended and it was a bit astringent, but that's not necessarily the tea's fault but my own. Still an interesting brew, with a rather earthy scent.
It is a mystery to me how I’ve never reviewed this tea. It is one of my hands down, absolute favorites. It’s the tea from Chinese restaurants! It’s not complicated, but it is oh so good. I adore the darker oolongs and although there may be pricier options, honestly I think this more affordable workhorse brings the flavor any day. It’s roasty. It’s toasty. There is a light minerality but the earthiness is what I savor. This is the cup I reach for when I need something hearty and satisfying because I know it always delivers. If you aren’t feeling well, I swear it revitalizes you! It steeps up multiple times too, so you just keep getting more bang for your buck. Can you tell I love this one? Have I communicated that clearly enough? Go on, treat yourself, and drink up from this delightful cup. Happy Sipping!
This tea was easy to sip and savor. Lovely earthy, herbal tones. Smooth with the barest hint of astringency.
Wow, I have put off trying this tea far too long. The aroma from the packet was pleasant, tangy earthy leaves smell. Upon steeping I encountered a Gorgeous amber to medium brown liquor, a sort of sweet wet leaves earthiness. No bitter. Although I enjoyed this hot I always try it room temp, or in this case cold as it was chilly outside and I preferred this tea not so piping hot. The sweetness left a slight after taste but it was pleasant, and not bitter. My last few sips I sprinkled Selefina's Powder Vanilla into the mug, great enhancement and now I really did taste raisins. Nice tea that I can see myself steeping in a clear pot on my deck during the warmer months but not during summer time.
If I had to give up coffee, I think this is what I would drink. It’s a good, dark, drink that needs no sugar or milk. I love how these teas all taste so fresh.
It was a really mellow tea to enjoy this morning. One day I hope to clean up my tea collection and have some standard types of tea always in stock and the Formosa oolong will definitely be one of them.
Love this tea. The flavor is so pleasant it could easily be an 'everyday tea' for me. I got mainly earthy to just slightly nutty flavor. I had all but given up on the mentioned raisin or fruity notes til it started to cool. At that point I did get a very subtle raisin flavor peeking through. I got multiple steeps from my CT pack and it was great each time. 195° for 3 minutes.
March 25: mm. Honey and straw. Peppery aroma and finish.
i loved this tea. I agree with both 'rich' and 'darker' as descriptions, and 'raisiny' now that I read that. Closer to a black tea than most oolongs I've tried, but still with that lightness underneath.
I normally like oolongs, but this has a weird type of smokey flavor that is just not for me
Very easy to drink. Smooth and not bitter. Mildly earthy, not really sweet but after you drink it there's a bit of sweet and smoky aftertaste.
Pretty good oolong tea. No bitterness, but a bit of a smoky flavor
This tea tastes similar to Hojicha. If you thought Hojicha was roasted too much to the point of tasting burnt but you still liked it this is better option for you. In addition to the flavor profile in the product description I'm getting hints of toasted barley tea.
This is a beautiful tea as stated. Delicate but it delivers the flavor. I did add milk and sugar and it was good
Really enjoy this oolong. Each little teabag can easily make 3 cups of tea without tasting too watered down.
This is a lovely oolong, with its usual fruity notes that never overpower it. It steeped at least twice very well. I will say that I had to be careful not to oversteep as it reached peak quality quickly.
Wonderfully well rounded earthy vibes! Soft and pleasant with a great finish. This is a really nice one to do cold as well! A great Oolong!
Hmm, I have mixed feelings in this one. It’s rather nuttier than I prefer but I like it better than I thought I would at first. I would have this tea again but it’s not a favorite for me.
195* for 3 minutes
I was expecting to like this more than I did. On it's own I found it somewhat too mild, a little too grassy. I thought the addition of milk and sugar helped.
CommuniTEA sample: 3 min @ 195. I made three cups of this tea, the second for 4 min and the third for 5! Very nice, malty darker oolong. It has some notes closer to black tea, having some natural sweet and fruity notes as compared to most oolong, but it's generally very malty and earthy. I think some of the flavors in the tea can be compared to toasted oats or other grains.
Today this is a nice tea. I thought it was pretty good.
It had a nice flavor with a little bit of a fruit flavor. Can't quite guess what it reminds me of, but I like it.
I like oolongs, but this is not one of the better ones. Hard to describe, but tastes dry or overcooked, maybe?
I love a good oolong and this one did not disappoint! I did two steeping and probably could have gotten more (I had a small cup). Nuanced flavor, very smooth, as others have said, closer to black than green (it is a darker oolong) but overall very good!
This is a smooth oolong, with no astringency, which I appreciate. I don’t love the way it smells (it’s very earthy, but in a sharp sort of way), but I do like the way it tastes. I probably wouldn’t order it, but I enjoyed my CommuniTea packet. I steeped it for 3 minutes at 195 degrees.
A very hearty oolong that almost drinks like a black tea.
This is a wonderful oolong! The CT packet held up for multiple steeps. This is such a dynamic, malty “sipping” oolong.
I like oolong teas quite a bit, but this one is only okay to me. It's very earthy in taste and perfect for the fall season, but I don't see myself drinking it all that often. Will have to be in that autumn mood or perhaps mix it with other blends to use up my sample.
Deep and full bodied, but oh so smooth. I never met an oolong I didn't like, and this one is a bit darker than I prefer, but the raisin and malty
flavors are quite tasty. Another win for the O!
It's not quite what I was expecting from an oolong tea. More woody, dark, and leafy, than the floral teas I prefer; however, I did brew for 5 minutes, not the suggested three so there could be a brew issue on my part.
This is a great oolong to start off with. It is pleasant and resembles black tea a bit more than some oolongs, which I truly enjoy. A new favorite.
Edit: It’s been a few years since my first review and I only love it more. I cannot make an order with Adagio without throwing in a package of this tea. It never gets old.
Raisin, smoky, dark flavor. Brewed with a gaiwan. Highly recommend
Warm, earthy, with fruity notes and a very light astringency. Brewed gong fu style, and it was great for many steeps.
Very good oolong! The flavor is similar to the Wuyi Ensemble but at a better price point. Smooth, earthy, and with a not off black pepper. This is one of my go-to teas for oolong.
This wasn't a favorite of mine, it's a little too mild for me.