★★★★☆
A good dark oolong. Very representative of oolongs in general I think. Did not stand up particularly well to multiple infusions.
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.
A good dark oolong. Very representative of oolongs in general I think. Did not stand up particularly well to multiple infusions.
When steeped at boiling this is woodier and more fragrant than other offerings of Formosa I have had. The sort of mulchy undertone that is common with this type of tea is well-integrated into the beverage's overall flavor profile, and is usually not offensive. It also has a slight bitterness to it. I later tried steeping for only three minutes at 190 degrees and the mulchy flavor and slight bitterness went away a bit. The mouthfeel was also counterintuitively thicker. I would try a range of temperatures and times and see what fits you best. Depending on my mood I sometimes found it too mulchy and bitter even at 190, but that's just the taste of this tea.
Very smooth flavor. Woodiness is there, but not strong, balanced by a slightly fruity undertone. Reminds me in a way of fruitcake. Will definitely buy again.
Formosa Oolong is great. Reminds me of a walk in the woods in the fall. To get an idea of the flavor, go out in October and stick your face in a pile of leaves. This tea tastes just like that smell. Has a wonderfully dry oaky flavor.
Earthier and darker tasting oolong that is really quite good! This is the type of tea that is hard to explain in reviews.
A very complex flavor, if relaxing. Definetly not for the new drinker of tea
I love me some Oolong, but for some reason I'm having a hard time warming up to this one. It's very earthy and has a much different taste than other oolongs.
Formosa Oolong is a darker oolong that has a nice nutty toasted flavor. I love this tea!
It's a good refreshing a slight earthy taste which is good.
Very earthy tea. overpowering if steeped too long. I really enjoy most oolongs, but I'm not sure if this was my cup.
I LOVE OOLONG, so this was really good. I wish it wasn't so expensive so i could drink it everyday.
Bland tea - I enjoyed it...but wouldn't drink it again unless I was mixing it with a black or green tea.
I used to drink this all the time but couldn't find it in my town for years. This is a great formosa oolong, a little fruity, and is great after a meal.
I've only drank one cup of this and it was my first oolong but it wasn't really what I was expecting. I loved the earthy smell and I thought it was going to taste like a variation on a pu erh but the first sip was pure seaweed flavor. After about 10 sips the flavor mellowed out a bit. I didn't hate it and I plan on playing with it to see if i can get a better flavor but my first cup was not great.
Despite the 'mulchy' or 'earthy' taste of formosa oolong, I am quite fund of the dark and strong flavor.
Got this as a gift. Not my cup of tea, and took a lot of sugar to make it as tasty as I prefer.
It smells REALLY earthy, like pu-erh levels of earthy, but tastes quite oolong-y so ignore the smell. Kind of a plum-like fruitiness and a medium-dry taste. Not too astringent, and a good tea to try if you're new to oolongs.
I love this oolong! The flavor is typical of other oolong, except it is particularly bold. This isn't the oolong for those looking for lighter flavor like that of Darjeeling tea.
this is my go-to oolong. no bitter aftertaste, no strange grassy taste. reminiscent of the tea you get in good Chinese restaurants, only far far better.
A great afternoon tea. Not as aromatic as yunnan jig for instance but still enough flavor for a everyday tea.
This is a great tea for anyone new to oolongs. It has a great lighter floral and honey flavor. Very easy to brew.
This is a strong and hearty tea not for those who are looking for a weak tea
This oolong really does taste like autumn leaves smell. And I think that's awesome. A new household favorite.
Oolongs are some of my favourite teas, and this was no disappointment!
Not much to say about this one. It's light, and quite tasty for the price.
Nice color, but the flavor is a little mild for my tastes.
Slightly smokey after taste and in the first sips. Hugely satisfying till the 4th brew of quick-20-secs-steeps.
The aroma of these leaves is not very good- very cold and dry. After steeping, it doesn't get much better, either. In fact, the steeped leaves smell worse, they take on a strong burnt smell. The leaves themselves are not very attractive, either, before or after steeping. It literally looks like someone picked some leaves they found in their backyard and made them into tea- the leaves have very prominent veins, like tree leaves. I was expecting the leaves to lighten up in color after steeping, but they still remained the same shade of brown/ black. As for the tea itself, it's not too good either- like a burnt black tea, but not in a good way like a Lapsang Souchong. It kind of tastes like what might happen if you burn a Lipton tea bag and inhaled the smoke coming off of it. I'm glad that this sample only has enough for 5 cups- I'll be happy when it's gone.
The 1lb. bag of this was out of stock for a while, so I got to check out several FO's from other tea companies. None had the oolong fruitiness of this one.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this oolong, but was pleasantly surprised. There is a very unique aroma that seems familiar to me but that I was unable to put my finger (or nose) on. Hidden down deep in the bouquet I got a bit of cinnamon and a sweetness that seemed almost like brown sugar.
The taste was smooth and balanced, and very similar to the aroma. That brown sugar like sweetness also came across in the taste. Overall flavors were more mellow in the second steeping, but picked up just a hint of black pepper-like spice. Through all steepings I notice very little bitterness, but just enough astringency popping-up in the finish.
I've only had just one attempt with this from the sampler I received but it's a definite candidate for a re-order. Looking forward to getting it into my gaiwan to see what else it offers.
Nice color and leafy smell. Rich, satisfying, has enough flavor to stand up on its own. Nothing dramatic about it but a good solid addition to the tea cabinet.
Although I'm not the biggest fan of oolongs, this is one that I enjoy and will purchase again
A fairly basic oolong, but rich and delicious. The color is strong, with a nice smell-- an overall pleasant cup of tea.
A simple, gentle, beautiful tea. It's light, yet earthy with a mild rice flavor that makes me think of mochi (sort of).
I got a sample of this, and I am really glad I did. It produces a smooth cup that is flavorful, but not overpowering.
Very smooth. Mild to my Taste. Not bitter at all.
Got this 'cause I wanted to try new oolongs. It's nice and kinda earthy.
Love this tea. One of the best oolong's I've tried. It's more flavorful than some other's I've had.
Not very light or sweet but full of flavor. I was hoping for more of a floral flavor but it's still enjoyable.
This is a good oolong. Not great, just good. A little light and not as smokey as others.
Not my favorite kind of tea, as it turns out, but still pretty decent.
I really liked this one. I made it both hot and iced, but I can't pick which one I liked more. My boyfriend liked it iced with sugar, I liked it without.
I received this as a gift and I absolutely love it. It's one of my favorite oolongs. Mellow but very flavorful.
This is a very darkly-roasted oolong, really closer to a black tea. It brews very dark, and has a nice earthy flavor. If you are into darker teas like darjeeling, this will probably appeal to you. Don't come here for light and floral.
This tea has some earthy and fruity flavors. I wasn't expecting the hints of fruit. I thought it was going to be a really woodsy, nutty flavor by the smell, but as it turns out there was some sweetness in the first taste of each sip. I recommend this tea for a night or afternoon tea.
I made a cup of this iced for my father, and a cup hot for myself. I added just a tiny bit of sugar because I was in the mood for sweetness. It's very good. It's a lot lighter than I expected but the flavor is still very full. A bit fruity without much bitterness. My father's review is 'It was good. Do I get free refills?'
An interesting flavor, but a good tea. Nothing spectacular, but good.
Really nice 'basic' oolong. Leafy and kind of wheaty, honey seems to bring out a bit more nuttiness. It also hold up really well, I forgot about my second cup and let it steep for 20 mins and it didn't get bitter at all.
I don't know much about oolongs other than they form part of my favorite blend, Casablanca Twist. My impression is that oolongs seem like a delicious example of tea somewhere between the bold blacks and the gentle greens. This one is very nutty and slightly earthy. Smooth and mellow and elegant compared to the slightly harsh tannins in black tea I usually drink. A nice change
Finishing the last of my sample right now... this is great tea. The leaves are very broken, so I wasn't expecting much, but I continue to be impressed with the savory character of this tea. It does not resteep well, but has an exceptionally smooth taste and feel that openly invites you to reflect deeply on its subdued, warm flavors.