Oolong Discovery Set # 5

This set brings together nine very different expressions of oolong tea — from lightly oxidized floral styles to roasted and aged varieties. It is a practical way to explore how processing, roasting, and origin shape the character of oolong.

Each sample is 7 g, ideal for one focused gongfu session or several western infusions.

What is included:

Snow Pear and Buddha’s Hand Oolong (Xue Li Fo Shou)

A fragrant oolong made from the Buddha’s Hand cultivar. The tea has a smooth body with notes of pear, citrus blossom and light honey sweetness.
This style shows the elegant and aromatic side of lightly oxidized oolongs.

Aged Buddha’s Hand Oolong (2012)

An aged version of the same cultivar, allowing you to experience how time transforms oolong. Fresh citrus notes evolve into deeper aromas of dried fruit, wood and warm sweetness.
A rare opportunity to compare young and aged expressions of the same tea type.

Jin Bailong GABA Oolong

Produced with a special oxygen-free fermentation that increases GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). The result is a soft, mellow tea with notes of baked fruit, caramel and gentle sweetness.
The texture is round and calming.

Golden Lily Dragon GABA Oolong

Another GABA style made from the Golden Lily cultivar. Compared to the Jin Bailong version, it shows richer notes of honey, dried apricot and toasted grain with a deeper body.
A good illustration of how cultivar influences the GABA profile.

Charcoal-Baked Tieguanyin

A traditional roasted Tieguanyin finished with charcoal baking. Roasting adds warmth and depth, bringing aromas of roasted nuts, caramel and mineral sweetness.
This tea represents the classic roasted Fujian oolong style.

Longjuan Wild High Mountain Oolong (Meizhan cultivar)

A high-mountain tea with a wild garden character. Expect floral aromas, light fruit sweetness and a refreshing mineral finish typical of mountain-grown teas.
Balanced and elegant.

Mei Zhan Lao Cha (2009)

Aged oolong made from the Mei Zhan cultivar. Over time, the tea develops woody, herbal and dried fruit notes with a soft, rounded mouthfeel.
This tea shows how aging can bring calm depth to oolong.

Amber-Grace Oriental Beauty

A bug-bitten Taiwanese-style oolong known for its honey-like aroma. The tea carries notes of ripe fruit, muscat grape and natural sweetness created by leafhopper interaction with the leaves.
Complex yet very approachable.

Golden Grace Beauty Oolong

A lighter and more delicate interpretation of Oriental Beauty style. Expect floral sweetness, stone fruit tones and a smooth body.
Bright and expressive.

Why try this set

Oolong is one of the most diverse tea categories in the world. Within one type of tea you can encounter floral freshness, honey sweetness, roasted depth and the calm character of aged leaves.

This set lets you explore:

• light vs roasted oolong
• fresh vs aged tea
• different cultivars such as Buddha’s Hand, Golden Lily and Mei Zhan
• special processing like GABA fermentation
• Taiwanese-style bug-bitten teas

Who will enjoy this set

Curious beginners who want to understand what “oolong” actually means in practice.
Tea explorers interested in comparing cultivars and processing methods.
Connoisseurs looking for a compact tasting set with aged, roasted and modern styles side by side.

Trying these teas next to each other reveals something fundamental about oolong: it sits exactly between green and black tea, and small changes in oxidation, roasting or aging can completely transform the cup.

 

Brewing Guide for the Oolong Discovery Set

These teas are best brewed in a way that allows several infusions. Oolong leaves slowly open and change character over time, revealing new aromas with each steep.

Gongfu Brewing (recommended)

Temperature: 95–96°C
Tea: 7 g
Water: 100 ml

Rinse the leaves once with hot water and discard the rinse.

Infusions:

1. 1st infusion: 15–20 sec

2. 2nd infusion: 25–30 sec

3. 3rd infusion: 35–40 sec

4. Next infusions: add 10–15 sec each time

Most teas in this set will give 6–8 infusions, sometimes more.

Lighter teas such as Snow Pear Buddha’s Hand or Oriental Beauty styles may taste best with slightly shorter infusions.
Roasted and aged teas like Charcoal-Baked Tieguanyin or Mei Zhan Lao Cha can handle longer steeps.

Western Brewing

Temperature: 95°C
Tea: 3.5 g
Water: 250 ml

Infusion: 2 minutes

Practical tip

Oolong leaves expand a lot. Use enough space in the teapot or gaiwan so the leaves can fully open. This dramatically improves the taste and allows the tea to release its layered aromas.