Light Roast Iron Buddha (Kokomo Tea)

I have been on an Oolong kick of late. There’s something I’ve been drawn to. Perhaps it’s the added nuance of changing flavors or maybe it’s the promise of multiple steeps to keep me going. Whatever it is, this Light Roast Iron Buddha Oolong tea from Kokomo Tea sure fits in well.

The leaves are tightly balled and almost a deep auburn color and very pretty. There are some stems but I don’t find them detracting from the quality of this tea.

This Light Roast Iron Buddha is clearly a take on a Ti Kuan Yin (a very popular Chinese Oolong). The liquor brews to a nice bright gold with subdued floral notes reminiscent of lilac amidst a stronger roasty-toasty collection of scents. The aroma is actually fairly similar to that of a Japanese Hojicha.

The taste comes alive with a surprisingly smooth  but roasted flavor profile. Thre’s a slight sweetness in the finish not all too different from roasted leeks or bok choy (both Chinese vegetables).

The roasted flavors have a long tail and thus hang around for a bit. This tea is not very astringent, but the prominence of roasted flavors combined with the staying power of those flavors increase this teas’ boldness.

I would recommend this tea to fans of Ti Kuan Yins, Hojicha, Genmaicha, roasted flavors, other oolongs and Autumnal Darjeelings.