Oolong I —
light & floral
Oolong is the widest category in tea, so it gets two sessions. This one covers the light, green, floral end — lightly oxidized, barely roasted, intensely aromatic.
The light, floral end
Click through the light-oolong world:
Oolong spans roughly 10–80% oxidation and the entire roast axis — far more range than any other type. It’s cleanest to split it in two: this session is the light & floral end (low oxidation, little/no roast); the next is the dark & roasted end. Same category, opposite corners. These rolled-ball teas are also the ones that most reward gongfu brewing (Session 16) — they unfurl and evolve across many infusions.
Questions
Flashcards
Lock it in
From memory:
- Where do light oolongs sit in oxidation, and how much roast?
- What is Taiwanese gaoshan oolong known for?
- Describe the modern (green) style of Tieguanyin.
- Why do rolled oolongs reward gongfu brewing?
- What is the flavor signature that flags a light oolong?
Oolong II —
dark & roasted
The other end of the oolong range: more oxidized, often roasted, and altogether deeper. This is where the roast axis from Session 7 does its most dramatic work.
Light vs dark oolong
Light oolong (Session 10)
- ~10–30% oxidation
- Little or no roast
- Floral, fresh, creamy, light body
- Jade gaoshan, modern Tieguanyin
Dark / roasted oolong (this session)
- ~50–80% oxidation and/or roasted
- Light to heavy roast
- Toasty, caramel, mineral, fuller body
- Wuyi yancha, roasted Tieguanyin, Dan Cong
The dark, roasted world
Click through the dark end:
Remember Session 7: oxidation and roast are independent. A dark oolong might be moderately oxidized but heavily roasted (many Wuyi teas), or quite highly oxidized with only light roast. When you taste roast (toast, char, caramel) versus oxidation (the shift toward dark-fruit and body), you’re reading two dials at once — the essence of understanding oolong.
Questions
Flashcards
Lock it in
From memory:
- How does dark/roasted oolong differ from light oolong?
- What is Wuyi rock tea (yancha) known for?
- What does roasting trade away, and add?
- What is Phoenix Dan Cong famous for?
- How do oxidation and roast act as two separate dials here?
Black /
red tea
The high end of the dial: fully oxidized, malty, robust, and the tea most of the world drinks by default. In China it’s called "red tea" for the color of its liquor.
The fully-oxidized world
Click through black tea by origin and processing:
After the delicacy of greens and whites, black tea is a relief to brew: near-boiling water is correct, longer steeps are fine, and it stands up to milk. The one distinction worth carrying forward is orthodox vs CTC — whole-leaf nuance versus machine pellets built for fast, strong, uniform extraction (the tea in most bags). It’s the same buying lesson you’ll meet in Session 19.
Questions
Flashcards
Lock it in
From memory:
- Where does black tea sit on the dial, and what is it called in China?
- Name a signature note for Darjeeling and for Assam.
- What characterizes Ceylon black tea?
- Explain CTC vs orthodox.
- Why is black tea more forgiving to brew than green?