Iron Goddess Tea - Robustness and Piercing Flavors

by Julian
(Horsham)

While Iron Goddess tea is famous for its orchid fragrance, the highest quality tea is prized also for its mouth flavors, which is usually described as penetrating (rui) and robust (zhuang).

Penetration describes a distinctive floral note at the root of your tongue that moves up your nose.

Robustness means the tea should be flavorful even after 5 to 9 infusions. It is not weak or limpy.

Why is robustness important?

Aromatic substances do not come out of a vacuum. They are the by-products of clear mountain air and nutrient-rich soil and water.

A flavorful cup of oolong tea contains the full range of nutrients found in green and black teas: catechins, theanine, thearubigins, theaflavins and aromatic oils.

In stark contrast, cheap oolong teas normally last 3 infusions, despite being spiked with oil extract to enhance their aromas.

Robustness is important because it is a reliable quality indicator. Not to say it saves you money too!