For my first GM sample review, it was toss-up between this and Sinharaja. Sugar Caramel Oolong won because I felt like having something sweet! :)
Scent: Like milky palm trees! This smells so green and sappy! Like I imagine palm trees basking in the sun smell like (but I’ve never actually smelled them).
Appearance: The leaves start out tightly rolled, but quickly unfurl into these large, wide leaves! At first I thought, “Oh what a stingy sample!” —because of how small these leaves were wound, it didn’t add to much in my mug. But add the hot water and it’s like boing! the leaves unwind and end up filling half the mug!
Taste: Very fresh and “brisk”. I’m not detecting anything overtly caramel (meaning no burnt or glazed sugar taste). It’s more of a “green” sort of sweetness. Like how banana leaves smell like when they’re wrapped around sweet, sticky rice.
Final thoughts: As the liquid cools, I’m detecting more of a toasty sweetness…but it’s all still overlaid with green. This is very much a green tea. The flavoring is just a bit of enhancement.