I’ve had Whittard’s teas a few times – they’re a reliable source of decent quality gear when we’re in the UK.

During our Easter 2018 trip to Blighty I wanted to flesh out my on-the-road stash, and consequently found myself in their Reading store, located in the Oracle shopping centre.

After consulting the salesperson as to the availability or otherwise of a couple of teas listed on their web site, I opted for their Mountain Pearls Oolong. £8.00 bought me a 50 gram packet.

I’ve had some pretty good results steeping these leaves both Western and Gong-fu style. Four teaspoons worth in a 400 ml pot with boiling water was good for a couple of steepings at 2 and 3 minutes respectively, and 6 grams worked well in a 150 ml gaiwan, yielding 6 infusions starting at 10 seconds with an extra 5 seconds added to each new round.

I picked up some nice fruity notes, and the liquor had a pleasant floral aroma. On the website Whittard say of this tea that it is “Similar in style to the famous Tieguanyin (‘Goddess of the Iron Buddha’)…” and it’s hard to argue with that assessment.

Even though I bought this tea to add a bit of variety to that all-important late evening wind down session in our hotel room after a hard day’s holiday-making, once back at home I found this tea worked just as well for me when taken mid-afternoon, when I wasn’t in the mood for a darker, heavier roasted Oolong, or a Hong Cha ( black/red tea ).

If you’re looking for a snack to accompany this tea then Medjool dates come highly recommended.

I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for this tea next time I swing past a branch of Whittard’s in need of supplies.

In conclusion, then – if you’re after a good, solid Oolong that falls into the “Daily Drinker” category then this might just be what you’re looking for…