> On Oct 26, 1:38 pm, SN gmail.com> wrote:> been enjoying the green oolongs (nugget-style) for a while

>> most have a certain flowery-ness to them
>> i think its pretty much the same flavor of flower
>> ive encountered so far
>> can someone relate this flowery flavor to a specific flower/plant?

>
> Just a few of the flowery volatiles found in oolong tea include
> Geraniol (rose petal), Linalool (light floral, lily of the valley),
> Terpineol (lilac), Nerolidol (rose), Phenylethanol (light floral),
> Methoxybenzaldehyde (vanilla), Z-jasmone & Jasmine lactone (jasmine),
> B-ionone (violets), Hexanoic(s) (geranium/flowery/fruity), Oolongs
> have fewer of the flowery volatile compounds compared with black teas
> - but they tend to be the heavier aroma compounds and at higher
> concentrations (blacks have wider spread of compounds but less
> (proportionally) of the heavy ones - thus Gardenias are sometime used
> to spike poor oolongs but this would not work with poor blacks -
> blacks can be spiked with lemon zest and wintergreen but this would
> not work with oolongs. Variations in tea volatile aroma (place to
> place, season, variety) tend to be due changes in concentration ratios
> of the aromas - 300 plus identified in black teas - rather than
> absence or presence. Also remember that too much of any one of the
> 300 gives a poor tea just as too little will do the same - it's all
> about balance.
>
> Nigel at Teacraft
>
> -