DAVIDsTEA Ruby Oolong Tea Review

I was excited when I heard that DAVIDsTEA was releasing new traditional teas.  They released some straight teas earlier this year and I liked them all and it is nice to have some “regular” teas too.  The prices though, Ruby Oolong sells for $19.98 for 50g so is it worth it?

DavidsTea describes Ruby Oolong as having notes of ripe plum, caramelized apple and quince.  This unique oolong brews well at high temperatures and will never get bitter. Perfect for an easily distracted tea drinker. Sounds like me, because who hasn’t left tea steeping too long?

DAVIDsTEA Ruby Oolong Steeping Instructions & Ingredients

DAVIDsTEA Ruby Oolong Ingredients: Oolong tea from Doi Wae Salong (Thailand)

DAVIDsTEA Ruby Oolong Steeping Instructions: 1-2 perfect spoons per 16oz hot (167℉ – 176℉ or 75℃ – 80℃) not boiling water for 4-7 minutes.

Unlike many Oolongs, DavidsTea Ruby Oolong is fairly hardy and probably not going to burn as easily as lighter oolongs but I wouldn’t go too hot.  If you don’t have a tea kettle with variable temperatures, let the boiled water cool for a bit before steeping.  1 perfect spoon was perfect for my 10oz mug.  It is kosher, certified organic and has 0 calories per cup.

DAVIDsTEA Ruby Oolong Review

The loose leaf Ruby Oolong from DavidsTea is fairly tightly rolled and dark in colour with some golden tips showing.  Once steeped, it is a lovely golden brown and easily 2-3 times size so leave some space in your infuser for it to unfurl for full taste.  Given the price, I did not try steeping it longer than recommended but there was no bitterness at all after 5 minutes of steeping.

The tea is a rich amber red colour when steeped with a smooth taste.  It has sweet undertones but no powerful flavour notes.  The rich flavour leaves it feeling thicker than it is.  Imagine drinking a hot chocolate (obviously without the chocolate, but the thicker drink.  If you hate the astringency of black teas, you will probably love this.  The aftertaste does have that caramel / plum taste promised but it is light and not like a fruit tea.

It is the kind of tea I would love to curl up in a comfy chair with while reading on a cold rainy winter day.  It tasted great even when it went cold and is second steep friendly so you get more for your money.

Is DavidsTea Ruby Oolong Latte Friendly?

There is nothing in Ruby Oolong that wouldn’t make a good latte.  It is a bolder tea with no ingredients that could curdle milk.  The price of multiple perfect spoons of tea can be a turnoff though.  One of the tea guides working knows I love my lattes and mentioned that although expensive, it made a great latte so I gave it a try.  It is delicious!  It has sweet notes so I didn’t sweeten the tea.  I do not add a sweetener to black teas in general so you may want to sweeten.  The rich taste was amazing with the consistency of a latte and I wish I had bought more for a second one.

Is DavidsTea Ruby Oolong Worth The Price?

It easily holds up to a second steeping and was just as flavourful.  You would probably get a third steep from it too which helps with the price tag.  At $20 for 50g, this is definitely more of a treat for me but a delicious tea and well worth trying even if you just pick up a sample bag in store.