What gives oolong that nutty smell & flavor?

the volatile aromatic compounds :)

cheeky! which ones???

If you can identify them, it's good for at least a doctoral thesis although not a Nobel by any means.

--scott

I am not aware that oolong is nutty?

I have had some that were, although it was more in the nose than on the tongue.

--scott

yes I have a couple of super-fancies from Upton and they are very nutty smelling. Extremely nutty. You're right though more in the smell than the taste though.

I know what you mean, but sometimes a Wuyi oolong reminds me of hazelnuts on the tongue too.

/Lew

Wine tasters are a little better organized than tea men when it comes to identifying aromas. Tom Stevenson in his aide memoire to wine tasting aromas, tastes and causes mentions two nut aromas - almond and hazelnut. Almond aroma is attributed to the presence of five chemical volatiles - three of which may be found in manufactured tea (benzaldehyde, furfaral, and 5-methyl-furfaral). Hazelnut aroma is given by another four volatiles - three of which have been found in tea (2-acetylthiazole, 4-methylthiazole, and trimethylpyrazine). There may of course be other nutty volatiles in tea that do not appear in wine

Nigel at Teacraft