I'm humbled by the expert reviewers...I just know that I loved the flavor of this, and that it speaks to me very deeply.

I am a huge Oolong fan...I drink my weight in it daily. This one is quite different from all of the other Oolongs (and I've pretty much tried them all)...it is roasty, almost like coffee in a tea. A nice change of pace.

I use a ten point rating system and rarely give out more than 8 points. So I gave this one an 8/10. It had those wonderful rosy, mulled wine and stone fruit notes that I love about good aged & roasted tea... plus its roast was smooth and not smoky... Sometimes aged teas taste burnt and/or offensive because they were not properly cared for and/or were overly roasted... this tea is certainly not one of those!

I've had several aged oolongs over the years and most of the time you get the same flavors over and over...usually a result of the roasting overwhelming the original flavors of the oolong cultivar used. This example, however, had a character that was unique. Using an aroma cup I found sweet graham cracker and cocoa notes along with the usual roasted aromas. My friend and I quickly dubbed it the "s'mores" oolong as a result. While everyone will experience different flavors and aromas, the result is always a smooth steeping. This one, like most aged oolongs, can be steeped over and over making it a very good value.

I have ordered many teas from Zhi over the past year or so and I have to say this is one of my favorites, if not my new favorite. I definitely have a strong preference for oolong teas in general and I have found Zhi's offerings to be among the best. It was with a good amount of anticipation that I tried the Aged oolong (along with the roasted, which I hope to also review).
I was not disappointed in the least. Sometimes what I have found with aged oolongs is that, try as they might, something gets lost in the aging. You kind of have to hunt for the more floral and muscatel notes. Not here. I found the second and third steeps to convey an amazingly deep and complex profile. The roastedness hits you right up front, of course, bu then you get this swirl of roasted nuts, oak (?), and fruit notes, like deep rich berries, Japanese plum, and of course, ripe grapes.
The finish is long and smooth and the roasted flavor just hangs out without being overpowering.
I get the sense (in part by their customer service - stellar) that this is a relatively smaller company which gets access to teas the big guys just can't. In any case, I am wholeheartedly recommending this 2002 oolong, it is just fantastic.
Oh, and while I am raving, I have to say that I was surprised that my tea arrived 40 hours after I placed my placed my order.
Thank you!