Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Fong Mong Tea
Tea Description:
The hand-plucked leaves of Alishan Jin Xuan Oolong Tea are grown in the famous Ali Mountains (Alishan) in Taiwan. At the elevation of 1000 meters above, the mountainsides are covered with fog or clouds which are ideal for growing Oolong. With better drought tolerance, also higher yield, the price is usually lower than Alishan Oolong.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve said it before. I’ll probably say it again and again… I’m sorry if you get tired of hearing it, but, what can I say? I love Oolong tea grown in the Ali Mountains… the mountains that produce my beloved Alishan Oolong!
Jin Xuan is probably better known as “Milk Oolong” which makes this particular Oolong even more special. It’s not just an Alishan Oolong, but an Alishan Milk Oolong! Awesomeness!
And this cup of tea is indeed awesome. The milkiness of this tea is not overly pronounced, it is delicate and creamy. Very smooth. I like the texture which is slightly creamy but there is a subtlety to it too. It doesn’t attempt to inundate the palate with a heavy taste of cream.
Hints of flower throughout the sip … is that orchid? It too is subtle, softly weaving its way in and out of the sip, and just when you think you can identify it, it disappears … and reappears just when you’ve begun to explore the other nuances of the tea.
Subsequent infusions deliver a stronger flavor. I find that with the first cup (which is the combined results of the first and second infusions) the flavor was delicate, while the second cup (combined results of the third and fourth infusions) is stronger, with a more distinguished floral tone. This tastes of honeysuckle, but an orchid note begins to develop toward the finish and lingers into the aftertaste. It is still sweet and delicious, but I’ve noticed that it is a little less creamy than the first cup.
The third cup brings a taste that is much more harmonized … the flavors are becoming seamlessly united, and it has become difficult to determine where one flavor ends and another begins. This cup is my favorite, because I love how it all comes together to create a very soothing, delightful cup.
An amazing cup of tea – I’d recommend it to fans of Alishan and Milk Oolongs! This brings the best of both worlds together in one deliciously rewarding cup.
