Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Eco-Cha
Tea Description:
This batch of tea was made by an artisan who won first prize in this year’s Nantou County Jin Xuan Oolong Tea Competition of 2,400 entries, and Nantou is home to the best oolong tea makers in the world. The tea he produces is, in a word, exemplary.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
In my “career” as a tea reviewer, I’ve tasted quite a few “milk Oolong” teas. But this Jin Xuan Oolong Tea from Eco Cha has to be one of the finest I’ve tried yet.
What leads me to that declaration is this very first cup that I’ve brewed. Typically the first cup of a Milk Oolong (infusions 1 and 2) is a soft and creamy cup, but, it isn’t quite as thick or lush as the subsequent infusions. It tends to be lighter in texture and more delicate in flavor than the subsequent infusions – and granted, I haven’t yet gotten to my second cup of this tea yet so I don’t know how different that cup will be from this one.
However, this cup is very flavorful! More flavorful than a typical Milk Oolong. This first cup tastes like it would be the second cup of another Milk Oolong. This is an outstanding Jin Xuan!
The second cup was just a little bit creamier and richer than the first, but the two cups were very similar, perhaps more similar than is typically my experience with a Milk Oolong. Usually, the first cup is much lighter, and the second cup is quite creamy, but with this tea from Eco Cha, I am noticing more of that milky consistency in both cups (the first four infusions).
With the third cup (infusions 5 and 6), the flavors began to taper. I noticed a little more astringency with this cup, and it wasn’t quite as creamy as the first two cups. With this cup, I notice more definition of the fruit notes, and I can taste a hint of citrus. Still a very flavorful cup, the honeyed notes seemed to emerge more with this cup and I liked the way these honey-like tones complemented the bright citrus notes.
An excellent Jin Xuan Oolong Tea. Definitely one of the finest Milk Oolong teas I’ve tasted.
