Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teasenz
Tea Description:
Intense creamy taste with floral undertone. A one-of-a-kind tea from Taiwan with a fantastically creamy flavor resulting from its unique roasting process. Our Ali Shan Milky Oolong offers you great depth of flavor that lasts into even the fifth brew.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! AliShan! Seriously … is there anything better?
Yeah, I’m sure there are. And I have other favorite teas that I like at least as well as an AliShan Oolong. But when I’m indulging in an AliShan, it’s as if I’m drinking pure liquid gold and everything is right with the world. AliShan is definitely my favorite Oolong tea.
And this AliShan Milky Oolong from Teasenz is absolutely divine.
It’s so sweet and creamy. And take note: this isn’t going to taste as creamy as some Milk Oolong teas you may have tried. That’s because these creamy notes have been derived naturally, not by adding flavoring to the tea. I have tried both types of Milk Oolong and I’ve enjoyed both natural Milk Oolong teas and Milk Oolong teas that have been flavored to get their creaminess. So, I’m not here to try to tell you which you should like better or why you should prefer one over another. It’s all subjective because no two palates are the same. I’m just offering an explanation to you as to why this isn’t going to be quite as milky-creamy as a Milk Oolong that has been enhanced with flavoring.
That said, this is amazing. I love the soft creamy notes of this tea. It’s warm and comforting – like warm milk. Sweet and floral. There is a hint of nutty flavor in the distance that melds beautifully with the warm milk notes.
To brew this tea, I grabbed my gaiwan and my YiXing mug that is designated for AliShan Oolong tea! My mug fit five infusions in it, so my first cup was infusions 1 – 5 (after discarding the rinse!) I heat the water to 180°F and infused the rinse for 15 seconds, discarded the liquid, and then started brewing! The first infusion was 45 seconds and I added 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion.
And this mug is filled with tea that is a little bit like perfection. And since this is an Oolong, I decided to go for a second mug (infusions 6 – 10). That’s one great thing about Oolong teas – they keep going and going!
My second mug tasted even creamier than the first. The floral notes began to emerge a little bit. It was smooth and sweet. Very little vegetal taste, mostly this cup was all about the milky/creamy flowery taste! I think I liked the second mug even better than the first so get all that flavor out of these leaves and keep on infusing!
A really wonderful tea! Teasenz is a great company, I highly recommend them!
Taiwan AliShan Jin Xuan Oolong Tea (Premium Grade) from Cameron Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Cameron Tea
Tea Description:
AliShan is one the famous oolong tea growing areas in Taiwan. Located at altitude of 1500m, the mountain has a rich soil and ideal climactic conditions. The cool climate and moist from daily mists make the plants to grow very slowly and produce tender, flavourful tea leaves and buds.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Having previously reviewed Cameron’s AliShan Jin Xuan Competition Grade Oolong tea (and absolutely loving every sip of it!) I was very happy to try the Premium Grade of the AliShan Jin Xuan from Cameron.
I wondered how different the two grades would be and since it’s been a little while since I had that tea (back in June), I wasn’t sure that my memory would be as quick to recall all the nuances of the tea. Thank goodness I have my notes to fall back on!
I steeped this the same way I steeped the competition grade (and for the most part, this is how I steep most Oolong teas. There are occasional exceptions, but the exceptions are quite rare!) I used my gaiwan and started out with a 15 second rinse and then started steeping. The first infusion was 45 seconds and I added 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion. Since this is an AliShan, I used my special AliShan Yi Xing mug which holds four to five infusions. This time, it held five infusions.
So this – my first mug of this tea – is the combination of the first five infusions.
Mmm! This is so lovely!
I’m finding this premium grade to be slightly less creamy than I remember the competition grade tasting and feeling. The mouthfeel is a little lighter here than the competition grade, which was rather creamy and thick. This is still creamy and thick – just not as thick as I seem to recall from the competition grade.
The creaminess doesn’t linger the same way, either. This feels much cleaner and even a little more refreshing than the competition grade. The palate feels cleaner and less coated by the tea when I sip this.
That is not to say that I don’t enjoy that thick, creamy texture – I do! I loved the competition grade! But I’m enjoying this one too and am also enjoying the differences between the two teas.
As the tea cools slightly, I find that the texture and flavor thickens somewhat. It’s still considerably lighter than the competition grade, but if you’re wanting a thicker texture from this tea, just let it cool off for a few minutes longer and you might find that you are getting more texture.
Sweet. Hints of vanilla. Lovely, soft floral notes. A really beautiful tea.
Just as I experienced with the competition grade, I find that the second cup (infusions 6 – 10) is just as lovely as the first cup was. Still sweet and creamy with subtle vanilla tones and floral notes that are emerging a little more in this cup than they were in the first.
As I make my way to mid-cup, some fruit notes develop on my palate. At first, I thought of a fruit that is something between a sweet apple (flavor wise) and a ripe nectarine (texture wise with hints of the flavor). But after I read through my review of the competition grade and I compared the fruit notes to a melon, I would say that comparison would suit these fruit flavors quite well too.
Another truly remarkable tea from Cameron. I’m nearly finished with the set of Cameron teas (I think I have but one more to review!) and I have truly adored each one that I’ve tried. This company is one that all of you tea lovers out there should check out! If you want a top notch tea – this company has got you covered!
Taiwan Alishan Jin Xuan Oolong (2014) from Fong Mong Tea
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. Withbetter drought tolerance, also higher yield, the price is usually lower than Alishan Oolong.
Jin-Xuan is a special variety of Camellia Sinensis (tea plant) developed through research at the Taiwan Tea Agricultural Research center. This special variety is known for producing an Oolong with a special fragrance and a very light creaminess. Alishan Jin Xuan Oolong brings one of the great locations for growing Oolong tea together with one of the special Oolong varieties.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I reviewed this tea previously but it’s a new year and along with a new year comes a new harvest. And an AliShan Oolong is worth at least two reviews (maybe more when the new harvests arrive, right?)
And Fong Mong Tea has some really spectacular Oolong teas from Taiwan, including this amazing AliShan Jin Xuan! It’s beautifully sweet and creamy, with notes of flower and hints of vegetation. So many fantastic layers of flavor!
As I do with all AliShan Oolong teas, I use my gaiwan and fill my YiXing Mug with the first five infusions (following a 15 second rinse). I use 180°F water to steep each infusion. The first infusion is steeped for 45 seconds, and I add 15 seconds to each subsequent infusion.
The first cup (which is the combination of the first five infusions) is so smooth and creamy. The floral notes and vegetative notes are softened by this sweet, creamy taste that reminds me of fresh cream. It tastes indulgent and luxurious.
But even though it is a creamy and sweet tea, there is complexity to it. Layers of flavor. The creaminess is not overly heavy so that I can explore the floral notes which are reminiscent of orchid. There is a honey-like sweetness just beneath the floral tones. The next layer I notice is a mild vegetal flavor. It’s very soothing and has a silky smooth mouthfeel.
The second cup (the combination of infusions 6 – 10) was even nicer than the first! It is still quite creamy – which was surprising, as I had expected some of those creamy notes to wane considerably with this cup – and the tea is delectably sweet. The vegetal notes are less discernible now, and I taste more floral notes and even a hint or two of sweet fruit. Melon! NICE!
The honey notes are still there. The creamy notes are not quite as strong, but they are sweeter and more like vanilla! So while the creamy notes are not quite as velvety and thick, the vanilla notes more than make up for it!
An absolutely LOVELY AliShan! If you haven’t tried Fong Mong Tea – you really should! You’re missing out!
Milk Oolong Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf here.
Tea Description:
Upon opening the bag, you’ll be greeted with a heavy scent of fresh, sweet cream. We crafted our Milk Oolong by blending our Green Jin Xuan with natural milk flavors for a delightful, creamier taste that’s sure to please.
Ingredients: Green Jin Xuan, Natural Milk Flavors
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Save 25% off when you sign up for the Selection Club. Use the coupon code SISTERSELECTION25 when you join. This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve been spouting praises about Simple Loose Leaf for quite some time now, and the reason is simple: every month, I open my mailbox to a package containing five different tea samplers. I like that. It’s what I call happy mail. It’s happy mail because it makes me happy. It’s not a bill. It’s not junk mail. It’s TEA! What could be better than that?
Well, one thing that’s better than receiving the tea is actually brewing it and drinking it. And this Milk Oolong from my August Selection Club box is an absolute delight to sip!
Sweet, creamy … luscious!
A Jin Xuan Oolong is the tea that is generally referred to “Milk Oolong” because of it’s naturally creamy, milky flavor. Simple Loose Leaf has taken this one step further and added natural milk flavors to give it a very creamy, decadent flavor that goes beyond the natural flavors in the Jin Xuan.
In the tea community, there is some debate on whether or not this flavoring should actually be done. I find that I enjoy both the pure Jin Xuan and the flavored Milk Oolong so long as the flavoring is a quality flavoring, and this tastes like it’s a good quality product.
My first two infusions (following a 15 second rinse) were combined to make my first cup. And the first cup is very creamy and sweet. A background note of nutty flavor and a light vegetal tone. Later infusions were not quite as creamy – some of the creamy notes begin to lighten up as I continued to steep the leaves. This allowed for some beautiful floral notes to emerge. Lily? Orchid? Somewhere between the two. Lovely!
A true delight – this Milk Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf’s August Box! If you haven’t yet joined the Selection Club, well, why not? It’s a great service from a company that provides exceptional customer service. A win-win!
Product Review: Chai Caramels from Big Picture Farm
Product Information:
Where to Buy: Treatsie
Product Description:
Big Picture Farm’s goat milk chai caramel won the gold medal in the prestigious 2013 Good Food Awards. The team at Big Picture makes this exquisite caramel with organic chai supplied by their friend Neil Harley of Chai Wallah.
Learn more about Treatsie’s Subscription Box here.
Product Review:
As you may be aware, I previously reviewed another product that I recently purchased from Treatsie. I bought these caramels at the same time, because … hello, Chai Caramels? Yeah! I gotta try ’em!
I’ve previously tried (and reviewed on my now inactive foodie blog) the goat’s milk caramels from Big Picture Farms, and I really enjoyed those. Goat’s milk caramels do taste a little different than caramels made with products other than goat’s milk, and it’s a taste that isn’t to everyone’s liking. I personally like the flavor, because goat’s milk has a certain “tangy” quality to it and I like that contrast to the sugary sweetness of the caramel.
And these caramels are not only made with goat’s milk, but also organic chai tea supplied by Chai Wallah, another product that I’ve previously reviewed! I was happy to see that Chai Wallah was the supplier of the chai for these confections, because this company makes a very memorable chai. I’ve tasted a lot of chai in the past, and Chai Wallah makes some of the very best that I’ve tried.
So, I was confident that I’d enjoy these treats from Treatsie! The caramel is super-fresh, I can feel the freshness as I unwrap the candy: it feels soft and gooey, and there isn’t even a trace of hardness on the exterior of the candy. It’s soft and pliable. When I bite into it, it seems to melt in my mouth (and of course, stick to my teeth a bit – hey, it’s caramel, it’s supposed to do that!)
The first notes I experience are the caramel notes, you know, that “burnt sugar” taste that’s sort of … incredible and delicious? Then I pick up the tangy notes of the goat’s milk. Then I start to taste the notes of chai. The spices hit the palate as I’m chewing on the confection, and they linger in the aftertaste. Now that I’ve finished the bite of chewy, delicious, caramel-y goodness, I can still taste notes of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom and pepper. Mmm! So good!
Yeah … you gotta try these! If you’re a fan of chai, you’ll love them. If you’ve got a sweet t00th, you’ll want more than just the 10-piece pack! (Trust me on that.) If you just want to try something that’s a little different than your average caramel … get some of these!