Award-Winning Ali Shan Jin Xuan Milk Oolong Tea (Taiwan)

After trying some Milk Oolong from Ali Shan Mountain Buddha asked tea master Lao Cha:

— Tell me, the Wise One, how were you able to achieve such a gentle scent of gardenias and milk? Such a soft, velvety, and buttery taste? 

— This wasn’t hard, oh Enlightened one. All I had to do was plant the Jin Xuan tea bush on Ali Shan Mountain in Taiwan. But only at a height over 1000 meters. Then cultivate it on the mountain’s rocky slopes, together with the cool air and occasional fog. The roots of the tea bush will have no choice but to suck up all the available moisture and nutrients and send it to the leaves. These tea leaves will, in turn, become oolong tea and gift you and other lucky ones their delicate flavor and healthy qualities.

"The Golden Leaf Awards" is one of the most influential tea awards distributed in Australia, where our Ali Shan Milk Oolong Tea won the gold medal in 2017. Indeed, Alishan Milk Oolong is a great representative of Taiwanese High Mountain Tea. This exceptional tea grows in high-altitude gardens (1000 meters and upwards), following the natural rhythm of the mountainous weather with short sunlight and cold nights, absorbing the vital energy and trace minerals of the spring water of Ali Mountain, which farmers use to irrigate the tea trees. The clouds and mist diffuse the ultraviolet light and reduce the astringency in tea leaves, producing a sweeter tea with a mild and gentle taste. In harsh weather conditions, tea trees grow slow, accumulating nutrients that turn the tea leaves soft and thick, with a high pectin content.

Ali Shan Milk Oolong's signature fragrance is a mix of gardenia and a natural milky aroma. It comes from the Jin Xuan tea cultivar, which also bears the name TTES #12. It appeared in the Taiwan Tea Research and Extension Station during the early 80s as one of the island's self-bred cultivars. Its uniquely smooth, sweet flavor, paired with a traditional refreshing aroma and cool, silky texture, quickly made it one of Taiwanese tea drinkers' favorite oolongs. Proper oxidation, roasting, and overall processing are crucial for achieving its unique taste and scent. A gong fu style infusion creates a golden yellow tea soup with a creamy, buttery flavor and mouthfeel. Rich and mellow taste of fresh milk pairs with delicate osmanthus notes and fills the mouth and nose down to the throat. A gentle aftertaste of milk cookies and sweet flowers lingers on the cheeks and tongue long after the last sip.

This type of tea is known as "Milk Oolong" to the West. Unfortunately, nowadays, some vendors will artificially flavor their teas to produce a strong milk scent. However, the aroma of a genuine Milk Oolong should never be overly intense; on the contrary, the milky notes are pleasant, light and faint. If you choose to brew our Ali Shan Jin Xuan Milk Oolong tea gong-fu style, you will surely notice that the sweet, creamy notes last throughout multiple infusions — a sign of an authentic, high-quality Oolong Milk tea. We will never taint our teas with artificial flavorings. Instead, we let you experience the authentic, unadulterated taste of this exceptional tea, the way nature intended it.

Brewing guidelines: