梅山金萱烏龍 (Mei Shan Jin Xuan Oolong) OG+
Mei Shan, Yunlin County, Taiwan
‘Twas circa 2009 when a niece asked a then novice tea merchant, “Do you have milky oolong?”
The merchant’s mind began to race - what is this abomination she speaks of? Surely they’re not pouring milk on a da hong pao? Or are they adding milk flavouring to tea now?
Though as it turns out, both such misgivings occur, neither were what the gourmand niece referred. She was in fact speaking of none other than the Jin Xuan (“golden lilly”) varietal, developed in Taiwan in 1980, with the moniker “milky oolong” due to its naturally occurring creamy fragrance, flavour and mouthfeel.
In repentance for his ignorance, the merchant would spend the following decade and a half looking for a high quality milky oolong. He would come up with way more fails than victories. Of the fails, commonly were Jin Xuan samples that had only some florals but no cream and worse still, were ones with milk powder added {gasp!}. Of the wins, they were not only few and far between, the quantity was also seasonally limited. While the latter may still be the case, we have now once again been able to secure a modest stock. Our new Taiwanese connect, Ms Yu, managed to wrangle some from the up and coming Mei Shan area growers, of whom, Mr Yu (no relations) atop a mid-elevation (750m asl), sixth-year-pesticide-free-converted parcel harvested this offering by hand.
Expect cream, with a hint of lilies and jasmine. Expect it also to be sold out quickly with an unpredictable re-up date.
Dry leaves: small green clusters
Liquor: yellow
Taste: cream, lilies, jasmine
Process: sun withered, indoor withered, rolling, light pile oxidation, firing, shaping, drying. re-shape, re-fire, re-dry.
Brewing:
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| 1tbs/8g | 90 |
rinse,
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N/A | 0:15 rinse, 1:00 x1 0:35 x1 0:20 x2 |