Ali Shan Jin Xuan

The fame of Jin Xuan, better known as Milky Oolong for its naturally creamy texture and flavor, has inspired countless imitations, including teas steamed or flavored with milk to recreate its distinctive character. This tea, grown on the misty slopes of the legendary Alishan region, is a reminder that nature needs no such assistance. Alishan, one of Taiwan's most celebrated high-mountain tea regions, offers ideal conditions for oolong cultivation. Cool temperatures, frequent mountain mists, and pronounced day–night temperature swings allow the leaves to develop remarkable sweetness, complexity, and aromatic finesse. Sweetness is indeed the first impression in the cup, expressed as a caramelized milkiness reminiscent of condensed milk, supported by the irresistibly rich, creamy mouthfeel that has made the Jin Xuan cultivar so beloved. Beneath this luscious sweetness emerges the character of a lightly oxidized oolong, with notes of flash-blanched spinach lending a fresh vegetal depth and a more grounded sweetness. Delicate white florals, evocative of orchid, weave through the profile, adding elegance without overshadowing the tea's creamy and vegetal foundation. A beautiful showcase of a celebrated cultivar and an exceptional terroir. Written by Simone Ali Shan tea region Ali Shan is not a single mountain, but a large mountain range and, administratively, also the name of a township. Under the influence of the Tea and Beverage Research Station (TBRS), formerly Tea Research and Extension Station (TRES), the Taiwanese tea regulation allowed the labelling of tea as "Ali Shan," when it is produced in one of the following four townships, all located in the Chiayi county: Alishan Township Meishan Township Fanlu Township Zhuqi Township