Gaoshan Jinxuan TTES #12 Alishan Jin Xuan Oolong Tea

Tea type
Oolong Tea
Ingredients
Oolong, Oolong Tea, Oolong Tea Leaves
Flavors
Butter, Cream, Umami, Vegetal, Asparagus, Corn Husk, Creamy, Floral, Gardenias, Grass, Lettuce, Peach, Perfume, Sweet, Spicy, Stonefruit
Sold in
Loose Leaf
Caffeine
Low
Certification
Fair Trade, Vegan
Edit tea info Last updated by jLteaco
Average preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 30 sec 5 g 4 oz / 127 ml

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24 Tasting Notes View all

  • “Lately, I’ve been trying to reduce my current stash and visiting more with Brie, so I’ve even been drinking less tea. :-// I received my Fong Mong Tea samples Monday or Tuesday, but didn’t have a...” Read full tasting note
    90
  • “Well I got the job and now the only problem is I didn’t realize by mid-October she meant starting two days next week. Ummm. Because I have been zoned out all day (it’s amazing I actually got myself...” Read full tasting note
  • “Sipdown! Thanks again to Fong Mong Tea for this sample! Although a little old, and not properly stored, it was still a pretty enjoyable oolong. A bit creamy, a bit floral, but nowhere near as much...” Read full tasting note
    89
  • “This is fabulous! A little Alishan … a little milk Oolong … all in one cup! Yum! I do love Alishan, it’s my favorite of the Oolongs for its delicious subtle complexity. That this is also a Jin...” Read full tasting note
    96

From jLteaco (fongmongtea)

Gaoshan Jinxuan, TTES #12, 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. With better drought tolerance, also higher yield, the price is usually lower than Alishan Oolong.

Jin-Xuan is a special variety of Camellia Sinesis (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.

About jLteaco (fongmongtea) View company

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24 Tasting Notes

94
300 tasting notes

Last tea I tried yesterday, but how could I not compare? I could tell this one was special as soon as the dry leaves hit the bottom my warm mug, creammmy! I started with a flash steep on this and am glad I did. While most of the oolongs I tried yesterday benefited from higher temperatures and longer steep times, I feel this did better with short ones.

I was rewarded with a heavenly experience both in taste and aroma. I don’t think I can compare this to anything. I’ve seen other’s review milk oolongs and say they are more like milk candies or more like butter or cream than milk. I’ve never had milk candies and couldn’t be bothered with differentiating my dairy last night, because I was blissed out from this tea, but I will say it was a sweet milkiness that left a cool tingle on first the back of my tongue, gradually working its way forward with each sip. I remember calling down to the husband last night “oh dear, I think this is going to be something I crave!”

Unfortunately I did add more time to the second steep and it fell short of the first. I hoped the third would be better, but it wasn’t until I returned to short steeps that I got that special something. Perhaps it would be fine with one longer steep, but I used all my leaves and was all tea-ed out by that time last night anyway. I just revived this this afternoon and it tastes like a good green oolong with a bit more fullness and coolness in the mouth. I will definitely pursue more Jin Xuan! Thank you so very much Fong Mong Tea for the introduction!

Kittenna

Pretty sure I have this one too!! Excited to try it :)

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85
69 tasting notes

A month ago or so, Fong Mong Tea offered a free sample of this year’s pick of this tea on their Facebook page. It was a really pleasant surprise when I saw that I got three more samples so I spent that weekend (and the next one) in tasting them.

For you that don’t know about Fong Mong Tea, it’s a eBay seller of Taiwanese teas, ranging from 150 gr to 600 gr pack.

I borrowed a nice Canon DSLR for that weekend as I planned to spend that weekend in tea tasting and taking some nice pictures for a change (I usually use my phone camera for that. See my blog – link at the bottom).
I didn’t hesitate but emptied the whole sample bag (6 grams) in 3 Oz gaiwan, and poured 85-90C water over it. Prior to that I took a short glance at the dry leaf, it was big for an average Taiwanese rolled oolong, with some woody stalks attached to them. The initial aroma of the dry leaf is subtle fresh with grassy-herbaceous elements, and after blowing some hot air additional milky and buttery notes are revealed with a warm background.

After a short rinse I started with 45s steep, followed by 60s, 75s, 90s, 105s, 120s.
My current experience with Jin Xuan Oolongs is that they bear a nice milky element, and this one has a decent amount of it, not too much of it to be taken as ‘milky’ but not too little either. Flowery note is dominant in this cup, being present all the way as the liquor enters, slides and finishes, it even has a little bite at the tip of the tongue (pretty unusual for a flowery component). Finish is characterized with warm milky-buttery coat and some vegetable notes. The liquor has a bright jade green tone.

Following steeps show immediate decline of flowery element, leaving room for vegetable elements to take over, milky notes are still there but are better pronounced when liquor cools down a bit. Along the way there can be sensed a certain etheric component lingering in the background and getting more pronounced in the second half of the session.

Wet leaf is pretty much wholesome with a long stalk with up to four leaves attached, including some buds as well. Notes of old peas (dried, stored, then boiled) air of the olive green heap with a slight freshness wrapped around it.

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85
836 tasting notes

Very strong flavour. I’m detecting a flavour reminiscent of grapefruit which I have associated with Milk Oolong in the past. Strong roasted tone (bordering on bitter) and mild milky undertone. I’m also detecting some lemony-type flavour on the sip. Sweet on the finish. The after taste is sweet and has floral hints.

As the tea cools, I’m getting more of a full milk oolong-like hit with each sip. The roasted tone moves more into the background and the milkiness is allowed to come out more. Very delightful! I can detect some grassy notes as well. The finish is still very sweet with mild floral hints. After taste is mainly of roasted and floral flavour.

Second infusion- The milkiness really comes out The roasted flavour isn’t as prevalent, which is nice as it was a little strong on the first infusion. Smoother and softer version of the first infusion.

The flavour held pretty well for 3 infusions. I didn’t try past 3 though.

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 6 min, 0 sec

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90
290 tasting notes

Free sample from Fong Mong Tea

This is the last of my samples from Fong Mong and I had high hopes of it based on my experience with their other teas. I am pleased to say that I was not disappointed.

The floral aroma that wafted off the tea both when I opened the packet and when I brewed the tea was lovely. The first steeping had a heady scent of tropical gardens that made me want to dive straight in. The tea itself was sweet and floral with a buttery feel. A slight vegetal hint lurked behind all that goodness and the buttered corn that others have commented on was definitely present. With all those heavy flavours and aromas the tea was still light and easy to drink.

The second steeping was like the first but with more vegetal flavours coming through while the third had largely lost the floral elements and had a stronger vegetal note still.

The leaves in the pot were whole and still joined to the stalks in pairs mostly with a couple of threes. They looked lovely and really spoke to the quality of this tea.

Overall, I really enjoyed this tea. It was like a floral assault on my tongue that left me grinning with delight at the end of each sip. I could certainly see my way to keeping a packet of this in the cupboard ready for use at all times. I would also love to try brewing it gongfu style to see what else I can get from it.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 6 min, 0 sec

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79
200 tasting notes

Thanks for the sample, Fong Mong Tea.

I debated whether or not to use all of my sample for my testing. I decide to use half of my sample (3g), just in case something messed up. I followed the directions and brewed in my cast iron.

I’m still getting into more refined oolongs, but this definitely has some subtle floral notes and a little bit of sweetness. Nothing too prominent. I steeped it for 6 minutes, which seemed a little bit long, although there wasn’t any bitterness to speak of. I plan to steep it a little less next time with my second infusion.

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 6 min, 0 sec

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75
600 tasting notes

**A review Alishan Jin Xuan Oolong Tea by Fong Mong Tea

I am having another oolong tea from sampler received from over seas (Taipei, Taiwan). This tea came in a seal bag (gold in color) and I have to scissor of the top of the bag to get at the rolled up tea: I shook some out into my palm to see that they are indeed finely curled (rolled up) into tiny pellets.

I take half of the bag’s content and place in my cup and pour water that had been boiling on the stove into my cup and cover leaving the tea to steep for five minutes.

In remove the saucer from the cup I am pleasantly surprised to see how fully the leaves have unfold into my cup of tea. They are a luscious green and fuller than the previous oolongs I have tried from this vendor. They smell very steamed; a warming effect to the face. And something of the smell as I scoop out the leaves from the cup makes me think of my veggies; green broccoli or spinach more-so.

I have strained the tea-leaves from the tea cup and I am left with a tea that is light green in color; slight yellow undertone and still smelling of veggies. I take my first sip and it is a lovely in that it the fragrant of the tea is very light making the tea creamy and not astringent at all. And no, I must say this tea is not a broth either. I continue to sip this tea while quietly enjoying fragrant green to be found within the cup.

I am fortunate to try this tea with yet another steep and another; each time tea’s color is lighter more to yellow or lightish yellow. It is not brown. The leaves remain the same color throughout each steep.
There is less of the veggie taste in the cup with 2nd steep and with 3rd steep it is slightly astringent, but very mild and not at all bitter.

Overall, this tea has many folds…that veggie green intake of one’s broccoli or spinach flavoring is very pronounced with the first steep and one can indeed observe this upon examining and even to tasting the tea leaves which are creamy in texture and not at all bitter. No sprinkling of salt etc on leaves like when having some vegetables.

For tea itself; I enjoyed the first steep immensely as it is light and warm with a good heft to it and the aroma is a fragrant of green. Another reviewer had mentioned lilac scenting to this tea. So possible it is there and I cannot discern this.

This is very good tea. This Alishan Jin Xuan is best of the oolongs to date. Thank you to Fong Mong Tea Co. for sending me the samplers.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec

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100
44 tasting notes

This is the best Alishan Jin Xuan tea I have tasted to far. Flowery, with a sweet pecan taste, and milk fragrance which is not too overwhelming, but delicate and balanced. I have been drinking of lot of Taiwanase teas lately. Most differ little from each other, at best in potencies. So, to find a good Jin Xuan tea has not been easy. Most Jin Xuan teas are artificially flavored with milk perfume; very few can offer natural creamy milky flavor of their own. This Fong Mong is among them. The milk flavor is there, but it is not a taste of a cow milk, but milk coming from the plant. Vegetal milk. Very unusual sensation. The tea opens with the flowery outburst followed by the creaminess of resinous vegetal milk. The tea is also good for at least 4 steeps.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 0 min, 30 sec
teapal lin

Right, all the teas carried by Fong Mong Tea are not artificially flavored.

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94
17 tasting notes

Wow I just finished ..my tour of, oolong tea by Fong Mong and this last one was my favorite. It doesn’t have an overbearing floral taste like the jasmin oolong but it has a delicate sweetness to it.. The tea is great… It has an invigorating smell and a strong roasted flavor. with out all the rhetoric and fancy wording. This tea rocks my socks off

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100
25 tasting notes

This time I tried the Jin Xuan, a special varietal that is grown in Alishan and also offers some milk oolong flavour. The dry leaf smells vegetal, sweet, and creamy milk with butter.

I prepared this using a porcelain gaiwan, using 2g of leaves and giving the leaves a rinse first. I used water at approximately 85 degrees Celsius. I began with a 10 second infusion time, adding 5 seconds per infusion for a pattern of 10, 15, 20, 25, etc. I personally found the liquor to have a more pale colour but rich savory and buttery aroma. The mouthfeel was creamy, somewhat thick, and a few infusions in I also found it delightfully squeaky.

The flavours are more umami to me, savory butter and reminding me of legumes, peas and edamame, but there is also a floral note and some sweetness in here too. It’s complex and quite amusing for the tastebuds. The first several steeps were always a burst of flavour. I carried on for 10 infusions, finding that even by the end the flavour was still quite consistent but mellowing. This is a delightful find!

Flavors: Butter, Cream, Umami, Vegetal

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 0 min, 15 sec 2 g 2 OZ / 50 ML

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88
413 tasting notes

Jin Xuan doesn’t get a lot of attention among Taiwanese oolong fans, possibly because much of it is of poor quality. This version is from Alishan, though, and I’m hoping it’ll be more interesting. It also goes without saying that it’s not one of those artificially scented Jin Xuans that I avoid like the plague. Thanks to Fong Mong for the sample. I steeped 7 g of leaf in a 120 ml teapot at 190F for 20, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, and 240 seconds.

The dry, loosely rolled large nuggets have a subtle aroma of cream, corn, and flowers. The first steep has notes of cream, butter, gardenias, corn, corn husk, and grass. It reminds me of cream corn to a ridiculous extent, though with a vegetal aftertaste. The second steep morphs into soft peaches and cream with hints of gardenias and other flowers. There’s also butter and corn in the background. Needless to say, this tea is quite sweet.

The third steep returns to a floral cream corn with hints of cooked veggies like asparagus, while the next steep loses some of the corn and is heavily floral, almost perfumey. I love how this tea keeps changing! By steep five, the vegetal notes start becoming more prominent, although it’s still floral and creamy. The end of the session is almost entirely vegetal, with lettuce and asparagus in the foreground.

This is a sweet, nuanced Alishan oolong that even high mountain snobs like me can appreciate. I loved watching the flavours play musical chairs throughout my gongfu session. I highly recommend this tea, especially given its price point.

Flavors: Asparagus, Butter, Corn Husk, Creamy, Floral, Gardenias, Grass, Lettuce, Peach, Perfume, Sweet, Vegetal

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 7 g 4 OZ / 120 ML

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