Jin Xuan
Jin Xuan
Jin Xuan
Taiwan

Jin Xuan

Golden Daylily

'Milk' oolong, a creamy mouthfeel tea.

Regular price $24.00
Sale price $24.00 Regular price
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About

A creamy, naturally sweet oolong tea from Taiwan.

Jin Xuan, known as Golden Daylily, was developed as TTES cultivar #12 in Taiwan during the early 1980's. This semi-oxidised tea has a distinctive buttery character so it is sometimes found with the name Nai Xiang which translates to 'milk fragrant', and this oolong is regularly known as Milk or Milky Oolong.

The leaves unfurl when steeped and expose a pale golden liquor with a delicate aroma, reminiscent of fresh cream and orchid. The liquor has subtle floral notes and a smooth, velvety mouthfeel. Brewing multiple times at slightly lower temperatures can help to unlock its signature sweetness.

We find this tea to be perfect for those seeking a refined, approachable oolong that balances complexity with comfort. It is especially popular with those who enjoy drinking black tea with milk as it has a familiar mouthfeel.

While some products using this name are artificially flavoured, our Jin Xuan contains no added flavouring, and despite its flavour profile, there is no addition of any dairy!

Jin Xuan is also commonly grown in the far reaches of northern Thailand, where it is well suited to the high altitude and tropical climate.

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Jin Xuan

Jin Xuan

Tasting

Leaf

Tightly rolled into small, dense pellets in the the ball-rolled style typical of Taiwanese oolong. Deep green with a glossy sheen, some stem still attached. Compact and heavy in the hand; the leaves unfurl slowly over several steeps.

Aroma

Soft and creamy – warm butter, fresh milk, a hint of vanilla over light florals. This buttery note is what gives the tea its "milk" namesake. Lightly oxidised, so sweet and floral rather than roasted. Smooth, with no grassy edge.

Liquor

Bright green-gold, clear and bright. Light to medium body with a notably smooth, almost creamy texture and very low astringency. Naturally sweet and finishing long and gentle. Holds up across multiple infusions as the pellets open.

Profile
Tea Type Oolong
Processing Ball-Rolled
Caffeine Medium
Perfect For Afternoon
Milk Option This tea is not suitable for milk.
Preparation

How to brew Jin Xuan

Jin Xuan is a lightly oxidised, ball-rolled oolong, and it takes hotter water than green tea; close to the boil, around 90–95°C. The tight pellets open slowly, so it rewards patience: each steep draws out a little more of the creamy, floral character.

Brew it Western for an easy cup, or gong fu – small pot, more leaf, repeated steeps – and observe it as it unfurls and changes.

Temperature 90°C / 194°F
Measure 3g per 250ml
Steep Time 3 min
Infusions 1-3
Temperature 90°C / 194°F
Measure 5g per 100ml
Steep Time 20-25s, +10s per steep
Infusions 5-8
Brewer's Note

The tightly rolled leaf opens slowly and gives more with each steep, so don't over-steep the first one chasing strength.

Origin

Central Taiwan

Country Taiwan

Taiwan sits off the southeast coast of China, a subtropical island dominated by a spine of high mountains running its length. Warm, wet and often wrapped in mountain mist, its highlands are some of the finest oolong-growing country in the world – and oolong is the tea the island is known for.

Tea arrived from Fujian, on the Chinese mainland, in the early 1800s. By the 1860s a Scottish merchant, John Dodd, was shipping Taiwanese oolong abroad under the name "Formosa Oolong" – a brand that reached as far as New York and made the island's tea famous well beyond Asia.

That reputation now rests on its high-mountain, or gaoshan, teas. Above roughly a thousand metres, cool air and frequent cloud slow the plants' growth, thickening the leaves and concentrating their sweetness while softening any bitterness.