Milk Oolong

What it is

A rolled, lightly roasted green oolong with a quite distinctive flavour.
Where it’s from

High up on Ali Shan (Ali mountain) in Taiwan.
Its story

This tea is made from the Jin Xuan (translated as number ‘27’) cultivar of the tea bush, which was discovered quite recently in 1981. A curious tea farmer planted the bush and found fantastic results, which included a subtle milky characteristic. After the tea is lightly roasted, a hint of natural flavour is added – this can be noted more in the aroma of the dry leaves than the taste of the tea.
Why we chose it

We love oolong tea at Tea Horse and hope to convert more people to it. Milk Oolong is such a distinctive and interesting tea; we find it’s a favourite of many who are new to oolongs.
What it tastes like

A sunny yellow liquor has a gently milky aroma with a wonderfully thick feel in the mouth. Along with the lightly milky, buttery flavour, this tea has lovely tropical flavours; coconut and pineapple are the ones that stand out for us.
Drink it with

Make a pot and share together with friends and family in the afternoon. Milk Oolong pairs really well with stone fruits or a light meal of cold meats. It’s also great for helping digestion after a big meal.
How to make it

First, rinse the tea leaves with boiling water for about ten seconds – then pour away. This awakens the leaves. A fairly forgiving tea at hotter temperatures, we find the flavours most intense when the water is around 80-85ºC – cool boiling water for about three or four minutes. Pouring tea into a cold cup or pot will also cool the tea around five to ten degrees. Infuse for three minutes and enjoy on its own – no milk required! Re-infuse the leaves three times and observe how the flavours change.