Type Oolong Quick description Light highland oolong | Origin Taiwan Temperature 85–95°C | |
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Other names Jin Xuan, Milk Oolong, Nai Xiang, TTES# 12 | ||
Jin Xuan (Chinese: 金萱; pinyin: jīn xuān; literally: "Golden Daylily"; pronounced [tɕín.ɕɥɛ́n]) is a variety of oolong tea developed in 1980. The tea is also known as #12 or as "Milk Oolong" (Nai Xiang). It originates from Taiwan. The taste is light and flowery and sometimes compared to milk. This tea variety can be grown at higher altitudes, and the yield is about 20% higher compared to traditional tea varieties. These circumstances made it become one of the most popular varieties among tea farmers in Taiwan and Thailand. The widely advertised milky flavor of Jin Xuan is not always natural but is added by aromatization. The common method of flavoring the leaves further to accentuate their characteristic buttery taste is to steep or steam them in milk before roasting. However, this quality is varietally endemic to the tea, and similar taste enhancement can be produced by extra oxidization. Reputable dealers usually declare whether it is a natural or flavored oolong. A flavored Jin Xuan can be recognized before the tea is steeped. The added flavors mask the natural tea flavor significantly.