Premium Taiwan Milk Oolong * Silk Oolong

Milk Oolong, like all Oolongs, is considered a semi-fermented tea meaning it is somewhere between a black and green tea. Over the years, production methods have remained unchanged for the most part although some aspects like withering temperatures have been automated and regulated. This very special Taiwanese Oolong is produced from tea leaves picked at a certain temperature, altitude, soil conditions and time which creates it’s uniquely milky and silky texture. First, the leaf is plucked from gardens situated between 500 – 1200 meters, and is produced between March and December. Next, the plucked leaf is withered in air-conditioned rooms until it is has reached the desired level of fermentation. The tea is rocked, or sifted to sort the prime leaf required, and steamed over hot fire lightly. Finally the tea is dried then re-sorted to ensure leaf quality and packed.

The rolled, blue-green leaves have an intense milk aroma, like milk toffee or hard milk candy, with a slight orchid floral undertone. It smells sweet and lovely. Likewise, the bright yellow brew is incredibly aromatic and flavorful. Its scents of creamy caramel, flavors of cream, milk, coconut milk and vanilla-infused cream fade into a lingering, sweet-green aftertaste. It has finish of gardenias, ripe fruits and warm cream which are remarkably indulgent. Later infusions are greener, more floral and equally complex.

Brewing Guide: The water used to steep this tea should be about 185-195ºF or 85-90ºC. Use about 2 teaspoons (3 grams) of tea leaves for about every 5 ounces (150 milliliters) of water. A steeping time of about 3-5 minutes is recommended with more or less time depending on the desired concentration. As a rough guide, the higher the temperature of the water or the greater the amount of leaves used, the shorter the steeping time should be. The tea leaves should uncurled for full flavor. For the ultimate enjoyment, a traditional Chinese Yixing teapot is recommended for loose oolong tea. The teapot should be half filled with leaves and initially steeped for 45 seconds to 1 minute with the steeping time increased by an additional 15 seconds for each successive steeping. The leaves may be steeped multiple times.

To Enjoy: Place one teaspoon per cup into an infuser, filter or teapot. Switch the kettle off, before it boils, when you hear the water rumbling. Add the hot, but not boiling, water and infuse for 3 minutes. Serve immediately or remove leaves to prevent spoiling.

5 Tasting Notes

Barbara 2 tasting notes

I don’t know what to make of this tea. Has flavour been added or not? I tend to agree with twinofmunin: how could it not be flavoured with such a strong scent and taste?

I ordered this tea in the hope that it could be an alternative for my much more expensive milky oolong from Theodor. Unfortunatly this is not it.

What I don’t like about this oolong is the very caramelized scent. It reminds me of hard/kristalized caramel candy. You know the type you nearly break your teeth on when trying to chew it and when you’ve finally crunched it, makes your teeth stick seriously together. Theodore’s version has a more vegetal note, which makes it more balanced and natural to the palette.

Although it certainly isn’t bad, I won’t be buying it again. It just doesn’t hold up to the Theodor Milky Oolong.

2013-02-08 13:35:12 -0500

185 °F / 85 °C

4 min 0 sec

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twinofmunin

Strongly and unmistakably sweet/milky/creamy; I love it, but I can see how it might be offputting to some. Definitely something one has to be in the mood for. I don’t see how it can’t be flavoured, though the milkiness lasts through quite a lot of infusions; I’ve had milk oolongs that were of unknown flavouredness and Taiwanese High Mountain milk oolongs that were definitely not flavoured, and this is nothing like the latter category.
The leaves are still intact; maybe medium to large in size?

2011-07-01 20:42:37 -0400

195 °F / 90 °C

0 min 30 sec

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Aiko

This is my first experience with a milk oolong. When I first opened the bag, the smell strongly reminded me of “Milky Candy” that I used to eat a lot of as a child. A nice smell, just not one I would expect from tea.

I steeped this in my 90ml gaiwan, 4.5 grams (Should probably try for 3-4 next time), 160~70 degrees and increasing.

The milky flavor comes through very strong in the first few steepings, almost overbearingly so, but then abruptly drops off into a “greener” taste. At this point I had to use boiling water and longer than average steep times to extract any flavor at all from it.

The first time I tried this tea, I was quite enchanted by the milky-creaminess and found myself rather disappointed that it had to end so soon. When I tried it again a few weeks later, I was less impressed with the first few steepings and enjoyed the more floral notes of the later steepings, difficult as they were to extract. I may have just been in a different mood, or maybe the strong milk flavor is the sort one easily burns out on. Maybe future tastings will tell me more.

Overall, this leaves me intrigued enough to seek out and try other milk oolongs; it certainly has an interesting flavor. However, I probably would not order this one again.

2012-01-10 14:37:27 -0500

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teaddict

Trying a sample of “Premium Milk Oolong” from Dragon Tea House. I was rather overwhelmed when I opened the package by the strong aroma, and the tea was….powerful. Not quite like the sense of drinking perfume from an overdone jasmine tea, but not too dissimilar, either.

I think I will see if one of my colleagues would like the larger package that I bought of this one. Many of them enjoy flavored teas. My taste buds are still ringing.

2011-05-09 16:42:05 -0400

205 °F / 96 °C

0 min 30 sec

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