VeryPisces said

What exactly makes a tea "milky" or "creamy"?

I see talk about milky oolings and creamy earl greys. What is it that causes this milkiness/creaminess? And are we talking mouthfeel or flavor (or both)? Which teas impart these qualities? I would like to try some.

4 Replies
K S said

I went through the same thing with malty, buttery and more recently savory. Creamy can be a flavor, a mouthfeel, or both. I will leave it to others to give examples. Once you see it, its obvious.

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Azzrian said

I think that the milky can be from nature or an additive some tea companies will put a dried milk into the tea to create this flavor while others have it in the tea as a natural flavor that comes out.
To me it is both a mouthfeel and flavor either or, or both.
A tea can TASTE milky or creamy but not have that heavy like nature to it and be light or bright in the mouthfeel.

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I’m sure others will have better answers but for what it’s worth “milk oolongs” (ones with out any additives) are typically picked in the summer.

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mbanu said

Here is a study that seems to have identified one of the compounds responsible in green teas: http://www.aseanfood.info/Articles/11018352.pdf

Many of the components that are responsible for mouthfeel in tea are non-volatile, so separating them from one another for identification and study has been a challenge, it looks like.

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