Oolong Milk tea, Taiwan, 50g

Nai Xiang Jing Xuan (translated from Chinese as "fiery flower with a milky aroma") is a high-altitude semi-fermented Taiwanese oolong. The basis for its production is Jin Xuan tea (Golden or Fiery Flower), which is grown in the mountainous areas of Nantou County at an altitude of 700-900 meters above sea level. Nai Xiang Jin Xuan is harvested 2 times a year: in spring and autumn.

There is a myth that when processing Nai Xiang Jing Xuan, the tea bush is pollinated with a sugar cane solution, the rhizomes are watered with a milk solution, and then covered with rice husks. So, allegedly, the tea leaf absorbs the "milky" taste even at the root. In fact, this is not the case.

Then where does the milk flavor come from? Firstly, the variety of this tea itself, after processing and roasting, has a sweet aroma that vaguely resembles milk (provided that the tea is fresh). Secondly, the collected tea leaf is saturated with the aroma with the help of milk essence to give a more characteristic milky aroma and taste. The tea flavored in this way has a pronounced creamy caramel taste and aroma.

Jin Xuan is a cloned shrub—type tea variety developed as a result of research by the Taiwan Tea Agricultural Research Center. This special variety is known for its unique spring floral aroma and creamy shade. It is from it that semi-fermented Milk Oolong tea is made, which has a strong and rich taste and a special aroma similar to the aroma of milk. Currently, Jinxuan's planting area is second only to Qingxin Oolong and ranks second in Taiwan.

This variety is especially liked by lovers of sweet tea. Even without the addition of sugar, the taste of Taiwanese milk oolong is delicate and soft. Nai Xiang Jing Xuan is one of the most famous varieties of Chinese tea in Europe.