A Tea Cup Dropped

This Jin Xuan (Golden Lily) tea is a pale yellow-gold when infused. Its smell is intriguing, particular, almost buttery. Its flavor is the same: a buttery, ever so slightly sweet flavor with a subtle aftertaste that coats the back of your throat and stays with you a while as you go about your business. This particular tea leaf was produced by farmers who placed first in the category of oolong among tea producers at the Spring 2006 National Taiwan Premium Tea Competition. They consistently place in the top 3 year after year, either national and regional competitions. A high-mountain oolong tea, it was grown at a height of between 3000 and 4500 feet on the beautiful slopes of the famous Alishan mountain in Taiwan. Jin Xuan is sometimes confused with Milk Oolong, or Nai Xiang, with which there is no similarity. Jin Xuan is delicious, excellent, and quite pure looseleaf oolong (nothing added).

Famous in Taiwan for its beauty, Mount Ali (Alishan) is particularly known for its "five wonders:" sunrises, clouds, sunsets, forests and the small gage charming mountain railway. Add to that cherry blossoms, and waterfalls, you have the stuff that poetry is made of. It's hard to find a more magical, beautiful, awe-inspirting location to grow teas and taste teas.

Brewed color: Light yellow-gold. Flavor: Buttery, ever so slightly sweet. Aftertaste: Pleasant, lingering, coating the back of your throat. Number of infusions: 2-3 for 1 teaspoon in 4-6 ounces of water (depends on your taste). Preparation: For best results, use spring water or mineral water that has just come to a boil: wait a moment, then pour over the leaves.

Origin: Alishan Mountain, Taiwan. Classification: Jin Xuan (Golden Lily), a light-roasted High Mountain Oolong. Package Size: 150 grams (5.3 ounces). Grade: High