Today was a rainy day and I wanted a cosy tea to drink when I got home from work. I chose a Shanlinxi Gaoshan Oolong Teamania sent me several months ago because it seemed like the perfect tea. I had drunk it before, but I forgot I still had it and hadn’t written about it yet.
Shanlinxi Gaoshan Oolong
The Shanlinxi Gaoshan Oolong is an oolong tea from 2012 and comes from Shanlinxi. It’s a high mountain tea that was grown at a high altitude. They used a Qing Xin (green heart) cultivar to make this tea. This cultivar has the longest history of cultivation in Taiwan and is really popular.
Don’t know where to buy tea online? I made a list of over 300 online tea shops and I keep updating it regularly. You can check it over here
The remarkable thing about this tea is that is traditionally processed. This means that it is heavily oxidised. Most modern oolong teas are only lightly oxidised and might be too fresh for some people. That is not the case in this one as it’s lightly roasted but heavily oxidised.
Tea Tasting
- 5.1g for a 130ml porcelain gaiwan
- Water 99°C-95°C
Dark brown leaves that are ball-rolled with a green hue. It mostly consists of leaves but I also spot some stems. The aroma is not that intense. I’m getting notes of butter, dry wood and something floral as well. Once the leaves get wet, it’s more floral and more intense in general.
Infusion 1 (15 sec): this one has a light yellow colour with an orange hue. Quite strong flavours already, especially for a first infusion. It starts out on a buttery note and quickly gets more floral. Deep and rich flavours that keep going. The finish is floral with a refreshing twist. The aftertaste is warming and has some traces of the roast (in a good way).
Infusion 2 (20 sec): the colour is shifting more towards the orange tones. I’m getting some roasted flavours right from the start and I’m also getting floral notes and traces of apples. This continues into the finish and aftertaste. The aftertaste is long-lasting and has a sweet touch to it.
Infusion 3 (20 sec): it’s starting to change. The fresher floral notes from earlier are becoming fruitier, fuller and deeper. It’s also becoming a bit sweeter. Really interesting infusion because a lot is going on. It quenches my thirst and that is what good tea should do.
Infusion 4 (25 sec): still really pleasant end enjoyable tea. it starts with a refreshing sweetness and it keeps its fresher edge throughout the infusion. Some roasted notes are coming through but it’s a nice addition. The aftertaste is super long-lasting and it reminds me of a sweet and juicy apple.
Infusion 5 (30 sec): the colour isn’t changing much. It’s getting sweeter each infusion. There are some hints of caramelised sugar in combination with apples. It reminds me of toffee apples.
Infusion 6 (35 sec): similar to the previous infusion. Perfect tea for rainy days!
Conclusion
The Shanlinxi Gaoshan Oolong is such a treat! I don’t drink too much oolong tea but this one was definitely worth it.
It started out floral and gradually became fruitier and sweeter. The aftertaste went from floral with roasted notes to sweet and fruity notes with a touch of caramelised sugar. The aftertaste just kept going!
If you’re interested in this tea, click here.
