This is one of the most popular Taiwanese oolongs , it’s grown on Alishan at about 1000m up using the Jin Xuan cultivar. While Jin Xuan is planted across Taiwan that grown on Alishan specifically is prized for it’s naturally milky, buttery fragrance. That sweet, buttery aroma is complemented nicely by a satisfying vegetal taste iconic of high mountain oolongs. Steamed vegetables and a picturesque mountain meadow come to mind. It has a smooth, lighter mouth-feel and a mild refreshing after taste and headfeeling. Another standout feature of this tea is the sheer size of the leaf balls. They’ve been rolled close to twice the size of a typical ball-rolled oolong or gunpowder style tea. They’re very satisfying to watch unravel into full 3 leaf on a stem structures as shown in the 3rd photo.

Processing

After being handpicked the tea leaves are first withered outside for 3 hours, then another 3 hours inside. Next the leaves are loaded into a long cylindrical bamboo chamber that rotates known as a da lang (大浪) to bruise the tea and further oxidation. Once oxidation has reached the desired level the tea is fired at 350°C to halt it. Next a brief stint on a rolling machine to further bruise the tea is followed by drying on bamboo trays, rolling into it’s ball shape, and a final drying in a heated chamber for 2.5 hours at 70°C.