


Jin Xuan is a hybrid that was developed in the 1970s. Its
Taiwanese number is TW #12,
though farmers often refer to it as “2027” or just “27”. These numbers refer to
the process the Taiwan Oolong Tea Research and Development Station used to
classify the teas as they were developing and testing them.
Jin Xuan is famous
for its milky texture and fragrance, often referred to as “Milk Oolong”. There
is misinformation in the tea world that this name is due to the use of milk as
fertilizer, but the name actually comes from the tea liquor itself. Jin Xuan is
thick and creamy, and if the terroir is right, with more sun, and the
processing has been done well, it has a definite milky aroma which is very
pleasing. Its fame has resulted in fake “Milk Oolongs” produced in mainland
China that are sprayed with artificial milk flavours post production, giving
them a strong and unnatural fragrance of milk.