At a glance
Jin Xuan is the tea-plant cultivar also known as TTES No. 12 or Tai Cha 12. This guide covers its oolong preparation. A faint creamy or floral aroma can be natural, while some products sold as milk oolong use added flavouring; the actual ingredient statement matters.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 金萱乌龙 |
| Tea family | Oolong tea |
| Associated origin | Taiwan; cultivar grown in multiple tea areas |
| Leaf form | Tightly rolled, curled or semi-ball-shaped oolong leaves |
Taste and appearance
The old sensory table describes a clean, mellow and smooth cup, green-yellow liquor and a faint milky/floral aroma. Milk is a sensory word here rather than proof of dairy ingredients. Aroma strength is not a reliable test for whether a particular milk oolong is flavoured.
The original infused-leaf photo is withheld because identical pixels were assigned to another tea name. Its named identity could not be confirmed; the original file is preserved.
The cover is the original dry-leaf illustration. These images are not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of origin, grade, age, authenticity or image rights clearance.
Grade characteristics
This preserves the earlier Chinese edition’s sensory comparison. It is not a complete verified current standard table and does not grade your packet. Plant material, growing area, processing and grade are separate details. Decorative star rankings are omitted.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare the grades.
| Feature | Extra grade | Grade 1 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Firm, even, pearl-like curled leaves | Tight, fairly even, pearl-like curled leaves | Fairly tight/even curled leaves, some tender stems |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous deep green | Fairly lustrous yellow-green | Reasonably bright yellow-green |
| Liquor | Green-yellow, clear and bright | Green-yellow and bright | Green-yellow, reasonably bright |
| Aroma | Faint milky and floral notes | A slight milky note | Clean |
| Taste | Clean, mellow and smooth | Mellow and brisk | Mild and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Even green leaves with red edges | Reasonably even green leaves with red edges | Green leaves with red edges, a few tender stems/fragments |
These aroma descriptions are not a test for flavour additives or dairy allergens. Less obvious creaminess does not establish a counterfeit cultivar.
Names and origin
The original page names Alishan in Chiayi and gardens in Nantou. These are growing-area examples, not the only places the cultivar grows. The former 1,000–1,600 m range and claim that the world’s best gardens lie in one narrow latitude band are not universal cultivar definitions and are omitted. The original Er Qi Zai nickname is retained as a naming aid, not another grade.
Everyday benefits
Brewed without added sugar, this is an ordinary tea drink that can be an alternative to sweetened drinks and contribute to fluid intake. It contains caffeine. These everyday properties do not establish that this named tea treats disease, lowers blood sugar or improves sleep. No TeaPlain clinical or brewing test is claimed here.
Who may enjoy this tea
Consider an unflavoured example if you enjoy a gentle creamy/floral oolong direction. If you prefer a more strongly flavoured product, choose it knowingly from the ingredient declaration rather than assuming all Jin Xuan has the same intensity.
When to take care
- Caffeine sensitivity or sleep problems: consider your total intake and timing if tea affects your sleep. A pale infusion is not a caffeine-free claim.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or medicines: ask a clinician or pharmacist about your actual product, caffeine intake and relevant medicine instructions.
- Iron supplements: follow the medicine’s instructions about separating tea from the dose. Do not use tea as treatment for anaemia.
These are product and individual considerations, not a blanket ban based on traditional “hot” or “cold” labels, age, sex or a constitution category.
How to brew
Original prose: porcelain gaiwan or clay pot
The original prose gives a porcelain gaiwan or clay pot, 1:15 tea-to-water ratio, 100°C / 212°F, preliminary wetting/rinse and a 20-second drinking infusion before decanting. It does not specify a measured dose. The example below makes the ratio explicit; its amounts are editorial arithmetic, not measurements inferred from the picture.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 6 g of Jin Xuan as an editorial example |
| Actual water | 90 mL / about 3.0 US fl oz, measured for the drinking infusion; 6 g at 1:15 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan or suitable clay pot with room for leaves and actual water |
| Water temperature | 100°C / 212°F |
| First drinking infusion | 20 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling/pouring time |
| Preliminary wetting/rinse | Separate from the drinking infusion, not a validated disinfection step |
Use your actual packet’s complete directions first. These inherited methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. The original seven-or-more-infusions statement is not a guarantee of equal-strength cups. Nominal teaware capacity is not actual added water after leaves displace space. Let the drink cool enough to sip; a steeping time is not a measured safe drinking temperature.
Read the original illustration separately
The diagram uses roughly one-fifth of vessel volume as dry-leaf bulk, 100°C water and an immediately discarded preliminary infusion. Its first three drinking infusions are about 30 seconds, followed by 10–20-second extensions. It gives no gram dose, actual water or capacity; its repeat-count and clay-pot preference notes are not guarantees or requirements.
For ordinary teaware, see brew without a gaiwan. Keep one complete method together rather than mixing gram dose, water and timing from different recipes.
Adjust your cup
| What you notice | One change to try |
|---|---|
| Too strong, bitter or drying | Separate the liquid from the leaves; shorten contact time or use less tea next time |
| Weak or watery | Keep the measured water fixed and try a longer infusion before changing the leaf dose |
| Later infusions become stronger | Check whether liquid was left sitting with the leaves |
| Different from a flavour description | Compare the actual product and method; a description is not a promise for every cup |
Change one variable at a time. For a fuller sequence, see fix a disappointing first cup.
How to buy
Look for the cultivar name, growing area, maker and roast, and whether the product is explicitly flavoured or unflavoured. For a milk allergy or dietary requirement, obtain clear product information instead of relying on the phrase milk oolong.
See buy your first Chinese tea for packet comparisons.
China price reference
Undated figures retained from the Chinese edition, in Chinese yuan (CNY). No original brand, batch, harvest or quotation date was recorded. These inherited China-edition figures are CNY, not New Taiwan dollars (TWD), and do not describe a current Taiwan retail quote. These are not verified current retail quotes, a market average or manufacturer-suggested retail prices.
| Chinese-edition tier | CNY per 500 g (one jin) | Equivalent CNY per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Extra grade | 700 | 140 |
| Grade 1 | 450 | 90 |
Per 100 g is an arithmetic conversion, not a quoted packet. Do not infer a missing sensory or price tier. Compare actual growing area, style, harvest, roast, weight and channel. A currency conversion does not make a UK or US retail offer comparable to a China historical figure.
How to store
Original storage method
For unopened small pouches, the source places the sealed pouches inside a tin. For bulk tea, it uses a foil pouch with excess air gently removed and the seal closed, followed by a lidded tin or porcelain container. Its vacuum-packing option is a packaging method, not an instruction to crush brittle leaves in a home vacuum sealer. Keep it cool, dry, away from smells, moisture and light.
The earlier tea-table or bookshelf example assumes those conditions; choose a cupboard if the shelf is sunny or near kitchen steam. The historical targets were below 25°C / 77°F, below 50% relative humidity, and a general 24–36-month shelf-life reference. These are legacy figures, not a freshly verified expiry or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. Follow the actual product label and seal/storage conditions.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep daily use away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam and spice containers, and reseal after each use. Roast style and packaging vary; do not carry a different oolong’s refrigerator advice into this packet without checking its label. No home re-roasting or ageing guarantee is prescribed. See storing an opened packet for everyday handling.
Origin, processing and history
This page covers Jin Xuan made as oolong; a cultivar identity is separate from a processing family, roast or flavour-additive statement. The original entry had no process picture. None is borrowed to imply all milk oolong follows one production method.
Common questions
Does milk oolong contain milk or added flavouring?
The name alone cannot answer that for your packet. Jin Xuan can have a faint creamy aromatic direction, and flavoured products are also sold. Read ingredients and allergen information, or ask the producer when it is unclear; aroma is not a dairy-free certification.
Can I move one number from this recipe into a different vessel?
Keep leaf form, measured dose and actual water, temperature, timing and separation together. A nominal capacity or dry-leaf bulk fraction is not a measured ratio.
Compare Dong Ding, or browse the oolong tea overview.
Editorial notes and updates
Updated 16 October 2026. Valid original descriptions, sensory comparisons, prose and image methods, storage handling, China price figures and usable pictures are retained with their scope. Doubtful medical, ranking and exact historical claims are revised or omitted. Current full grade clauses and historical prices are not certified. Original Chinese-labelled graphics have English reading notes; no TeaPlain tasting or brewing test is claimed. Internal research and image audits record the decisions.