Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Concubine Oolong is a northern Taiwan produced oolong sold by Eco-cha, online seller of Taiwan teas.
Eco-Cha has a nice write up about this tea, but in sum, Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Concubine Oolong is similar to an Oriental Beauty, but a different oolong variety and leaf rolling method. Similar to Oriental Beauty oolongs, this tea is munched on by specific bugs to encourage new growth, thus a big flavor change. With that said, this type of tea has not been treated with pesticides, thus more work to make as well as in many cases, a bigger price tag. Personally, I’m scared of bugs, but I’ve had bug nibbled teas many times and dang it’s good stuff!
I decided to review this tea first as the name made me giggle. I know I’m immature, hoot!
Dry Leaf
Appearance wise, this doesn’t look like an Oriental Beauty, more so a nice tieguanyin. The smell of the dry leaf is floral, crisp and buttery.
The dry leaf here is quite heavy, I recommend weighing this tea over teaspooning it. For me, 7 grams came out to 2 to 2.5 teaspoons. The dry leaf is pretty large too – I wonder how big these puppies will expand?
Steeping Instructions
Eco-cha’s steeping instructions list Single Mug Brew (4grams per 12oz for 3 to 4 minute steep), Cold Brew (3 grams, 3 hours in the fridge) and Gongfu. I decided to go Gongfu, because I had a long day of learning to drive (aka, me panicking in the car if there are any other moving cars, humans or squirrels near me).
Gongfu instructions = 6 to 8 grams, 212f/100c water. I did a quick rinse for good luck, and started steeps at 30 seconds, adding 15 seconds. At the 1 minute mark I added 30 seconds, and at the 3 minute mark I added an additional minute.
Steamy gaiwan shot!
Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Concubine Oolong steeped up to a lovely buttercup yellow with a light floral scent.
Tasting of Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Concubine Oolong
First and Second Infusion: Loads of flavor! Sips in honey sweet with quite a bit of floral notes going on. I had a hard time deciding what floral I’m tasting and gave up and decided it was a bouquet. There’s orchids and osmanthus – the osmanthus being really neat as it adds a bit of citrus zip to the mix. End of sip, there is a creamy buttery flavor that coats the lips. The aftertaste is a twist! A few moments after each sip there is a creamy sweet peach taste, similar to peach hi-chew. Oh, I’d say this is a 5/10 on the floral-o-meter. Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Concubine Oolong has a great, natural floral flavor that isn’t too perfumey.
After the second infusion I checked the gaiwan – HOLY HOOTS this leaf is the size of my palm!
Third and Fourth Infusion: The strong flavor of floral is still there, but some grassy vegetal notes have begun to appear. Also, there is a slight astringency end of sip, which helps keep that sweet peachy aftertaste alive!
Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Infusion: Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Concubine Oolong has grown another floral flavor: tulip. With the tulip flavor is a bit of nutty earth, making me excited for spring. Now this tea has orchids and osmanthus and tulips. I’m guessing this would be a very yellow floral bouquet! The overall flavor is beginning to lighten.
Eighth and Ninth Infusion: With my final infusions the flavor level is just a hum of floral and grass, as if the sun is beginning to set.
Comments
Floral, Oriental Beauty and tieguanyin oolong lovers should check out Eco-cha‘s spring bouquet Shan Lin Xi High Mountain Concubine Oolong. As a floral and oolong lover, I was pleasantly surprised at the bouquet flavor – most of the time I only taste one type of floral! The aftertaste quite amazingly delicious and the tea is high quality – a great luxury floral tea!
Bonus: Dressed up for tea time!
(tea provided for review)
