Shan Lin Xi high mountain oolong

The light yet persistent aftertaste of this high mountain oolong from Shan Lin Xi brings to mind the light, fluttery movements of a butterfly. This morning, I brewed this tea in a porcelain pot for five. The large volume ensures sufficient room for leaf unfurling. To highlight the fresh and jade green qualities of high mountain oolongs, I chose a celadon dish to impart an aspect of green vitality that connects us to mother nature.

Like a chameleon, subtle notes of grass, fleshy fruits and flowers greet my nose. It is not possible to describe the taste profile precisely. The jade-coloured liquid was pleasant on the tongue and throat. A slight warmth in my stomach presents itself. These are little signs - easily overlooked - that bear testament to the high quality of this tea.

Preparing a two-part video for this tea seems a nice way of introducing this tea to my audience. In the vidoe links above are my proposed steps for brewing this tea, and as you will later notice in the second video, a cloth coaster was introduced to the setting to reduce the dripping effect from my teapot. Teaware arrangement from my intepretation can be very fluid but must not interfere with my hand movements. Keeping the process harmonious and calm is also one of the many things I aim for when refining my gong-fu cha techniques.

 

The opened leaves after the first infusion were soft and very supple. I prepared four satisfying infusions from the amount of leaves you see in the first photo.

Shan Lin Xi Oolong (春, Spring)

Sniffing the dry leaves has become a rather addictive affair. It gives me a preview of the high mountain power that these small tightly rolled balls are about to unleash. The dry smells are reminiscent of a bunch of fleshy petalled flowers, possibly crocuses, but I do not know for sure.

Armed with only a thermos flask, I left my tea to brew much longer in the Gaiwan at a lower water temperature. Lifting the lid, the fragrances underneath did sober me up and caught my attention intensely as a result of their similarity to a very much lighter version of agarwood scent of the very top grade.

The infusion felt very light but fusion between leaves and water did yield a very wholesome cup of tea, despite lowered temperatures. I first enjoyed three brews of this tea outdoors without passing any further judgement and went back into the house to resume my tea session. This time with freshly boiled water..

The colour of this oolong remains crisp under those few rays of sunlight left. With a higher brewing temperature, trademarks of this tea become more pronounced. Where a Jin Xuan oolong is about kicks and more direct floral notes, this Shan Lin Xi oolong exudes fragrances in more subtle and sustainable ways. There is a peculiar light waft of cinnamon which I attribute to the fermentation process and no steep rises and falls in its taste profile. Instead, a rather soft yet powerful aftertaste that coats one's mouth and digestive pathway as the tea makes its way down your throat to reach your stomach and a light Cha Qi spreads.

For all my teas that are available for sale, I have selected a black resealable pouch with a touch of traditional Chinese calligraphy. The simple matt design helps us to focus on the quali-tea contents inside. This pouch sits daintily on a flat surface, and I certainly would not mind parking it in any tea setting. The neutral design is both pleasing to the eyes and not "attention seeking" for relaxing tea times ahead.