Aroma:
Dry leaves release a green floral aroma of wild orchid, sweet butter and mountain air. This becomes a soft bouquet of alpine flowers, steamed greens, and soft stone fruits when steeped. The scent has a cool, high elevation freshness - it is sometimes called "crisp mountain mist" - with notes of sugar snap peas or white florals like lilies and magnolias.
Taste:
It is clean, lightly creamy, and floral with an elegant complexity. Taiwan Alpine Oolong: soft gardenia, underripe peaches, and fresh mountain herbs. Medium oxidation and light roasting keep it bright green with subtle depth. A few infusions impart a soft sweetness similar to nectar, with brief notes of young guava or new bamboo shoots. The tea is just right: fresh and yet warm.
Mouthfeel:
Smooth and rounded with a medium body. Its texture is soft and buoyant - neither thick as Jin Xuan nor thin as green teas - and it tastes sweet and light. The very low astringency allows for several infusions with slightly different nuances.
Finish:
Long, airy with a sweet, cooling finish. Aftertaste builds slowly with floral and fruit notes that persist well after the sip. Later steeping gives off a soft minerality reminiscent of clean river stone or misty forests, which leaves a soft impression on the tongue.
Liquor colour:
Light to pale golden-green in color with a clear clarity due to high altitude origin and gentle processing.
Lovely with:
Serve with simple lightly flavoured foods such as steamed vegetables, white fish or almond cookies. Excellent contemplative tea - sip it slowly. It also pairs well with cold brew - notes of crisp floral and mountain purity.