Tea List Gallery: Oolong Varieties

by Tea Guardian

The category of oolong includes varieties from major traditional oolong regions of Minnan, Phoenix (Fenghuang), Wuyi and Taiwan. Contrary to how the West would like to define oolong, it is not simply a “partially fermented” tea. To learn more about the nature of this category, click <here> .

detail reviews

Many of the tea varieties in this list have appeared in review posts in this site. You can reach the particular writing by going to the category menu above this post. Most of the times one piece of writing may include a few of the teas listed below for comparative study. You may also do a site search to find out more about a particular tea and where it is mentioned.

When a tea is not mentioned in an existing writing yet, it will be in the near future. More will add to this list. Click <here> to register for updates. You may also consider joining us at the Questions and Answers section to discuss about a tea.

: Yancha Shuixian 岩茶水仙, or Rock Tea Water Lily, aka Sacred Lily, a variety of Wuyi oolong with a wide range of quality of styles 20052 | 8971 2007

: Baxian Dancong, aka the Eight Immortals, is a traditional Phoenix shuixian oolong in light baking, i.e bouquet, or qingxiang, style. 鳳凰八仙單欉

: Zhilan Xiang Dancong 芝蘭香單欉, Phoenix oolong

: Wenshan Paochong, or Wenshan Baozhong 文山包種, classic traditional Taiwan oolong

: Bujiantian 不見天, a Wuyi Shuixian oolong 武夷山水仙

: Tieguanyin, 鐵觀音, the most famous of all Minnan oolongs. This is a floral style of medium quality and very green finish 20539 | 8819

: Charcoal style Tieguanyin 碳焙鐵觀音, Minnan oolong 閩南烏龍 20598 | 8874

: Tieguanyin, Medium Baked. 中火鐵觀音 The famous Minnan oolong baked to a medium degree 20315 | 8884

: Milan Xiang 蜜蘭香, Classic style Phoenix oolong 20243

: Rougui, aka Cassia 肉桂, a Wuyi 武夷 oolong. 20049, 2007 | 8966

: This is a more popularly accessible quality of the Milan Xiang variety.

: An oolong from Vietnam

: Tieguanyin, Floral Style. 清香型鐵觀音 This most famous of all Minnan oolongs 閩南烏龍. It can come in many styles, differing in depth of oxidation, greenness, and levels of baking. This is a higher quality with standard oxidation and green finish 20561 | 8865

: Shuijin-gui 水金龜, a Wuyi Shuixian oolong 武夷山水仙。 T406 2005/6 | 8976

: Dongding oolong 凍頂烏龍, baked to the classical Taiwan traditional style. 21348

: Jin Mudan, aka Golden Peony 金牡丹, a Minnan oolong

: This particular batch of Milan Xiang is from Wudong, the mecca of Fenghuang Dancong. The duller surface is a result of the additional twisting done particularly to most longer baked classic styles, where the tea juice dries out to leave crystallized tea substances on the exterior, a great portion is caffeine. Notice the distinctive more baked colour of the leaves. Better executed bake is never over, reviewing the lighter colour yellow leaf ends. Milan Xiang, whether ganged with other bushes of the same cultivar and quality, or really from a single bush, has a temptatious fruity sweetness resembling either the peach, lychee, or sweet yam, depending on the horticulture and processing.

: Renshen oolong 人參烏龍 is made by coating Chinese licorice powder on Minnan oolong

: Lanhua Xiang Dancong 蘭花香單欉, bouquet style Phoenix oolong

: Rebaked Baxian, aka Eight Immortal Rebaked, 復焙八仙, is produced by rebaking a floral style Phoenix dancong 20238 | 8668

: Osmanthus Milan Xiang 蜜蘭桂花香, scented with fresh flowers of osmanthus

: Wuyi Aijiao Wulong 武夷矮腳烏龍, an oolong made from a special local wulong cultivar. 20053, 2007 | 8981

: Paochong (aka Baozhong) is a light oxidation Taiwan oolong. This selection is produced organically in Huangshan, Anhui, China.

: Huangjin Gui, 黃金桂, a Minnan oolong 閩南烏龍, is often sold in green and floral finish for its floral aroma. This is a high quality. 20538 | 8811

: Song Cultivar Huangzhi Xiang Dancong used to be the most popular and acclaimed of all classic style Phoenix dancongs. Yet most producers now process it to the bouquet finish to highlight its kumquat accents.

: Shiguping Wulong 石古坪烏龍, a rare Phoenix oolong made from a local wulong cultivar

: This is an acceptable quality batch. Notice the close resemblance with Milan Xiang, and the typical longer bake, except for the looser twist and coarser leaves. This is nevertheless a first flush. Guihua translates as osmanthus flowers, relating to the natural fragrance of this variety. A favourite in the domestic market and finer ones are rare outside of the Chaozhou area, even at a price. Producers have resort to scenting various quality grades with osmanthus flowers to imitate the natural, making the label more accessible. We’ll review this scented tea later.