Milk Oolong, also called Jin Xuan or Nai Xiang, is a Taiwanese oolong known for a naturally creamy, almost buttery aroma, and despite the name, no milk is involved in making the real thing.
The name is the single biggest point of confusion around this tea. Genuine Milk Oolong gets its milky character from the Jin Xuan cultivar itself, a tea plant developed in Taiwan and released in 1981, combined with light oxidation and a light roast that bring out its natural sweetness. No dairy, cream, or milk flavoring is added in an authentic version. That said, the name has also been used, especially by lower-cost commercial producers, on ordinary oolong that’s been artificially scented or flavored to mimic that milkiness, so it’s worth knowing which one you’re buying: cultivar-grown Jin Xuan versus flavor-added oolong.
At its best, Milk Oolong has a smooth, rounded body, a sweet orchid-like aroma, and a lingering creamy finish that makes it a good introduction to oolong for green tea drinkers.
