Oolong TeaGuide
Milk Oolong: Natural Jin Xuan vs Flavoured "Nai Xiang"
"Milk oolong" means two different things. The natural version is Jin Xuan (金萱), a Taiwanese tea cultivar, also known as Taiwan Tea No. 12 (台茶12号), bred by the Taiwanese tea researcher Wu Zhen-duo, whose leaves give a naturally soft, creamy, buttery note. The other version, often labelled "Nai Xiang" (奶香, "milk aroma"), is an oolong flavoured with a milk or cream essence. Natural Jin Xuan smells gently creamy and floral and stays balanced across steeps; flavoured milk oolong smells loudly of sweet milk candy and fades fast. Both are brewed like light rolled oolong, at 80–90 °C.
I'll be honest: my first milk oolong was the flavoured kind, and I loved it, the way you love a milkshake. It smelled like caramel candy from the bag. It wasn't until I tasted a natural Jin Xuan next to it that I understood what I'd been drinking. The natural one was quieter, a soft butteriness under lilac and fresh cream, and it lasted twice as many steeps. I still don't mind flavoured milk oolong as a treat, but I want to know which one I'm buying. More in the oolong guide.
What Jin Xuan is#
Jin Xuan is a tea cultivar developed in Taiwan and released in the 1980s, bred by the tea researcher Wu Zhen-duo. (You may read that milk oolong was invented by a Japanese professor; that's a common mix-up.) It's hardy and productive, and its leaves carry a natural creamy, milky note that tea makers bring out with light oxidation and a light finish. Jin Xuan is grown across Taiwan, including in high-mountain areas, and has also been planted in mainland China and elsewhere.
For the wider family, see my Taiwanese oolong guide.
Natural vs flavoured: how to tell#
| Sign | Natural Jin Xuan | Flavoured "Nai Xiang" |
|---|---|---|
| Dry leaf smell | Soft, floral, a hint of cream | Strong, sweet, like milk candy or caramel |
| First steep | Gentle cream and lilac | Loud, sweet milk aroma |
| Third steep | Still creamy and floral | Aroma mostly gone, tea underneath flat |
| Aftertaste | Clean, sweet | Can feel artificial or cloying |
| Label | "Jin Xuan", cultivar and origin stated | "Milk oolong", often with no origin |
The simplest test is the third steep. Natural Jin Xuan keeps its character; flavoured tea has usually lost its aroma by then. The same logic works for jasmine tea: see jasmine tea.
How natural Jin Xuan tastes#
- Aroma: lilac, fresh cream, a light butteriness.
- Taste: smooth, sweet, silky; gentle floral notes.
- Texture: thick and creamy for such a light tea.
- Liquor: pale gold.
High-mountain Jin Xuan is more floral and cooling; lowland Jin Xuan is softer and creamier. More in high mountain oolong.
How to brew milk oolong#
| Leaf / 100 ml | Water | Rinse | 1st steep | Then | Steeps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 g | 80–90 °C | Quick | 10 s (balls need to open) | +5 s | 6–8 |
Western: 3–4 g per 300 ml, 80–90 °C, 3–4 minutes. It also makes a lovely cold brew. Full chart: gongfu brewing chart.
My side-by-side: natural vs flavoured#
Two 100 ml gaiwans, 6 g each, 95 °C, same timing.
Steep 1. Natural: lilac and fresh cream, soft. Flavoured: a wave of sweet milk and caramel; pleasant but loud.
Steep 3. Natural: creamier, buttery, still floral. Flavoured: the milk aroma almost gone, a thin, slightly flat oolong left.
Steep 6. Natural: gentle and sweet. Flavoured: I'd stopped at steep 4.
How to store it#
Like other light oolongs: airtight, dark, cool. Natural Jin Xuan keeps well for about 18 months. Keep flavoured milk oolong away from other teas: the flavour travels.
Myths about milk oolong#
"Milk oolong contains milk." No. Natural milk oolong gets its creamy note from the cultivar; flavoured versions use an essence.
"All milk oolong is flavoured." Natural Jin Xuan isn't.
"It was invented in Japan." Jin Xuan was bred in Taiwan.
My honest take#
There's nothing wrong with enjoying flavoured milk oolong, but pay for what you're getting. Buy natural Jin Xuan from a seller who names the cultivar and origin, taste it to the third steep, and you'll know the difference forever.
The bottom line#
Milk oolong is either natural Jin Xuan with a gentle creamy note or an oolong with added milk flavour. Check the label, smell for candy-sweetness, and taste to the third steep. Brew it at 80–90 °C.
Read next: Oriental Beauty and Tieguanyin.
Steep timer
5–7 g per 100 ml80–90 °CRinse firstUp to 10 steeps
Questions people ask
Is milk oolong flavoured?
Sometimes. Natural Jin Xuan isn't; its creamy note comes from the cultivar. Many cheaper "milk oolongs" are flavoured with a milk essence.
What is Jin Xuan?
A Taiwanese tea cultivar, also known as Taiwan No. 12, known for its natural creamy aroma.
What does milk oolong taste like?
Natural Jin Xuan: lilac, fresh cream and butter, smooth and sweet.
Does milk oolong have milk in it?
No.
How do you brew milk oolong?
About 6 g per 100 ml at 80–90 °C, a quick rinse, and a first steep of about 10 seconds.