Ben Shan Source Mountain Oolong

Ben Shan Source Mountain Oolong is a light and crisp oolong from the famous tea growing area of Anxi County in Fujian Province. Rolled green leaves produce a pale golden and floral liquor. The delicate character has sweet, floral and buttery notes of osmanthus and orange zest.

Brewing guide: 2.5g in 250ml water at 90°C for 3 minutes

£3.00£10.50

(10-50g)

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Origin:Gan De, Anxi County, Fujian Province, China
Elevation:500-700m
Cultivar:Ben Shan (本山) Regional Cultivar
Harvest time:Autumn 2023
Sourcing:Specialist Chinese Wholesaler

Description

Ben Shan Source Mountain Oolong (本山烏龍茶) is one of the 4 famous lightly oxidised oolongs from Anxi County of Fujian Province in China. It is one of the more floral oolongs from Anxi County, having a buttery and floral character. This particular batch is from the Autumn 2023 harvest.

Ben Shan (本山), which translates as “source mountain”, is a classic floral oolong that is light but satisfying. It is one of the more aromatic of the Anxi style oolongs. Anxi style oolongs are generally lightly oxidised, retaining many of the delicate floral aspects that are closer to a light green tea without the grassiness or astringency. This type of oolong has become known as a ‘jade’ or ‘green’ oolong due to the light appearance and colour that is reflected in both the leaves of the tea as well as the light coloured liquor.

Traditionally, many Anxi oolongs, while being lightly oxidised, would undergo heavy roasting to produce a much stronger roasted profile. These traditional roasted oolongs have fallen out of favour as there has been a rise in popularity of the unroasted light green oolongs both in China and in the West. In large part this is driven by trends among the younger generations in China. Also these lighter oolongs tend to be much easier to brew while having a much more easily approachable and appreciable taste. They are comparable to the lightly oxidised oolongs of Taiwan, such as Jade and Four Seasons, which are also gaining in popularity.

Ben Shan Source Mountain Oolong is made from the leaves of the Ben Shan cultivar. It has a low degree of oxidation of only about 20-30% and is unroasted. It has medium, variably coloured yellow, green and blue rolled leaves. The liquor produced is gold-green in colour with a lively fresh floral aroma. It has a light and crisp quality with no astringency or dryness. The flavours are buttery and floral with an orange zest tang to the finish. There is also the presence of an osmanthus flower scent that runs through the aroma and flavour. It is a great tea for relaxing and contemplating.

We suggest brewing at 90°C for around 3 minutes according to your taste. It can be brewed around 3+ times depending on your taste preferences.

You can discover all four famous Anxi oolongs in our online shop: classic Tie Guan Yin Iron Goddess of Mercy, crisp and zesty Mao Xie Hairy Crab, refreshingly floral Ben Shan Source Mountain and the most floral Huang Jin Gui Golden Osmanthus.

Ben Shan Source Mountain Oolong tea was first featured in our June 2018 Curious Tea Subscription Boxes.