What Is True Milk Oolong? How to Tell If Yours Is the Real Deal

What Is True Milk Oolong?

Milk Oolong, also known as Jin Xuan (金萱), is a lightly oxidised oolong tea known for its naturally creamy, buttery mouthfeel and floral aroma. Grown primarily in Taiwan, authentic Milk Oolong has a smooth, delicate taste with notes of sweet cream, orchid, and a slight hint of caramelised sugar. Despite its name, true Milk Oolong contains no dairy—it’s all about the natural composition of the tea leaves and how they are processed.

I still remember my first sip of true Milk Oolong. I was expecting something overwhelmingly milky, but instead, I was met with a gentle, silky texture and a floral sweetness that lingered long after each sip. It was nothing like the artificially flavoured versions I had tried before!

How to Know If Your Milk Oolong Is the Real Deal

1. Check the Ingredients

Many commercial Milk Oolongs on the market are artificially flavoured to enhance the creamy aroma. True Milk Oolong should have only one ingredient—tea leaves. If you see flavourings, additives, or anything beyond "oolong tea" in the ingredients list, it’s likely not authentic (see below).

2. Where Is It From?

Authentic Milk Oolong primarily comes from Taiwan (Jin Xuan #12 cultivar) – The most well-known and prized version. If your tea comes from elsewhere, it’s worth double-checking its authenticity.

3. Smell the Dry Leaves

One of the easiest ways to tell if your Milk Oolong has artificial flavouring is to smell the dry leaves. If there’s an overpowering, sweet, milky aroma—almost like powdered milk—it’s likely flavoured. True Milk Oolong has a much more subtle, natural creaminess.

The Best Way to Brew Milk Oolong

To fully appreciate Milk Oolong’s creamy texture and floral complexity, use the Gongfu Cha method with a Gaiwan or a small teapot. Here’s how:

1️⃣ Use 8g of tea leaves per 120ml of water.
2️⃣ Water temperature: 95°C
3️⃣ Steeping time: 10 seconds for the first few infusions. Increase slightly with each brew.

If you prefer a simpler approach, steep 3g of leaves per 250ml of water for 3 minutes in a teapot or infuser mug.

True Milk Oolong is a naturally exquisite tea that doesn’t need artificial flavouring to shine. What do you think of Milk Oolong? Have you ever been tricked by artificially flavoured versions? Share your thoughts in the comments!