Shan Lin Xi was the first high mountain oolong I tried so it has a rather special place in my tea memory. This also means, it also has a special place in my tea cabinet. Although it isn’t as perhaps abundant as Ali Shan or Li Shan, it’s certainly just as fine. The name, too, describes a special place, as Shan Lin Shi means pine forest stream or evergreen grove creek. But of course there’s a mountain in there, as Shan Lin Xi is part of the Zhu mountain range in Nantou County and Shan Lin Xi oolongs usually fall in the middle of high mountain elevation ranges, ~1400-1800 m above sea level. iTeapot specializes in such fanciful high mountain oolongs from Taiwan. Although they don’t include information on harvest, their Shan Lin Xi is fresh this spring (2011) to be just tempting.

Right from the leaves, the pine forest and stream seem a little closer from the cool dark bluish green palette of the leaves and much nicer than their website photo. Tightly coiled with some range to their shapes, the whole leaves have a pleasing weightiness and a soft matte finish. Set free, their aroma gushes forth, lightly sweet and fragrant as the forest comes into view. Lovely dry florals line the medium bouquet that are kind of pot pourri-like, soft and dainty, like baby’s breath and lilacs, with a rustle of twigginess. The sweetness of florals gather notes of dried fruit juice, like apple and orange juice from concentrate. Yet, these cascade across hardier aromas touched by the roast and a milkiness that slants the brown leafy or twigginess more toward cereal grain, to seem like oats and dry whole wheat. It’s not a high impact scent, seeming rounder, but it is interesting and delightful.

With more to see, iTeapot offers happily offers brewing suggestions on their website for brewing with five grams of tea in one minute intervals using 90-95°C water or one to two teaspoons for four minutes. I steeped the tea both ways they recommend using three grams per cup for 4 minutes or five in one minute intervals in 200 mL. Neither brewing was superior to the other, except as expected, one can get more steeps out of the more Gongfu style steeping. Either way, the tea glistens a nice yellow hue, cheery. Brewed Gongfu style, the first cup sprouts a light to medium bouquet that retains a flicker of the fall with dry notes lacing mild clovery florals that mingle with mineral substance. It has a soothing, warm milkiness, tinge of almost cinnamon spiciness and solidity to bring to mind corn husks, warm bagged milk and boiled potatoes with a calm refinement, just like floating leaves.

A climb in, the cup is met with an initial splash of a warm citrus that reminds me most of warm lemon juice, although it doesn’t have the acidic zip. This expands into an orange and lemon flavour through the light to medium body amidst ripples of light starchy flavours that are more like potatoes or pumpkin than the nuttiness of grains. This is further enhanced by a milkiness to the flavour but it’s more like a rice or almond milk than a whipping cream kind of milkiness. This also lends a soft feel with a bit of coarseness in the flow from a light astringency. There’s also an undercurrent of spiciness to the starchy flavour but it’s an earthy spiciness like Chinese five spice or coriander seeds. While it’s not a strongly flavoured body, it has a fulfilling weight so you know you’re drinking tea as it plays off the tongue with enough starch and fattiness to feel the flavour almost. The end of the sip brings sheer delight though, as the sweetness ebbs into a melony, mangosteen or nectarine like aftertaste that is deliciously long.

To keep the river flowing, the second steeping brings a darker cup as a medium dark yellow with a whisper of green. The bouquet holds a light to medium intensity, swimming with a sweet, dry aroma that flows to potato skin, spiciness with a twist of orange rind from a fruity kind of floral and oat milk. This is reflected in the cup as a light citrus floats through a potato-like grounding that is still mild. The body gets fuller as the tea seems more refreshing, remaining smooth despite a slight whiskery feel. The aftertaste gains momentum as one drinks, spouting with a delay to return with an enchanting fruitiness like green plums.

Catching another wave, a third infusion spouts a bit lighter cup that turns the tides. The scent ebbs into dry grass, plastic milk bags and just enough butteriness to conjure dough and shortcake. The flavour follows suit, retaining a citrus character that seems fruitier yet, also more earthy-mineral to lean toward pumpkin seeds. A crest of butteriness rides the finish with almost a dash of salt, while the aftertaste is lighter and shorter though still delayed, leaving a hint of nut that builds in sips to plums and citrus.

One more dunk of the leaves and the brew still glistens a light to medium yellow. The scent is light but livened by a splash of vanilla rising from a shore of mineral and dry corn husk-like aromas. The flavour is very mild with a hint of mineral but the increase in dryness and a bit of starchiness gives it some sustenance and an air of milkiness. There’s no aftertaste but with several sips, there’s a build of orange rind acid kind of around one’s back teeth with a lighter grass in one’s breath.

Back on shore, iTeapot’s Shan Lin Xi doesn’t scream of pine forest or stream but it is a tasty stroll through them. Despite its mellow character, it keeps it interesting. Like the pine forest and stream, there’s a synergistic interplay of elements in its bouquet and flavour and tactile landscape to keep one climbing through the cup. Plus, the playfulness of the aftertaste is just a treat. Just as nice, when I inquired about the tea on iTeapot's website, their response was quick and friendly while they also generously offered further discount on a subsequent order. It doesn't get much better than that. As such, the tea would certainly be a charming sip to relax into to muse about some special place.

— To purchase iTeapot Shan Lin Xi Oolong, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular tea, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Raven Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Raven's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Raven.

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