Milky Oolong

Our Milky Oolong comes from Fujian, China, and is based on the Jin Xuan cultivar (TTES #12). The region's mild, humid climate and Oolong tradition support its natural sweetness, soft texture, and delicate floral notes.

A bud and two to three young leaves are harvested. It is processed by being lightly oxidized and tightly rolled: After wilting, the leaves undergo yaoqing (gentle nudging), which initiates controlled oxidation. This is then stopped by fixing the leaves, rolled into the typical sphere shape, and stabilized with a very gentle counter-roasting. This results in a creamy-smooth, mildly sweet, and clearly mineral-driven cup, without any added flavoring.

Milky Oolong is a "texture tea." The rolled leaves release body and heat first in the initial infusions, giving it a creamy, almost buttery flavor, without necessarily tasting like milk. If you pour it all off and control the brewing time, the cup will retain a particularly well-rounded flavor. It rarely becomes bitter if brewed for too long, but it will change from creamy to clear more quickly.

With each sweep, the spheres open further. The creaminess recedes, floral notes and cool freshness become more pronounced, and in the end, a bright, mineral sweetness lingers. A short sweep keeps it soft and milky. A longer sweep reveals its clearer side – calm, clean, and highly focused.

NOEMA is an independent tea house with a clear ambition: Only what we can stand behind in terms of taste, craftsmanship and content makes it into our product range.

We work with carefully selected partners who share our eye for quality. Every variety is tasted, compared, understood – and only included if it fulfills what we look for in tea: clarity, tranquility, and depth.