Li Shan Oolong梨山烏龍

Li Shan Oolong is a Gao Shan oolong from Li Shan, Taichung/Nantou, Taiwan. Brew it at 90°C with 5g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 8 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. No rinse needed.

Tasting notes

Heavier than you'd expect from something grown this high. Li Shan sits at 1,800–2,500m, just below Da Yu Ling, and the character carries more body than almost any other light Taiwanese oolong in the style. Orchid florals are there, but they're riding on top of an unusually thick, milky middle with dried-peach fruitiness and a huigan that compounds across steeps 2, 3, and 4 rather than peaking early. Later infusions drift toward melon and snap-pea — a vegetal hint that Ali Shan doesn't really have. Brewing-wise, it's less forgiving than Da Yu Ling because the extra body means imbalance shows up fast. Stay at 5g (or even a touch lighter), 90°C, and give steep one the patient 30 seconds the ball-rolled leaf needs to crack open. The trap is leaving it too long at steep three when the leaf is wide open and extracts in 10 seconds. Peaks around infusion four, then glides down.

Flavor profile

Thick, sweet, and complex — orchid florals layered with creamy milkiness and dried-peach fruitiness. Higher body than most gao shan despite the light oxidation. Substantial huigan that builds across steeps, with melon and snap-pea vegetal notes in later infusions.

Terroir

Very high elevation (~1800–2500m), cold mountain air, persistent mist, slow leaf growth concentrates aromatics

Cultivar: Qing Xin

Brewing

1. Steep 1: 30 seconds
2. Steep 2: 20 seconds
3. Steep 3: 20 seconds
4. Steep 4: 25 seconds
5. Steep 5: 30 seconds
6. Steep 6: 35 seconds
7. Steep 7: 40 seconds
8. Steep 8: 50 seconds

Treat like other unroasted gao shan — 90°C, patient first steep for the ball-rolled leaf to open. Quality Li Shan rewards lighter ratios that let the florals speak.

Aroma & taste

Processing

• withered
• semi-oxidized
• ball-rolled

Sources

• https://beautifultaiwantea.com/products/lishan-premium-high-mountain-oolong
• https://beautifultaiwantea.com/blogs/beautifultaiwantea/brewing-high-mountain-oolong-from-taiwan
• https://pathofcha.com/products/li-shan-oolong-tea-taiwan
• https://meileaf.com/tea/pear-cloud/
• https://eco-cha.com/products/li-shan-high-mountain-oolong-tea