Black tea Wulong Milky

Among teas capable of bringing a smile even before the first sip, Milky Wulong holds a unique place. Its name instantly evokes a sensation: the sweetness of milk, the caress of light cream. Yet, everything comes solely from the leaf, without additives or artifice, thanks only to precise expertise and a surprisingly bountiful nature.

The story of this tea begins in Taiwan, when researchers in the 1980s developed a cultivar designed to combine robustness, elegance, and aromatic roundness. From this research emerged the Jin Xuan cultivar, now renowned worldwide. Processed as a low-oxidation oolong, it spontaneously releases fragrances reminiscent of soft cream, warm milk, and delicate vanilla, as if the leaf held the memory of an original indulgence.

Jin Xuan flourishes today in several terroirs of Asia, but it is in the mountains of Anxi, in Fujian, that it finds a new lease of life. There, the consistent humidity, fertile soils, and traditional pearl rolling forge a clear, elegantly fruity liqueur with a supple and satiny texture.

Milky Wulong also possesses a precious quality: it's a delightful bridge between two worlds, a gateway tea for those who wish to move away from flavored teas without losing their sense of taste. Its naturalness is reassuring, its richness intriguing, and its smooth profile gently accompanies the transition to more nuanced, unflavored teas. Like an outstretched hand, it opens the way to the fascinating world of Chinese and Taiwanese oolongs, and then, further still, to green, white, and dark teas.

It belongs to the family of lightly oxidized oolongs, generally between 15 and 25%, a level that preserves the vegetal freshness while revealing the characteristic roundness of the Jin Xuan cultivar. The unique feature of Milky oolong lies in the cessation of fermentation with milk steam. This light oxidation softens the leaf, mellows the floral notes, and enhances its aromatic suppleness, without ever veering towards the woody hues of more mature oolongs. Thus, Milky oolongs display a characteristic deep green, while more oxidized teas exhibit significantly richer browns.

In Asia, Milky Oolong is enjoyed both as Gong Fu Cha, in small, silky sips shared after a meal, and as a milk tea, where its natural cream aroma is a welcome substitute for artificial flavorings, appealing to a younger generation eager for refined sweetness rather than overly sweet taste. In Europe, it is gradually establishing itself as the "dessert tea" of connoisseurs: served plain to admire the clarity of its liquor, or as a delicate latte with a splash of plant-based milk, it accompanies those who wish to move away from heavily flavored teas towards a purer, more subtle, almost voluptuous world.

Food and tea pairing
To delightfully surprise your guests, pair Le Milky with a contrasting cheese that is both assertive and delicate: a gorgonzola mascarpone spread on a beautiful slice of lightly toasted sourdough bread. The tea's supple texture complements the cheese's smoothness, while a creamy sweetness envelops the blue veins without ever overpowering them. Its vegetal freshness and floral brightness balance the richness of the mascarpone, clarifying the palate and prolonging the blue notes of the gorgonzola. Together, they create a melt-in-your-mouth, almost dessert-like bite, where cream, delicate vanilla, and blue cheese come together in a subtle and unexpected harmony.

Recipe based on Milky Oolong tea
For a refined dessert, opt for a dessert cream with Milky Wulong and sweet caramel.
To make this, heat 250 ml of Milky Wulong tea until it just begins to simmer, then let it infuse for 2 to 3 minutes to release its aromas. In a bowl, whisk 2 egg yolks with 50 g of sugar and 15 g of cornstarch, then gradually whisk in the hot milk. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook gently, stirring constantly, until thickened. Then, whisk in 30 g of butter for a velvety texture. Serve warm or chilled, topped with a drizzle of caramel, a dollop of whipped cream, and a few shavings of white chocolate or slivered almonds for a touch of indulgence and a satiny finish, where the milky sweetness of the Milky Wulong tea blends delicately with its vegetal notes.