Is JinXuan Tea Oolong? A Common Misconception About Tea Cultivars

“Is JinXuan tea an oolong?” With its affordable price and delightful aroma, JinXuan tea is a popular starting point for many tea beginners. Since 80% of the JinXuan tea on the market is oolong, many people mistakenly believe that JinXuan and oolong are the same thing. In reality, this is a misunderstanding of both tea cultivars and manufacturing processes.

Is JinXuan Tea Oolong? Exploring the Variety and Craftsmanship of JinXuan

JinXuan tea is a “tea tree variety” developed by the Taiwan Tea Experiment Station in 1981. Leaves from any tea variety can be made into oolong, black, or green tea depending on the “tea-making craftsmanship” applied.

If harvested JinXuan leaves go straight to the fixation stage without fermentation, it is the “green tea process,” resulting in JinXuan green tea. If they undergo heavy fermentation without fixation, it is the “black tea process,” producing JinXuan black tea. When partially fermented and then fixed, it is the “oolong tea process,” yielding JinXuan Oolong tea (the previous image shows JinXuan Oolong tea).

Because most JinXuan tea in Taiwan is crafted through partial fermentation, falling under the oolong category, beginners often mistakenly think JinXuan is synonymous with oolong tea. However, this is inaccurate, as it can also be made into black or green tea. While closely related to oolong tea, JinXuan cannot simply be considered a synonym for oolong.