I'm reviewing two more Thai oolong from 101 Plantation, a main producer here. They're #12, Jin Xuan, probably the main plant type and oolong type produced in Thailand, and a Dong Ding style version. That's a reference to a Taiwanese region, really to preparation style there, to the rolled oolong being a little more oxidized and then significantly roasted.
I'll come right out with it: these were great. The Oriental Beauty oolong from them I reviewed recently was really exceptional, one of the best Thai oolongs I've yet to try, and these weren't too far off that. I suppose they're also among the best Thai oolongs I've tried, but good OB is really something special (or Dong Fang Mei Ren, if you prefer that name).
Anyone ordering that Oriental Beauty should probably consider these too. Even if only one of these styles is a personal favorite they're both great examples of these type ranges. It's a harder question to answer how these match up against good Taiwanese oolongs. They're pretty far up the scale, but some Taiwanese oolongs are really high in quality, and pleasant in expressed aspects. If you pay two or three times as much as these cost you can find as good or better teas from there, but you could also pay that much and try something that's not as good. An example at the end might clarify how far the range goes, and what the other extreme looks like.
Let's hear their descriptions (101's), and move on to the review notes.
101 Tea Premium Jin Xuan Oolong Tea No. 12 Loose Leaf (10g x 25 Packs, Box Set) (THB 400.00 Price, $11.86)
Indulge in the smooth, naturally creamy flavor of our Premium Jin Xuan Oolong Tea No. 12 Loose Leaf, carefully cultivated at our renowned tea plantation. Celebrated for its delightful milk-like aroma and gentle, mellow taste, each cup delivers an exceptional tea-drinking experience. Packaged conveniently in individual 10g packs, ideal for brewing one perfect teapot, this box set is excellent for sharing at gatherings, family tea time, or as a thoughtful gift for tea. lovers.
101 Tea Premium Dong Ding Oolong Tea Loose Leaf (200g) THB 350.00, 10.38 United States Dollar)
Experience the essence of our Premium Dong Ding Oolong, carefully cultivated in our tea plantation in Chiang Rai. Named after the "Frozen Peak," this exceptional tea features tightly rolled leaves that unfurl to reveal a light, refreshing cup with a distinct and captivating fragrance.
Those listings are marketing content, so they have to say that the teas are good, but in this case they're even better than they are describing. I've not read those listings until after writing the review notes, so I don't make it a point to connect the two in what follows.
That last tea, the Dong Ding version, costing $10 for 200 grams is crazy. It's really good tea. You might need to spend four times that much to buy an equivalent version in Taiwan, or elsewhere.
These are 10 gram samples or portions, which is why the 100 ml gaiwan is completely full. I thought it might be a little less, and that the leaves expanded a lot, but that high proportion accounts for the intensity and the teas brewing so many positive rounds (related to shortening infusion times, sort of). For sheng pu'er that's too much to brew at once, and 8 grams is better, so that you can still control intensity using shorter infusion times, but for mild character rolled oolongs it's fine. That's a lot for brewing Western style; these would work out to brew two larger than average portion rounds, at 5 grams each.
Review:
#12 Jin Xuan: a little light, because it's still opening up, but this is definitely the right range. It's bright, floral, and sweet. It's the oolong type people describe as a natural form of milk oolong, that tastes the most like milk, and it sort of does, and also sort of doesn't. There's a creaminess to it; that part works. Some of the light and sweet flavor might resemble milk a little, but not much. It's probably a little closer to the flavor of cream, which is close enough. It's good. I'll add more list next time, but never have much luck breaking down flower types range.
Dong Ding (the same style as that region of Taiwan, but obviously not from there): that's good. The other was good, within that type and style range, but this is really something, from the first sip. A secondary cognac or liqueur like effect almost stands out first, even though that's deriving from how the other aspects come together (I think; who really knows?).
The tones are much warmer. And hard to describe. Some could see this as tasting like rich spice tones, and to me that works pretty well. Or like warm, sweet leather; that I can still see. Some of the heavy, complex, warm tones from Scotch whiskey or tobacco could be represented, but of course that's an indirect interpretation; it would only carry over part of those complex and intense flavors (to the extent you taste tobacco, which you do, when you smoke it). Maybe even peat.
It's pleasant. The flavors are clean; none of the negative associations about potential off earthy flavor range or mustiness would apply, if one would intuitively associate those. It takes very little of that to throw off this very positive effect; a little sourness alone would do it. It's odd that it can be this good in a light initial round.
#12 / Jin Xuan infusion 2: I didn't mention that it would have been natural to use a rinse step last round, very typical, and I didn't. I did infuse the tea for a longer time to help the balls open, approaching 30 seconds. For this round I infused these for about 15 seconds, which isn't long, since they are still opening, but intensity was fine last round, so I didn't want to overdo it.
This is again bright, fresh, sweet, floral, and intense enough. There isn't a hint of a negative aspect. People might not like the style of tea, this aspects set, but there's none of the cardboard flavor that can enter in with some Thai rolled oolong. Warmth picks up ever so slightly; this will probably gain depth in that way, trading out the brighter and fresher notes over the following rounds. It's floral, but I'm not great with remembering floral range scents. Not exactly orchid, not that bright and sweet, but it is bright and sweet. The more you think about butter or cream the more it seems to taste like that.
Dong Ding: the heavy mineral flavors really emphasize the roasted quality this round. They did for the last round too, but now this really leans into the peat from Scotch whiskey sort of theme. Floral range in this is much richer and warmer, but again I'm not great at placing that. Towards lavender, but not exactly that. Other range is more like spice, some sort of complex incense spice, maybe something like sandalwood. It's funny how all of this range is something I'm not great at describing.
It comes across as a full and complex flavor set, with good depth. That warm peat or spice tone really carries over to aftertaste after you drink it, which is generally a good sign for oolong. If this roast input was just a little heavier it would be too much, but they've nailed it for a relatively optimum input. I didn't love the red oolong example as much from them, but the Oriental Beauty and these are fantastic representations of completely different oolong styles. Even that tea was fine (the red oolong); the character just didn't suit me as well.
These are better than I remember trying in the past. I would buy Thai oolongs from different places, and some of those would have been 101 Plantation teas, but I usually wouldn't know. I've tried tea I knew to be from them in the past, but probably a good bit more that I only guessed was.
#12 third infusion: I may not write notes beyond this round, even though these will definitely be fine for 8 or 9 infusions, or possibly more. I brewed that Oriental Beauty yesterday, for something like 10, and drank a few more infusions of it this morning. I'll often make extra rounds to give to plants, and those were holding up so well that the plants and I shared the extra rounds this morning.
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my daughter's plant drinks tea with me daily |
The Jin Xuan is evolving nicely, picking up more complexity. It might be even better in a couple of more rounds; it might be telling an incomplete story to only write about 3 or 4 infusions. That depth and different flavor might relate to something like root spice, like sassafras / root beer. Brighter floral tones lighten, giving way to those warmer and deeper tones.
Often a touch of vegetal range is included in this kind of tea, so I might be mentioning green wood, or some kind of vegetable, kale or okra or whatever. This doesn't include that. If you really think about vegetal range you might make out something like summer forest scent, but it's not pronounced.
Dong Ding: that charcoal / roasted edge keeps intensifying; that's interesting. Maybe at this level it would seem a bit much, for many. It might be interesting to mix these and see where the flavors land in the middle. But in general that just gets you muddle flavors, because the distinct set in both becomes too broad to make out, even if you see warm and bright tones as balancing better.
It's worth considering if this represents what people call the traditional style of Tie Guan Yin, if the input of higher levels of oxidation and roast balance in that same way. Of course it's a different plant type, so right away that's different. They made this out of something, but probably not Tie Guan Yin, most likely the same Jin Xuan (#12), or else #17 (what I think of as Bai Lu, but gets called Ruan Zhi more). I think the oxidation level would be slightly higher if it was made in that style, or at least the form I think of it as, and maybe roast input backed off just a little.
The mineral tone reminds me of ink more than char this round. Literally like ink smells; it tastes like that. For some that would be fantastic, for others off-putting. I like it.
There's a trick people do with sheng pu'er when the aftertaste input builds up a lot, drinking cool water between rounds to clear your palate. The water tastes very sweet, an after-effect from the hui gan, or bitterness that changes to sweetness (more or less; hui gan is a complex concept and effect). This causes something like that, when you drink water after it, not as sweet, but a noteworthy interesting flavor. It can't be the same thing, since that's from flavors tied to bitterness, but in an indirect way it's related.
#12 fourth infusion: this is the best this has been, with the limitation that it's not as bright, fresh, and sweet as the early rounds, which would be many people's favorite part. Complexity and depth are really developed. Jin Xuan can be pleasant, but Thai versions don't tend to be this good.
It's great that they sent these extra samples for review, when I only bought the Oriental Beauty, since I really should go back and buy more of these. I often give oolong to a couple of monks we know, and they would love these. Thais give monks things--food on alms round, or basic household goods, or even tea--to gain merit, but for me it's about concern over them not being able to shop for tea. Sure, they're not focused on having pleasant experiences, given that context, but they can still drink nice tea.
The different ranges of mineral base, floral tones (now warmer), and root spice are so integrated that you really don't experience it like that, as different sets of different flavors.
It wouldn't be completely wrong for someone to interpret one part of the flavor as resembling roasted corn; that's not so far off. Not sweet corn that's boiled in water or steamed, I mean the flavor that comes from wrapping an un-husked ear in foil and cooking it on a fire. If you've not tried that it's a good goal to pursue. You should soak the ear in water first, to get as much water in it as you can, to help steam the corn and offset the charring effect.
Dong Ding: that liqueur or cognac like aspect range switches to be more perfume-like, with the heavy lavender oriented floral tones picking up. I brewed this for a substantial time too, nearly 20 seconds, so that's not from making a lighter infusion, which does change the flavor profile a little (or can). It's interesting that the roasted char input kept building up in level and then just dropped off that much in one round. It still tastes plenty roasted, but not like last round. This spans a lot more warm mineral base with heavy floral tones standing out. I think it is actually pretty close to lavender, a warm, rich, and particularly strong smelling floral scent.
Two or three more rounds would see these transition further, for sure. But I have an informal policy against writing 2000 word blog posts; it's too much for me to write, and for people to read. You get the idea; these teas are shifting across rounds, so far in only pleasant ways. They'll brew 6 to 8 exceptional rounds, and then how fast the pleasant character starts to shift from there depends on the tea.
One part of why that Oriental Beauty kept making pleasant infusions relates to there not being off flavors entering in. Almost any tea will keep infusing to produce flavor, long after the main positive rounds, but off tastes come up (wood, other vegetal range, or harsh astringency, which is something else). That OB was less positive after about 12 or 13 rounds, which is a long time and a lot of tea. These may become less positive after "only" 10 instead, but still brewing 8 or 9 good rounds is plenty.
Of course I'm mixing themes, because I always tend to max out brewing proportion. I'll have to check how much these are, the weight, but I would guess about 8 grams. It's a lot, but that's my normal amount, for brewing in a 100 ml gaiwan. [editing note: 10; that's why these were so packed so full. I thought that was just how they unfurled, since 10 is a lot to brew at one time].
Conclusions:
Just great teas! How great just depends; there is better range out there. I feel like I'm not really filling in how that works out.
Let's consider a curated, really exceptional Taiwanese rolled oolong version for comparison, with a style and aspect description and cost. I'm not seeing one that matches one of these two styles well, but it won't matter, we can just consider a Qing Xin (plant type) based version, and what I consider to be one of the best curator sources online, Trident Bookseller and Cafe:
Long Feng Xia (龍鳳峽) (selling for $15 per ounce, or 28 grams, so 250 grams being about 9 times as much quantity this sample pack amount would cost around $135, instead of $12 as this Jin Xuan version did, over ten times as much).
Their description:
Grown at 6,200 feet in cold and foggy conditions, the Long Feng Xia (龍鳳峽) is a very high grade and complex Taiwanese Oolong that comes from a subsection of the Shan Lin Xi growing area. There is a very crisp and floral flavor in the initial steepings, with an aftertaste of tart and sweet green apples. Later steepings are fuller with a pronounced vegetal character suggestive of bean sprouts, layered with floral and bready flavors. Not overly bold, the Long Feng Xia is a subtle and ethereal tea which emphasizes feeling, body, and persisting aftertaste. It rewards careful brewing and attention to detail.
Origin - Xeitou, Nantou, Taiwan
Harvests - Spring 2026
Elevation - 6,200 ft
Varietal - Qing Xin (青心烏龍)
Tea Maker - Mr. Chen
Tastes Like - Tulips, Fresh Baked Bread, Green Apple
Could all of these teas be a good value, given the broad difference in cost, with this described character sounding unusually positive? Probably. They're just two different kinds of teas, and different origins and quality levels. I bet that it is much better, but "better" is kind of relative. These Thai oolongs are already good, just more basic.
Trident sells award winning versions, or versions made by the best small artisan producers out there. Maybe there is still range between the two, that's better than this 101 tea but not as costly, but hopefully this highlights how there is such a broad range of what is made and sold.
I picked that version as an example because it's in their mid-range, with one Taiwanese rolled oolong version costing less ($15 per gram) and a few more ($20 per gram). This might seem to imply, to some, that I'm criticizing people for needing to buy and experience the best of the best teas, that maybe their expectations have become a problem, or ego and status are getting involved. That can be part of it, but that's not my point here.
It's fine if one person has a $200 a year tea budget and someone else $2000; that's how personal finances and preferences for different food themes work out. Sixty cents a day worth of spending on tea won't go too far, but there's nothing wrong with these Thai oolongs, even if they're the best teas you ever tend to drink. Personally I'm fine with basic teas. I wouldn't want to drink versions that cost 50 cents to $1 a gram all the time, because that seems wasteful to me, given how good a lot of 15 to 25 cents per gram tea is.
This Dong Ding version was closer to 5 cents a gram; just amazing, an incredible value, for an exceptional tea. Of course that is in a "foreign" cost of living market, in Thailand, it's just not foreign to me, since I'm living in Bangkok now. Working for a Thai salary, which changes things. Anyone buying this tea from elsewhere would add a lot of shipping cost to that, to get it, and maybe some customs tax. I pay that when I buy tea from China; it's just how things go.
Again many thanks and congratulations to the 101 Plantation for providing this tea, and for making such good versions. It's nice to see Thai tea that's this good.
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it's my son's birthday! he's not so into photos. |
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taking a river ferry to the temple |
