Does Milk Oolong contain milk?
This is the most common question we get about any tea, and the answer is no. There is no milk, no dairy and nothing added. Milk Oolong is a single ingredient, oolong tea from the Camellia sinensis plant. The name is about the taste, which is genuinely creamy and buttery in a way that surprises people. Here is why.
Where the creaminess comes from
The classic milk oolong is made from a tea plant variety called Jin Xuan, developed in Taiwan in the 1980s. The leaf has a natural milky, buttery aroma, especially when it is grown at altitude and picked at the right moment. The lightly oxidised, rolled oolong style keeps that character in the cup. It is the plant, the place and the processing, not an ingredient.
That said, some cheap milk oolongs on the market are ordinary oolong sprayed with milk flavouring. If a milk oolong smells like a sweet shop, that is why. Ours is the natural style and the ingredient list is one word long.
What it tastes like
Smooth, soft and buttery with a silky feel and a light floral finish. The smell when the water hits the leaf is the best bit. I wish you could smell it before you bought it. It is a tea for slowing down with, not for a quick morning mug.
How to brew it
Water at about 90°C, boiled and left for a minute. One heaped teaspoon per 200ml mug, three minutes. It is rolled leaf and unfurls as it brews, so give it room in a basket infuser or a pot rather than a tight ball. No milk, there is no need.
Steep it again
This is where oolong earns its price. The same leaf will give three or four good cups, each a little different. Add about a minute each time. The second steep is often the best. A 50g pouch at £10.95 looks dear next to a black tea until you count three cups from every spoon.
Is it vegan and is it safe for a dairy allergy
Yes to both. There is no dairy in it and it is not made anywhere near any. If you are buying milk oolong elsewhere and have an allergy, check the ingredients for flavourings, since those are where surprises hide.