★★★★☆
This stuff is good but doesn’t feel worth the price premium over something like Golden Flower
Green oolong tea from Ali Shan, one of Taiwan's most famous tea growing areas. Beautiful high mountain oolongs come from its misty peaks. Warm sugar and deeply layered floral aromas, with a melting, creamy mouthfeel. Mellow and light-bodied.
Customers use these reviews to describe their experience with Ali Shan, including flavor, aroma, preparation preferences, strength, and how the tea fits into daily routines. Browse the full review history page by page to compare tasting notes, steeping tips, and favorite ways to enjoy this tea.
This stuff is good but doesn’t feel worth the price premium over something like Golden Flower
Subtle smooth oolong. I think this may be anew favorite. Will have to get this
Nice flavor with some astringency left on the tongue, but then some citrus notes linger. Mouth feel is not too dry. Steep to your liking, test it out. Remember, 195 to begin with. Also, other brewing.. just a sweet, mellow taste. It is a very nice tea. Brew in ceramic or clay for best taste.
This is the best tea I have ever had. Smooth with no bitterness at all. I am going to keep buying this! It's my new favorite tea!
Followed the steeping instructions, but honestly felt as though this tea had very little flavor. The aroma is wonderful, but the tea itself tastes (to my unrefined palette) mostly like hot water.
I was excited to try the Ali Shan based on several reviewers' comments that I've discovered tend to like similar teas. I also read the advice that Adagio provided about Gaiwan brewing. I am a nerdy tea head so I brewed this tea three ways: gaiwan, Yixing clay, and Western style. I kept tea and water temp constant at 6g @ 180F for all styles and infusions.
Gaiwan - 30 sec, 20 sec, 45 sec, 45 sec, 60 sec - definitely captures the softer, high note aromas and flavors best of the three methods. There were floral and green tea notes that mellowed across the infusions to open up to a low astringency, honeyed-floral, buttery mouthfeel.
Yixing - 20 sec, 20 sec, 30, sec, 30 sec, 45 sec. Clay keeps the heat and brews strong, so I used shorter times to not burn the leaves. Yixing is great for heartier, darker teas, especially Puers, but I have found that oolongs that are a little too floral or grassy for my palate are toned down quite a bit. However, Ms. Ali Shan did not enjoy her time in heavy purple clay. I lost almost all of the floral highs and some of the lightness of the tea. The clay did its job, by adding minerality and removing grassiness but in this case, by too much. The tea had zero astringency and lost a bit of its sparkle.
Western - 120 sec, 90 sec, 120 sec. Poor Ali gave out on me after three Western style (typical European/USA style) infusions. Long steeps on any oolong don't do the tea any favors, in my opinion. The tea had a nice flavor, but was a bit too grassy for me in this style. I did this experiment just to see why so many mentioned using sugar in their tea (not judging, but I don't do it).
Final thoughts: Western brewing for me is the best for work, when I need a delicious pick-me-up and I want the caffeine to kick in to finish the day. Personally, I think Western brewing is great for teabags and simple breakfast blends, but it stews the tea leaves and often times a lot of bitterness is extracted. Those flavanoids and catechins are of course beneficial for health, but make tea bitter and adding sugar cancels the health benefits. However, when I have the time to really enjoy a tea, I prefer Gonfucha or Gaiwan brewing. Gaiwan brewing is a lot simpler than full-on Gong Fu style (and infinitely better at your office workspace). This high volume of tea to water ratio, with very quick steep times allows more of the high notes to shine. You can get more steeps (but in the end about the same volume of liquor) than Western style and can enjoy some of the nuances of the tea better.
This is a tasty oolong, but I think the flavors are bit subtle for my tastes. Definitely a tasty cup but not quite what I'm looking for in my staple oolong.
One of my all time favorites. Perfect on a rainy day with jazz in the background.
Very floral, and so worth brewing multiple times! Like a sweet little flower!
Nice flavor with some astringency left on the tongue, but then some citrus notes linger. Mouth feel is not too dry. Steep to your liking, test it out. Remember, 195 to begin with. Also, other brewing.. just a sweet, mellow taste. It is a very nice tea. Brew in ceramic or clay for best taste.
It was ok. I expected a much better tea from the other reviews. A little disappointed. There are.much better oolongs out there
Very nice cup of oolong. It tastes like a smoother version of Ti Kuan Yin though not as pronounced in flavor. The second and third brews are the best.
One of my absolute favorite teas in all the world, Adagio's selection of Ali Shan is heavenly, with that wonderful sweet, buttery flavor this tea known for. Watching the leaves and stems unfurl is part of the magic. Highly recommend!
Another perfect oolong. Very smooth and lightly floral. I highly recommend this one.
A fantastic high mountain oolong– light floral aroma, complex flavor of minerals and honey and a creamy mouthfeel. Stands up to multiple steepings. This tea is pricey, which isn't surprising considering the small mountainous tea gardens it's grown in, and sky-high demand in Taiwan and other Asian countries... we're lucky to have access to this tea! Enjoy as a special treat.
Wonderful tea! Scent of new hay just emerging from the soil in the spring with a light hint of floral buttercup. Flavors of honey, new hay and a tiny hint of astringency-just enough to notice it’s there. As the tea cools slightly, stronger notes of honey emerge as the tea becomes more floral. Cool slightly more and lemon custard flavor comes to the fore. A beautiful, interesting tea that evolves in the cup.
Very smooth oolong. Highly recommend to oolong lovers!
The first thing I noticed when brewing the Ali Shan is that the leaves expand A LOT! I just put one normal scoop in my steeper and my steeper was almost full by time it was done steeping. I added some burdock and manuka honey to try to bring out the flavors of this tea, and it really worked! This is a very subtle, sweet, honey-like tea and I really enjoy it. I would highly recommend this tea!
Good for multiple steeps, with a different flavor each time.
This is an exquisite tea, very subtle and rewarding.
Sweet, dewy and refreshing! Takes you to the top of the waterfall, green-oolong leaves unfurling fully at the bottom of the tea pot, warmed as if by the very sun. This light amber green colored tea is a very comforting and revitalizing pick you up relaxed green-oolong, Ali Shan. Steep in 180 degree water for 2 minutes.
A very lovely oolong that is worth every penny. I get a light grassy, floral and buttery flavor with a silky mouthfeel. Call me crazy, but I also get fragrance notes of dark irises and orchid. Try it!
Very smooth on the palate. No bitterness at all. Would for sure order again!
This tea is very very good. It's a lighter oolong with a fresh taste that's invigorating. A wonderful tea for daily sipping.
Lovely oolong! it's beautiful to watch the leaves unfurl as it brews
This is a special tea and tastes like a 'craft tea' from Taiwan. The flavor is complex. Brew at lower than boiling temperature.
Tastes nice but it's very expensive, probably will go with Ti Kuan Yin or Jasmine Phoenix Pearls over this blend given the price range.
This is OK, but for an oolong, it seems to be much more on the green side than the black side, so it's not really to my tastes. I think I bought it because it was on sale and I figured it was worth a try, but I'm not sure I'd get it again. Nothing wrong with it; just not my preferred kind of tea.
The dried tea in my packet had round green bubbles of tea, and smelled only of green tea. When I cold brewed it overnight, the taste was a strong green tea taste. It reminded me of Gunpowder Green Tea flavor. Middle of the road green tea in my opinion.
Beautiful unfurling and an equally impressive flavor
Has a slight bitter taste to it. Not my favorite. I’ve had worse! But it was eh?
Floral aroma, bright-colored tea, and multiple steeps: a great afternoon oolong!
I was not impressed with this one as felt it was a bit harsh for an oolong
แอบมีกลิ่นเขียวหน่อย แปลกดีค่ะ ถ้ามีโอกาสจะลองอีกสักครั้ง
It will be and interesting tea once we get a chance to try it
This has been a great oolong. Can steep multiple times. Perfectly light taste
I always look forward to this tea. It is floral and goes great with a bit of honey. I tend to want to drink this tea without blending it with any others as I often do with oolong or green teas. This is just a great stand alone cup of tea.
i wouldn t have gone with this tea as its a little steep in price, but i was able to snag it half off as a recommended sample, and boy oh boy im glad i did. its absolutely delicious! it needs a bit of a longer steep to bring out the full flavor, but when it does come out its got a honey-like taste to it @adagioteas
Imagine you went to Magnus Carlsens house one day and he tells you he doesnt drink water. Instead, he tells you he drinks Ali Shan and offers you a cup. You drink that tea and you re suddenly whisked away in his brand new Porsche. That s what drinking this tea is like @adagioteas
Among the first of the sample boxes of tea I'd try, it is definitely among my range of preference when not want a specific flavor/sweetness.
Best all round hot drinking tea there is. It's great brewed the second time. Tea leaves spread out more on the second infusion.
This is my favorite tea. The leaves can be reused many times. The second brew is actually my favorite. @adagioteas
I didn't like this tea. I brewed it cold overnight and it's simply unpleasant to drink. I don't know how to describe it exactly but it's just...unpleasant. The formosa ali shan was slightly better, but both were just...odd. Not for me.
Developing a real appreciation for the depth of flavor of this tea, a n d will certainly reorder.
Comparable to some much more expensive Taiwanese oolong teas that I've had.
One of my first oolongs, this was a great choice to begin with. I did have to watch the heat because otherwise it was too bitter for me, but when brewed correctly it's just good and smooth.
Perfect. I wouldn't steep for longer than 3 minutes or so.
This is a sweet grassy tasting tea. It needs no added sugar and has a slightly nutty taste.
It’s a light tea. Has a slightly warm undertone and I really enjoy it
Great tea. I really like drinking this in the morning for caffeine.