2025 Winter Alishan High Mountain Tea Competition｜阿里山高山茶優良茶競賽2025冬季金萱組優良賞

Alishan High Mountain Tea Excellence Competition: 2025 Winter Jhinshuan Category – Excellence Award
Alishan is one of Taiwan’s most renowned tea-producing regions and is widely recognized as the birthplace of Taiwanese high mountain tea. In the 1970s, cultivation of the Chin-Shin-Oolong cultivar began in mountainous areas above 1,000 meters in elevation, primarily around Meishan Township in Chiayi County. During the 1980s, the distinctive style of lightly oxidized, fragrant high mountain oolong tea was established. Today, Alishan is often referred to as the “Capital of High Mountain Tea” and stands as a symbol of Taiwan’s high mountain tea culture.
This tea comes from a lot that received the **Excellence Award** in the **Jhinshuan Category** of the **2025 Winter Superior Tea Competition**, organized by the Alishan Township Farmers’ Association. The association’s tea evaluation system became fully established in the 1990s and has since become one of the region’s most important quality assessment programs, held separately for both spring and winter teas.
The cultivar used is **TTES No. 12 – Jhinshuan**, one of Taiwan’s most celebrated tea varieties. Officially registered in 1981, Jhinshuan is prized for its soft aroma and rich sweetness, making it suitable for a wide range of tea styles, including high mountain tea, Paochong tea, and black tea. Alishan Jhinshuan is particularly distinctive because it is often processed with a slightly higher level of oxidation. In addition to the osmanthus-like floral notes characteristic of lightly oxidized Jhinshuan, it develops nuances of ripe fruit and a sweet, buttery finish reminiscent of butter cookies as the tea cools.
According to Taiwan’s Tea and Beverage Research and Extension Station under the Ministry of Agriculture, Alishan high mountain tea is generally considered one of the more oxidized styles among Taiwan’s high mountain teas. While retaining the refreshing character typical of high-elevation tea gardens, it offers greater body, depth of flavor, and a rounder aromatic profile—qualities that define the unique appeal of Alishan tea.
The mature tea leaves are grown in Alishan’s cool, mist-covered environment and are carefully processed through withering, shaking, and traditional ball-rolling techniques. The result is a beautifully balanced tea with floral aromas, natural sweetness, and a smooth, silky texture. This is a tea that evokes a sense of nostalgia while showcasing the timeless charm of classic Taiwanese high mountain tea.
---
Origin | Alishan Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan
Cultivar | TTES No. 12 – Jhinshuan
Harvest Season | April–May (Spring Tea), October–November (Winter Tea)
Aroma Notes | Osmanthus, Cream, Butter Cookies
Oxidation Level | ★☆☆☆☆
Roasting Level | ☆☆☆☆☆
---
**Produced and Entered by:**
Alishan Township Farmers’ Association
No. 114, Neighborhood 4, Leye Village, Alishan Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan