O-TW-036
Four Seasons Oolong (Si Ji Chun)
四季春
Lightly oxidised rolled oolong, from Nantou, Taiwan.
Oolong tea
Four Seasons Oolong (Si Ji Chun) is strongest on aroma intensity, floral and sweetness. Typical tasting words: gardenia, orchid, fresh grass, sweet pea, honey. Selected in Mucha, Taipei, in the 1980s, this cultivar gained vast commercial success across Nantou due to its high yield and year-round budding. A modern workhorse of Taiwanese tea, ubiquitous in both everyday loose-leaf brewing and bubble tea chains.
Also known as Si Ji Chun and Four Seasons Spring.
The profile
Taste, 0 to 5
Flavour families, 0 to 5
Facts
- Origin
- Nantou, Taiwan
- Plant
- Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, Si Ji Chun
- Harvest
- spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Elevation
- low
- Oxidation
- 15 to 25%
- Roast
- very light
- Leaf
- rolled pellet
- Price band
- affordable
- Availability
- everywhere
- Ageing
- not for ageing
- Forgiving to brew
- 4 of 5
- L-theanine
- low
Made by: solar withering, then indoor withering, then tossing, then panning, then cloth ball rolling, then drying.
Caffeine
A cup of Four Seasons Oolong (Si Ji Chun) carries a typical estimate of 40 mg of caffeine, within a range of 30 to 55 mg depending on leaf amount, water temperature and steeping time. Figures are estimates for a 240 ml cup. Better earlier in the day if you are sensitive to caffeine. The caffeine planner turns this into a daily total.
How to brew it
| Method | Leaf | Water | Steeps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western, 250 ml | 3 g | 85 to 90 °C | 2 min, 3 min, 4 min |
| Gongfu, 100 ml | 6 g | 90 to 95 °C | Rinse, then 20 s, 20 s, 25 s, 35 s, 50 s, 75 s |
| Cold brew, 250 ml | 3 g | Fridge | 6 to 10 hours |
Up to 6 infusions. Scale for your own pot with the brew calculator.
Drinking it
- morning
- afternoon
- morning
- midday
- hot_weather
- social
Pairs with salads, poultry and sweets. Milk: yes. Iced: yes. Sweetener: yes. Good for beginners: yes.
Tasting words explained
Similar teas
- O-CN-002Tieguanyin (Light Jade)
shares aroma intensity and floral - O-TW-030Cui Yu Oolong
shares aroma intensity and floral - O-CN-023Anxi Huang Jin Gui
shares aroma intensity and floral - O-JP-050Japanese Oolong
shares floral and sweetness - G-TW-018Taiwan High Mountain Green
shares aroma intensity and floral - O-TW-034Baozhong (Pouchong)
shares aroma intensity and floral
More: all oolong tea teas, teas from Nantou, Taiwan, or filter the whole drawer.