Li Shan tea is an oolong tea, but it’s not like other oolong teas you’ve probably had. Known as the “king of Teas,” this special oolong tea has a fragrance you won’t find in other oolong teas from Taiwan.
Due to the high price tag, you won’t easily find this tea in your local store. It’s only harvested twice yearly, meaning if you can get your hand on it, you’ll want to try it. Here’s everything you need to know about Li Shan, the “King of Teas.”
Where is Li Shan Tea From?
This famous oolong tea comes from Central Taiwan. It’s only grown in the highest mountain region of the country and harvested twice a year! Since you can only harvest the tea twice yearly, it’s pretty rare and comes with a hefty price tag.
This type of tea has to battle the cold and snow during its growing season, so its persistence to grow under extreme conditions is admired by farmers.
What Does Li Shan Tea Taste Like?
So, what does the famous Li Shan tea taste like? Most people compare the taste to a floral tea with hints of lemon and pear. The aroma and flavor of the tea are rather intense, which is one reason most people love this type of oolong tea. Some people taste more vegetal notes when drinking it, but the lemon and pear tend to overpower it.
How To Make Li Shan Tea Taste Better
Like other oolong teas, many think adding anything to Li Shan tea is “wrong.” Traditionally, people don’t add anything to this tea because the flavors are so intense and fragrant on their own. If you’ve tried Li Shan tea and aren’t sold on the natural flavors, here are a few things you can add to it to make your tea taste better.
Sugar
If you’re someone who prefers their tea to be a little or a lot on the sweet side, then there’s nothing wrong with adding sugar to your Li Shan tea. You can use white sugar, Stevia, or whatever sugar substitute you prefer. We recommend adding only a little at a time to work up to the sweetness level you prefer.
Honey
Honey is an excellent addition to Li Shan tea when you want it a little sweeter but aren’t a fan of that sugary taste. It’s a natural ingredient, and when you pair it with Li Shan’s potential health benefits, you’ll have a delicious cup of tea that can help fight allergies and inflammation.
Lemon
Since Li Shan tea already has lemon notes in it, adding lemon is an obvious choice for most tea drinkers. Like with other teas, you can choose to add lemon juice, lemon zest, or slices as a garnish. The garnish looks beautiful and adds only a tiny bit of lemon flavor, which is perfect when you don’t want to add a lot.
If you’re interested in adding lemon juice to the tea, take a sip first to see how lemony the natural flavor is. Because if you add too much, it can be too sour.
Milk
Milk is one of those ingredients that go well with most tea, and people are divided on whether it goes in Li Shan tea. If you’re going to add your favorite type of milk, start small and choose an unflavored plant-based one if you’re not going with whole milk.
How To Brew Li Shan Tea
Making Li Shan tea is a little different from other oolong teas, but it’s still a simple tea to make. If you want to make some of the best Li Shan tea you’ve ever had, here’s how you can brew the tea at home:
- Fill your teapot about ⅓ of the way with tea leaves
- Rinse the leaves with hot, not boiling, water
- Remove the water you used to rinse the leaves
- Pour hot water back into the pot
- Let the tea leaves steep for 45 to 60 seconds
- Pour the tea into cups and serve!
The best thing about Li Shan tea leaves is that you can subsequently steep them. If you use the same tea leaves for another batch of tea, you’ll need to steep them for an additional ten seconds every time you reuse the tea leaves. You can re-steep Li Shan tea leaves about six times in total.
Caffeine Content of Li Shan Tea
Li Shan tea is a caffeinated beverage. Much like other teas with caffeine in it, how much will vary depending on where you purchase it from, the brand, and how the tea leaves are cultivated. For the most part, Li Shan tea’s caffeine content can range from 10-30 mg per cup, much like other oolong teas.
If you’re someone who’s looking to replace their morning cup of coffee with something a little lighter, then Li Shan tea is a great option. Remember, if you’re sensitive to caffeine, you’ll want to use caution when drinking Li Shan tea since it does contain enough caffeine to affect sensitive people.
Carb Content of Li Shan Tea
Much like the caffeine content, how many carbs are in your Li Shan tea will depend on the brand you purchase. For the most part, Li Shan tea shouldn’t have more than a gram of carbohydrates. Keep in mind that depending on what you add to your Li Shan tea can change the carb content of the drink.
Calories in Li Shan Tea
There are zero calories in Li Shan tea! It’s a great weight loss beverage, and even when you’re not on a weight loss journey, this is a great tea to sip on in the mornings or whenever you need a little kick of energy.
Final Thoughts
Li Shan tea is one of the best oolong teas worldwide. It’s a little expensive, but if you ever get the chance to try it, you won’t be sorry that you did. It has a great flavor, minimal caffeine, and no calories! Overall, Li Shan tea is one that all tea lovers need to try at least once in their lives.
