Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
TeaHQ has written about this pair
Two Taiwanese high-mountain areas whose names are similar enough to confuse and whose elevations are not. The names are similar enough that substitution is routine, and the elevations are not similar at all.
- Elevation
- Li Shan: Higher — among Taiwan’s highest commercial gardens.Alishan oolong: High, and more accessible.
- Volume
- Li Shan: Small.Alishan oolong: Substantially larger, and the more commonly found of the two.
- Flavour
- Li Shan: Thinner-bodied and more intensely floral, with a long cooling finish.Alishan oolong: Creamier and rounder, with more body.
- Price
- Li Shan: Higher.Alishan oolong: High but more reasonable.
- Availability
- Li Shan: Limited, and frequently substituted.Alishan oolong: Widely available.
In summary: Alishan is the sensible introduction to Taiwanese high-mountain oolong. Li Shan is what to try once the style is familiar and the difference is legible.
Point by point
| Dimension | Li Shan | Alishan oolong |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Oolong · lightly oxidised | Oolong · lightly oxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Drying. bud and three plus and spring harvest. | In order: Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Oxidation → Kill-green (fixation) → Cloth-ball rolling → Drying. winter harvest. |
| Origin | Taiwan — Li Shan | Taiwan — Alishan |
| Flavour | floral, creamy, sweet and fruity. full bodied, silky and rich in the mouth. Aroma: ripe pear, cream, gardenia, sugarcane. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. | floral, creamy and sweet. full bodied, silky, smooth and complex in the mouth. Aroma: fresh cream, lily, sugarcane, mountain herbs. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 5–7 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 25s of 6 authored. Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 180s of 2 authored. | Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 5–7 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 25s of 6 authored. Flash-chilled iced tea: 2–3 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 90s. Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 180s of 2 authored. |
| Cultural context | Elevation is the whole price argument, and elevation claims are the most inflated in Taiwanese tea. A named plot, a named producer and a harvest date together carry far more weight than the mountain name alone. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.