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Se Chung Oolong

 
Last Updated: Mar. 12, 2014 

About Se Chung Oolong

Golden osmanthus, or Huang Jin Gui, is one of the Anxi oolongs sometimes lumped in as "Se Chung" oolongs. Photo © Peaceeverywhere (Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 4.0.
Se chung (色种 or 色種), sometimes written se zhong, meaning colorful variety, is a class or category of Chinese oolong teas originating in Anxi county of Fujian province. The use of the term "se chung" has changed over time; it was originally a more specific term, but it has come to encompass all Anxi oolongs other than Tie Guan Yin. Different varietals usually identified as se chung oolongs include huang jin gui or golden osmanthus (黃金桂), mao xie or hairy crab, (毛蟹), Benshan(本山), Meizhan(梅占), and Qilan(奇兰).[1] These oolongs vary in level of oxidation from greener (less oxidized) varieties to darker (more oxidized). As a general rule though, the oolongs produced in Anxi tend to be greener than those produced in Wuyi.

Se chung is not as well-known as other styles of Chinese oolong such as Ti Guan Yin, but it is frequently served in Hong Kong Chinese restaurants.[3]

The different varieties of se chung can be quite diverse, and the style is difficult to characterize universally. Tea sold as se chung can be a blend of several of these different Anxi oolongs.[4] People posting on tea forums have suggested that the term "se chung" has been deliberately maligned by Tie Guan Yin producers.[1,5] It is often described as an undervalued tea, very inexpensive relative to its quality.

Although se chung usually refers only to teas grown in Anxi county and nearby regions, such as Yongchun, some of the se chung varietals of oolong are grown in other regions; RateTea has chosen to identify these teas as se chung oolongs, even if they are grown in other regions, such as the Wuyi mountains.

References:


1. What is Sezhong? 色种, Teadrunk Forums, Nov. 1-Dec. 6, 2008, Retrieved Mar. 30, 2010.


2. "Se Chung Oolong", Culinary Teas, culinaryteas.com, Retrieved Aug. 21, 2009.


3. Upton Tea quarterly, Upton Tea Imports, Vol. 18, No. 3, Summer 2009.


4. "Anxi Oolong", www.fmltea.com, Retrieved Oct. 10, 2009.


5. "Se Zhong - Unspecified Cultivar / Blend", TeaChat, www.teachat.com, Post Date June 3rd, 2009, Retrieved Oct. 10, 2009.


Recent Se Chung Reviews — RSS rss icon

65 / 100
Picture of Oolong Se Chung

Oolong Se Chung from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Se Chung Oolong – Region: China
Jan. 17th, 2023

This is a nice, mellow oolong, and comes in at a very attractive price. There is nothing attention-grabbing about it; it is just a good tea. The aroma hints at woodlands and hay, and the flavor offers more of the same, with a dash of minerally tannins and vegetal notes. It is fairly light on the palate, and goes dow...

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90 / 100
Picture of Oolong Se Chung

Oolong Se Chung from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Se Chung Oolong – Region: China
Jan. 31st, 2018

Probably my favorite oolong, and one of my favorite teas — which is saying something, because I don’t care for most oolongs. I’ve been drinking it for years. I usually brew it to sort of a medium strength, using about 190-degree water (or in a pinch, whatever temperature of water comes out of the industrial cof...

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94 / 100
Picture of Golden Flower

Golden Flower from Adagio Teas

Style: Golden Osmanthus – Region: Anxi, Fujian, China
Jan. 11th, 2018

This is my absolute favorite go-to green oolong tea. The aroma is pleasant and not very strong. But the aroma is the least of my worries when buying tea. The flavor is amazing, and I have trouble describing it. It lasts me 4 western style infusions and is an amazing value at 2.5 cents per cup when buying in pounds(or 1...

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83 / 100
Picture of Oolong Se Chung

Oolong Se Chung from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Se Chung Oolong – Region: China
Jan. 9th, 2017

The reviews as well as the very low price intrigued me enough to buy a large order of this tea.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect as, while mostly positive, the reviews describe a wide range of flavors.

The rolled, snail-like leaf smells toasty. For some reason I expected a much greener aroma.

I loaded up 5 gr...

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87 / 100
Picture of Hairy Crab Oolong Loose Tea

I thought this was a delightful tea. I have tried a Mao Xie before, and loved it, but it was an unbranded type that someone brought me back from China so I was not able to review it. This one was a lot like I remember it: pungent and a bit edgy and odd, but in a way that I liked.

The dry leaf has an aroma that is ...

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Most-Rated Se Chung

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Oolong Se Chung

Brand:Upton Tea Imports
Style:Se Chung Oolong
Region:China
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
54
5 Ratings
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Se Chung

Brand:Imperial Tea Garden
Style:Se Chung Oolong
Region:Anxi, Fujian, China
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
2 Ratings
Picture of Golden Osmanthus Oolong (Huang Jin Gui) traditional style

Golden Osmanthus Oolong (Huang Jin Gui) traditional style

Brand:Life in Teacup
Style:Golden Osmanthus
Region:Anxi, Fujian, China
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
2 Ratings
Picture of Ben Shan Oolong

Ben Shan Oolong

Brand:Life in Teacup
Style:Ben Shan Oolong
Region:Anxi, Fujian, China
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
1 Rating
Picture of Huang Jin Gui

Huang Jin Gui

Brand:Teaspring
Style:Golden Osmanthus
Region:Anxi, Fujian, China
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
1 Rating

Top-Rated Se Chung

No image of this tea

Oolong Se Chung

Brand:Upton Tea Imports
Style:Se Chung Oolong
Region:China
Caffeine:Caffeinated
Leaf:Loose
54
5 Ratings

Varieties, Kinds, or Types of Se Chung Oolong

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