Cui Yu
Intensely floral — jasmine, gardenia, magnolia. Aromatic punch that Qing Xin doesn't reach.
Cui Yu (翠玉, "Jade Oolong") is Taiwan Tea Experiment Station's cultivar #13, developed in 1981 as part of the same TTES research program that produced Jin Xuan. The cultivar produces an intensely floral cup character — jasmine, gardenia, magnolia notes that Qing Xin's more restrained floral profile doesn't reach. Cui Yu fans appreciate the dramatic aromatic intensity; Qing Xin purists find it overly perfumed.
Cui Yu plantings are less widespread than Jin Xuan, partly because Jin Xuan's milky character commercialized better internationally and partly because Cui Yu's intense florals are sometimes seen as masking terroir rather than expressing it. Specialty Taiwanese tea operations carry Cui Yu primarily as a varietal alternative for drinkers who want to explore beyond Qing Xin and Jin Xuan. Production volume is modest compared to Qing Xin's dominance of Taiwanese oolong.
Teas produced
Flavor signature
Growing regions
- Taiwan (multiple regions)
- Limited international planting
Origins where Cui Yu grows
Brands likely carrying Cui Yu
Direct-sourcing operations with focus areas that align with this cultivar's typical growing regions.