Canadian tea lovers: order during the sale and we'll ship your teas when the postal strike is over. Canadian tea lovers: order during the sale and we'll ship your teas when the postal strike is over.

Alishan High Mtn Aged Eco Red

$19.00

Hand picked from an ecological farm surrounded by a dense misty forest in the Alishan region of Taiwan’s Chiayi County, this tea promises a unique woody, cinnamon, nutty and fruity flavour experience for tea lovers seeking a real artisan oolong.

Flavour
Wood, nuts, cinnamon and stewed fruit with a hint of mint

Harvest
Qing Xin (Green Heart) cultivar, Hand picked in small batches
Spring 2015; stored in vacuum sealed packages

Processing
80% oxidation, no initial roasting; middle roasting after storage for 5 years

Elevation
1,200 metres

Harvested from an ecological farm that uses no pesticides, the tea grower insists on planting and processing tea based on tea grower spirits, thus ensuring the tea contains the real taste of tea called the “taste of nature.”

The most oxidised oolong at 80% it is a true dark oolong. After proper storage for 5 years, the grower roasted the tea at a medium level that added more flavour.

The semi-ball rolled dry leaves are chocolate brown with flecks of red and a woody aroma. Once infused the wet leaf has aromas of stewed fruit, cinnamon and caramel. The deep caramel coloured liquor coats the whole mouth with a pleasant layered flavour of wood, nuts and mint with a hint of cinnamon and stewed prunes. With no astringency the smoothness of this tea is apparent as it can never be over steeped, ensuring a perfect cup every time.

This dark oolong can be enjoyed in the morning with pancakes topped with natural maple syrup or for dinner with wok fried beef in mandarin sauce.

Brewing methods

3g per 250 mls (1 cup)

First infusion: rinse leaves with 90oC water for 10 seconds and discard water; infuse for 3 minutes at 90oC

Additional infusion: gradually increase steeping time for second infusion.

4.5g per 250 mls (1 cup)

Weigh desired amount of tea leaves and place in a pitcher

Add cold filtered water and stir; seal pitcher with a lid

Brew for 8 hours in the fridge or longer for a more intense flavour

Pour through a strainer to remove tea leaves and serve cold brewed tea over ice

3g per 250mls (1 cup) of room temperature water

Brew in a tea flask at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Taste as it's brewing and strain the tea when you like the flavours. This tea is so versatile you could brew it for hours and discover new flavours after each hour.

Learn more about the origin and terroir

This high mountain oolong is produced at an altitude of 1,200 metres above sea level in Alishan, one of the most famous tea growing regions in Taiwan. Alishan is known for having warm temperatures in a subtropical yet mountainous region with a continual mist that causes the plants to grow slowly because of the abundant cloud cover and reduced exposure to sunlight, thus producing tea leaves with intense flavours and aromas.

The nutrient rich soil and high elevation limits pests and chemical fertilizers are not used, which is in keeping with the tea farmer’s traditional tribal culture and spirit of purity, simplicity, community and respect of nature. The term “eco’ is used to indicate the farm was in conversion to organic when harvested. The farm is now EU certified organic.

The dense surrounding forest and nutrient rich soil are all part of this unique terroir that produces some of the best oolongs in the world.

Customer Reviews

Based on 1 review
100%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
G
Guy
A superb, characterful and distinctive oolong

We highly recommend this absolute gem of a tea. It tastes rather like a cross between a regular oolong and a red ( black) tea, combining the best features of both. Smooth, well balanced, with good mouth feel and a long, very satisfying finish. It promotes the sense of well-being and mild mood elevation that we have only got from very good oolongs. The ageing and the preparation process give it richness, character and complexity.