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.
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.
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.