Oolong

A rare find in an aged oolong that has sweet notes of peach and raisin combined with mellow old wood tones.  A treasure.

Notes of peach, raisin, and antique wood.

This tea was recently discovered on a day trip to Ping Lin, a suburb of Taipei which is known for its growth and production of this particular oolong tea.  The trip was originally to make new farmer connections for the coming Spring, but a farmer we met had an aged oolong from 2008 that was delightful.  This tea was selected specifically for aging, and it has mellowed beautifully while still maintaining the peachy, floral notes.

Bao Zhong tea has a different appearance from many of the other Taiwanese Oolong teas in that its processing utilizes a twisting of the tea leaf instead of a tight semi-ball rolled style of tea production. This tea processing is similar to that of the Wuyi Oolong production of Fujian Province in China.

This tea was named due to creators use of sealing the tea between two sheets of paper to resemble an envelope. Bao Zhong roughly translates to mean “wrapped kind tea.” This Taiwanese Bao Zhong comes from the Wen Shan region of Northern Taiwan which has been the traditional home of Bao Zhong production in Taiwan.

Brew the first infusion with 190 degree water for 2 minutes.

Leaf-hopper cicadas are allowed to nibble on the leaves of this tea before picking. The resulting tea has a blooming rose and spiced-honey profile.

Notes of spiced honey, roses, and toasted cashew.

Gui Fei Red, also known as Concubine Oolong is one of the sweetest oolongs.  It is from a category of tea we refer to as leaf-bitten oolong, and it has a dynamic profile that pairs a mild charcoal roast to fully maintained bouquet of honeyed flowers. 

Leaf-bitten teas deserve to be in a category of their own.  There are several stories about how Gui Fei’s preparation method came to pass, and it appears that the most reliable story is that in 1999 there was an earthquake in central Taiwan and the tea farmers of Fenghuang village were forced to evacuate.  Upon returning the farmers noticed that the tea plants had been overrun with cicadas that had nibbled on the leaves and stems.  They processed the least damaged leaves and found that an almost magical transformation had occurred.  Tea tasted completely different with an intense sweetness.

Shortly after the cicadas had bitten the leaves the plant created more sugars to heal itself.  In addition, the leaves began to oxidize while still living on the bush, as opposed to the post-harvest human-assisted oxidation that commonly happens by tossing and rolling the leaves.

To this day same Fenghuang farmers near the Phoenix Mountain range in Taiwan encourage the little “leaf-hoppers” as they call them to nibble on the leaves to create this Gui Fei.  There is now a beautiful, mutually beneficial 4-way symbiotic relationship between the cicada, the tea plant, the farmer, and the tea drinker.

Gui Fei has a tendency to be tricky to brew.  It’s best to get to know this tea with shorter infusions.  We use 200 degree water with 30 second infusions.   The first infusion before the leaves open fully will be a delicate preview of the fireworks to come.  Latter infusions have a profile that is a lot like a robust Oriental Beauty with extra sweetness.  As the mouth-feel fades after the 4th infusion, the nose continues to bloom like a lively rose garden.

Featured Review

This tea is fruity sweet and citrusy too with touch of roasted nuts. Complex, changing with every steep. so delicious and refreshing during heat wave we experiencing now.

Dry leaf smelled so good of roasted nuts.

5g 100ml glazed pot 200F no rinse/30/15/10/15/20 sec etc

Boychik

Slowly baked over several days, creating a classic tea with a woodsy nose, rich liquor, and a well-balanced, slightly sour profile.

Notes of sandalwood, roasted walnut, cinnamon, and forest walk. 

Beautiful roast, very smooth texture, like a walk in the woods when the sun is heating the forest floor... this tea is exceptional.  In particular, I'm very impressed by the multi-day traditional roast of this oolong that maintains and enhances the fragrant and woodsy qualities of the leaf itself.

This high mountain oolong is from the famous Dong Ding range where the higher altitudes create a more concentrated floral flavor.  Non-roasted high mountain teas have a beautiful elegance that is delightfully ephemeral, with a taste that sweetly evaporates.  But when those same high mountain oolongs are roasted, like this one, a new depth appears that is very dynamic and quite delicious.

Dong Ding is one of the great tea mountains in central Taiwan, and this tea comes from the Lugu township in Nantou county, home of Dong Ding mountain.  This oolong uses the famous Qing Xin cultivar, brought from China during the Qing dynasty.  Qing Xin, also known as Gentle Green Heart is very delicate and only suitable for high mountain growth.

Brew this high mountain oolong with 195 degree water for 1 minute.  Add a minute to the brewing time with each additional infusion.

Handpicked oolong from over 2000m, this delicate oolong has beautiful high mountain flavor.   Lovely notes of gardenia and pine.

Notes of gardenia, cool, clear air, and Spring.

Beautiful floral fragrance.  This handpicked high mountain oolong is one of the treasures from this season.  Similar to the West Peak oolong that has been so popular, this is a bit more refined, like a clearer bell.  I love both.

This tea was handpicked in Li Shan, Taiwan.

Li Shan means Pear Mountain, and it is part of the Jade Mountain range where the best fruits and some of the most sought after oolongs originate.  Li Shan itself is part of the Ho Ping Township in Taichung County.  Growing tea in the cool high altitudes causes the leaves to be a bit smaller, concentrating the floral notes.  

Translucent Flowers is a very lightly processed tea.  After the hand-picked harvest, the teas are briefly oxidized and rolled so that upon brewing the leaves gradually open, slowly releasing their fragrance of gardenia and nectarine.  The body of the tea has a feeling in the mouth that is quite buttery, sweet, and cooling.

Brew this high mountain oolong with 195 degree water for 2 minute.