Taiwanese Oolongs July 2015
THANK YOU FOR READING!
A VIRTUAL JOURNEY TO TAIWAN As a tea lover, I dream of traveling to a lot of different places. The one that seems to call to me the most lately is Taiwan. Their wonderful oolongs were among some of the first that I really fell in love with so I've dedicated this issue to exploring them more deeply. One day I hope to be able to share a Taiwanese journey of my own, until then I'll be living vicariously through the articles included here. When I first started putting these journals together, I really had no idea what kind of response I would get. Your emails, tweets and messages have meant more than I could tell you! My very small list has ballooned to more than 500 tea lovers. As always, feel free to share Tea for Me Please Quarterly with your friends. Just make sure that you tell them to subscribe too. :)
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THE ULTIMATE
GUIDE
TO COLD BREWING
WHAT YOU NEED
TAIWANESE OOLONG Cold brewing is one of my favorite ways to prepare tea. There is less bitterness because you aren't using hot water
- A glass vessel, ideally one that is airtight. Mason jars work perfectly. - Filtered water - Taiwanese oolong of your choice - A refrigerator
METHOD
1
Place enough tea to cover the bottom of your brewing vessel with a thin layer. The amount doesn't need to be exact.
2
Fill the vessel with filtered water and place in the refigerator for 8 to 10 hours.
3
Strain, pour into glasses and enjoy!
A Comparison of Brewing Methods Western Western brewing involves a teapot or some sort of infuser. Avoid using novelty infusers or tea balls with oolong because they don't allow enough room for the leaves to open up. Most Taiwanese oolongs are tightly rolled so it's important to remember that those leaves will unfurl quite a bit. Amount of Leaf: 1 tsp per 8oz cup Water Temperature: 195 to 212째F Steep Time: 3 to 5 minutes
Yixing Yixing clay teapots can help enhance the aroma of your oolong through repeated use. They're generally small in size (100-250ml), so shorter brews are called for. Greener oolongs may require slightly cooler water while higher oxidized/roasted ones can usually take the heat. Amount of Leaf: 6 to 8g per 100ml Water Temperature: 195 to 212째F Steep Time: 30 seconds to 1 minute
Gaiwan Gaiwans are lidded bowls that are also used to produce short, concentrated brews. Their small size makes them ideal for solo sessions. Some tea drinkers prefer to rinse an oolong that is tightly rolled but this is not entirely necessary. Amount of Leaf: 6 to 8g per 100ml Water Temperature: 195 to 212째F Steep Time: 15 to 30 seconds
Bowl This is probably the simplest way to brew tea. Just places a few leaves on the bottom of a wide bowl and sip as you go, using your teeth as a strainer. Keep refilling with hot water to prevent bitterness. Larger leaves, strip style oolongs work best for this method. Amount of Leaf: A small scattering Water Temperature: 180 to 195 째F Steep Time: Continual
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E TAG POS MP A T S
, e v o L h t i n W a w i a T m o Fr
by Elyse Petersen of Tealet Taiwan is home of the some of the most beautiful teas. Its tea culture is rich and the people behind the tea are passionate about accentuating this culture and sharing it with the world. One of these people is Alfredo Lin of Goe Tea. Alfredo has been a dear friend of Tealet for years and has shared some insights from his perspective on what it is currently like to be a tea grower in Taiwan. Current State of the Taiwan Tea Industry Alfredo says that he has noticed that the planted area of tea and yield have been declining this year. This is a common occurrence that other tea growers from other countries have mentioned, mostly in the more developed tea growing countries. In Japan, for instance, many tea growing families have opted out of continuing their family’s tea business because the economics have become too difficult. The competitive global tea market has kept the market price of tea low while cost of production has naturally continued to rise. Alfredo also mentioned that imports of tea have increased and Taiwan is now drinking more imported than domestic tea. Taiwan continues to have one of the most cultivated quality tea segments in the world with internationally recognized quality competitions and famous tea masters, but the increasing demand for convenience and low price has made this segment significantly small among the tea industry as a whole. Commercial tea production constitutes most of Taiwan’s industry which has developed a huge dependency on chemical pesticide and fertilizer. Currently there are issues of accountability as some commercial teas have been found to have pesticide residues that exceed international allowable limits. Alfredo has mentioned that government regulations on pesticide residue have become stronger. He foresees that this government pressure is going to influence the agriculture sector to become more accountable.
Current Challenges for Alfredo Alfredo says that lower than average rainfall has affected the time of growth and processing of his teas. The steps of processing tea are dependent on many things and if there are shifts in the schedule it can incur a loss of time and resources. Unusual weather patterns can cause great hardship to a grower that must wait for the leaf to be ready for harvest. Finally, Alfredo sited an increase in temperature at his tea gardens that has consequently reduced his yields an additional 20-30 percent. Alfredo’s Opportunities When asked about new and unique opportunities that have presented themselves to Alfredo as a tea grower he says he has not seen any this year. Although there is not a significant rise in the demand of quality Taiwan tea this year that has benefited Alfredo he is still optimistic that if he continues to tell his story and reach out to the world of tea lovers he can find opportunities that will help him and fellow tea growers. Taiwan’s Competitive Tea Environment Many tea growing communities are very collaborative as independent tea growers share knowledge and resources between each other. In Taiwan it is a much different story. People are much more independent and there is a high level of competition among the growers. There are literally competitions all over the country where hundreds of growers submit their best teas for review. This is great for quality as each grower must try their hardest to take the first place prize. On the other hand, it makes the life of a tea grower and producer a more solitary one. Alfredo is a very friendly and community oriented man. Many of his tea projects are not his independently but are partnerships with friends and other colleagues. When I ask him if other tea growers are the same he says that the environment for tea growers is very competitive and this type of situation is not very usual. Independent growers are constantly in a state of independent innovation in cultivation, withering, rolling, and drying as they are motivated to improve their quality.
Organic and Natural Agriculture in Taiwan Natural agriculture is a topic that has brought Alfredo to tears as he looks at the damage that has been done to the land, resources, and communities around tea. He has been working over the years to advocate for the sustainability of natural agriculture practices to his tea growing family and friends and has started to see some changes. When asked about it now Alfredo says that natural and organic tea is becoming popular in Taiwan but the market has yet to show this change. His theory is that people do not really know the difference between conventional and organic tea and are not willing to pay more for one or the other. As demand from the market for organic increases tea producers will be more likely to investigate the benefits of natural agriculture. Meet Alfredo If you are interested in learning more about Alfredo’s passion, work, and tea you can see his Tealet profile here. He is an animated character that loves what he does and wants to share this love to the world. If you have any questions about what was spoke upon in this article please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at elyse@tealet.com.
Click on the picture below to watch a video about Alfredo!
Tealet is an online farmers market for tea. Growers post their stories and teas while tea lovers browse, review, and purchase teas. This social e-commerce platform is innovating the way in which growers and tea lovers share the tea experience. You can find out more at http:///www.tealet.com.
An Oolong Focused Journey By Heidi Chen of Tea Ave We’ve been drinking tea for as long as we can remember. Tea is a part of the daily culture in Asia – especially Taiwan, where people grow up sipping on locally grown Taiwanese oolongs. Restaurants serve tea upon greeting and seating guests, and neighbors and relatives invite you into their home to have tea and spend the afternoon together. Friends meet up at chic, trendy tea shops for delectable snacks and baked goods – and tea is always a must. We like all kinds of tea: puer, black, oolong, green, yellow, white, matcha, you name it. But we’re (did you guess it?) most fond of oolong, because it’s the most popular tea in Taiwan, and for good reason: oolong possesses a delightful range of taste, varying dramatically depending on how it’s processed. Roasting levels, oxidation levels, and growing conditions ranging from subtropical to cool, fog-covered mountains all play a role in the final taste of the tea. We especially came to appreciate the complexity of oolong tea as we got a little bit older and moved abroad. From lightly oxidized oolong like Wenshan Baochung to the heavily oxidized Tie Kwan Yin or Oriental Beauty, oolong teas possess flavors that are distinct and one of a kind. Each variety of oolong comes from a specific region of Taiwan, its characteristics representing its origin. At Tea Ave, we thought long and hard before we decided to move forward with the idea of founding a company that aimed to provide the tea community with pure Taiwanese oolongs – the rich, sumptuous, highest-quality teas that are hand-selected from the tea farms of Taiwan. In the end, we decided to go for it. How come? We figured that there are lots of tea shops that provide a range of tea varieties, but very few who are able to truly provide premium loose leaf oolong tea to tea lovers in North America. We saw a niche in the market, and we seized upon it. Plus, we love the aromas and flavor notes of oolong tea – we drink it every day, after all. Taiwanese oolongs have flavors varying from green and fresh with a floral aroma to woody and thick with a roasted aroma to sweet and fruity with a honeyed aroma. There are six major types of Taiwanese oolongs worth looking deeper into; we’ll do just that below.
Wenshan Baochung Oolong is a greener oolong with long twisted dry leaves and a bright blackishgreen color. An unroasted oolong with floral aromas, it’s one of the most fragrant oolong teas in the world. Wenshan Baochung Oolong grows in the Wenshan region of Northern Taiwan with a year-round mild climate and fog-filled air that give the tea its distinct, refined quality. It turns a clear golden honey-green when infused, and has a delightful floral flavor with a sweet finish. Dong Ding Oolong has a strong, clean flavor with an aroma of ripe fruit. The dry leaves are rolled tightly into curled balls, and it’s partially oxidized and lightly roasted. It grows on the Dong Ding Mountain in Nantou County in central Taiwan. Dong Ding turns an amber color when infused and has a sweet, fruity flavor and aroma. Longer infusion times will give the tea a fuller, thicker boy and an aroma with a smooth, clean aftertaste.
Oriental Beauty is an oolong that is processed entirely by hand, with long twisted dry leaves in multicolored green, white, yellow, red and brown – most of the colors in the natural spectrum. It’s a highly oxidized tea, with a strong but mellow flavor with a fruity taste and subtle honeyed notes. Oriental Beauty is grown only in Taiwan, and the luxurious, highly prized oolong is produced only once a year, in summer, in the Ping Ling area of Northern Taiwan. Oriental Beauty is grown without pesticides; instead, a tea-green leafhopper bites the stems, leaves and buds to give it its unique flavor. It turns amber-red when infused. There’s no other oolong tea quite like Oriental Beauty. Tie Kwan Yin from the Muzha district in Taiwan is grown on trees that are allowed to flourish, leading to a unique, distinctive-tasting tea. It has a rich, deep flavor and subtle bitterness. The leaves and reddish-brown and curled tightly into ball shapes. It’s balanced pleasantly by mellow, fruity notes with a touch of sweetness. Muzha Tie Kwan Yin is moderately roasted and moderately oxidized and has a heavier body, with a woody, thick flavor and roasted aroma.
Alishan Jin Xuan, also known as Milk Oolong, is a dreamy, creamy oolong – an elegant tea with a refined, subtle taste. It’s rather green, with some light fruity, floral aromas to complement its smooth, milky mouthfeel. Only oolong teas from this particular region, grown on the foggy Alishan mountainside, produce the naturally creamy, milky qualities found in Alishan Jin Xian. The leaves are curled into bright green balls, and it turns a light golden color and gives off a fresh, inviting aroma when infused. Lishan Oolong is one of Taiwan’s highest mountain teas, hailing from the Lishan Mountains in the central mountain region of Taiwan. It’s also one of the very best high mountain teas in the world. Lishan Oolong is clean and vegetal, with a floral taste and aroma that occurs naturally in the tea leaves themselves. The fruity notes are complemented by the tea’s smooth, buttery mouthfeel. Because it is unroasted, and lightly oxidized, Lishan is both full-bodied and delicate with a clear green-yellow color. Some tea drinkers may wonder why one variety of oolong tea costs so much more from one seller than it does from another. Here are the factors that come into play: origin, season, cultivar, quality, and other special factors (such as craftsmanship). At Tea Ave, we insist on bringing the freshest, most flavorful loose leaf Taiwanese oolongs to share with the tea community in North America. In order to do that, we work closely with local tea farmers to ensure quality sourcing. It’s our hope that tea lovers out there can all have the chance to explore and enjoy premium Taiwanese oolongs just as we do here at Tea Ave. We want you to discover oolong and taste adventure.
Created by brother-sister team Jeff and Heidi Chen, Tea Ave is an online tea store specializing in oolong tea. Born and raised in Taiwan, where tea is an important part of the culture, Jeff and Heidi think tea is more than a drink—it’s an adventure. Tea Ave reflects their shared values and passions: clear, authentic advice, a top-notch e-commerce experience, and, of course, delicious oolong tea. You can find out more at http://www.teaave.com.
Taiwan's Famous Tea Regions A Brief Exploration of Their Traditions, Terroirs & Tastes By Simon Thomas of Dachi Tea Company
The story of good tea has it all: biodiversity, cultural diversity, health, livelihoods, agriculture, trade, taste. It’s an ancient botanical that has created, shaped and connected cultures; it’s an embodiment of man’s intimate interplay with nature. When you flick through the history books it doesn’t take long to see that origin really does matter and when it comes to providing the whole experience of appreciating tea, the shorter the distance, the greater the magic. As we explore the famous tea-making regions of Taiwan, we’ll weave in and out of its location, history & culture, and signature taste & terroir (which interestingly, when appropriated by the English language refers to soil and climate but in its original language, French, refers to tradition too).
THE NORTHERN BROW It’s all said to have began in the early 19th century when some Wuyi seedlings were planted in the northern Ruifang district. But Taiwan’s tea trade really began to pick up steam when demand from the mainland was on the rise for its scented Baozhong tea from Nangang, the southeastern district of today’s capital, Taipei. Soon after the island was taken over by the Japanese, advanced processing methods were developed to satisfy demand from their nation for a more pure, subtle and naturally floral taste. This sent the Baozhong trade in search of greener pastures and it found a more permanent home in Pinglin where the Emerald green Beishi river meanders through the verdant valleys, nourished by fresh spring water and well-kept soil due to the district being preserved to ensure that its main reservoir which supplies the city of Taipei with its water is not contaminated.
These baozhong leave were hand picked, withered indoor and out, strip-rolled, flame dried and finally lightly roasted. Photo credit: Ta Yang Hsu, Dachi Tea Co.
Allow the western prevailing winds to nudge you west for a moment and you’ll arrive at Muzha, where in the 1920s the Baozhong tea artisans, the Zhang brothers, returned from Anxi with some Tie guan yin tea buds. The Zhangs not only successfully cultivated plantations but they also developed their own style to match the low-elevation, hightemperature terroir of the north east: medium oxidation and low repeated roasting, resulting in flavours you wouldn’t usually associate with oolong such as tobacco, chestnut, and even summer fruits. Attend a tasting competition of the finest Muzha Tie guan yins and your taste buds will be dancing for weeks underneath a smoky-yet-fruity coated roof.
Panoramic view of Pinglin’s landscape. Photo credit: Ta Yang Hsu, Dachi Tea Co.
And finally, to complete the traversing of Taiwan’s northern tea-making brow, we must visit Shiding - the home of Taiwan’s most exclusive tea, Oriental Beauty. Since the young, bug-bitten and organic-by-nature leaves are only harvested once per year during summer, Oriental Beauty is arguably Taiwan’s most exclusive tea and the most elusive when it comes to sourcing an authentic one at a reasonable price. It’s still produced in Hsinchu but isn’t as prevalent today as this district was gentrified during the industrial economic miracle that kicked off in the 50s. Oriental Beauty is also grown in the foothills of Miaoli home to the famous Hakka tribe and their lei cha: a grounded mixture of tea leaves, nuts, seeds and grains that was originally served to esteemed guests upon arrival.
SWEEPING SOUTH TO TAIWAN’S GARDEN
Proceed south and next up is the central district of Yuchi and Sun Moon lake. Here you will find the epicentre of Taiwan’s black tea production, the Taiwan Research & Extension Station - founded by the Japanese in the 1920s to diversify Taiwan’s tea trade. Its legacy thus far is the Red Jade #18 black tea, a cross between the indigenous Taiwanese tea tree and a Burmese assamica bush. But to be clear, this black tea could not stand toe-to-toe with its foreign counterparts without the processing and soil management innovations spawned from this establishment - traits that experts say allow the Taiwanese to excel on the global scene. The scarcity of this tea paired with the name recognition of Sun Moon lake and its bountiful tourism means that the demand by far outstrips supply, and this tea can be costly and prone to counterfeit. But, I must say, the best Red Jade #18 we’ve come across so far (competition-grade teas excluded) is from Pinglin and given that it was detached from the pre-marketed label of Sun Moon lake, we got a lot more bang for our buck.
Home to the aboriginal Thao tribe, Sun Moon lake is also one of Taiwan’s greatest tourist attractions. Photo credit: Justin Huang, Wikimedia Commons
The lake sits on the border of Taichung and Nantou, and at this crossing you will find the Lishan and Da Yu Ling high elevation tea farms. Now, thanks to some veteran farmers in the 1950s establishing plantations as part of a government sponsored initiative to use the trade to develop local livelihoods, we are standing atop Taiwan’s tea industry - both in terms of elevation and prestige - and have entered the southern section of ‘Taiwan’s garden’.
Tea pickers busy at work at a tea farm in Lishan, 2,200m above sea level. Photo credit: Ta Yang Hsu, Dachi Tea Co.
Breathtakingly beautiful, this central mountain range sits upon the tropic of cancer and its hillsides are bathed in mist and wreathed in sunshine before sun down where temperatures cool dramatically. These are the climatic conditions that are accredited for the prized high mountain oolongs’ delicate and nuanced flavour profile, lasting sweetness and amazing patience. But if that’s not enough, it even has the Pacific Ocean on its side. An esteemed biochemistry professor and organic fertilizer producer once told us of how concentrated quantities of compression-purified minerals gather at the deep ocean bedrock of the east coast. These minerals feed directly into the meteorological cycles and travel with the prevailing western winds into the clouds that crash into the mountains nourishing the terrain.
View of the pacific ocean from the Suhua highway on the east coast of Taiwan. Photo credit: Fred Hsu, Wikimedia Commons
Aside from the occasional scandal with authentication - an obvious hazard in an industry where land is limited and it’s extremely difficult to empirically validate a particular terroir the taiwanese tea industry also received a scolding from the viral movie ‘Beautiful Taiwan’ for the land it has claimed in pursuit of these perfect plots. That being said, efforts have been made by governmental agencies to preserve the ecology and Nantou’s Shan Lin Shi, in particular, can hold its head up high. Its tea fields have been scattered around the forest, creating a neat microclimate for growing tea that can be bright and punchy. Although high mountain oolongs signify Taiwan’s excellence, continue south along the volcanic central mountain core and jump to the early 19th century and you’ll find a returning intellect from the mainland planting some qingxin oolong bushes at Dong Ding (frozen peak) mountain in Lugu. Grown at medium elevations of 700-1200m, the semioxidized medium-roasted Dong Ding oolong is deemed to be quintessentially Taiwanese and was even once considered a high mountain oolong. Significant heating of the island over the 20th century as well as the aforementioned demand for increased production sent the industry in search for for more land and cooler temperatures. Mr and Mrs Liu, a tea maker and grower duo who own a tea plantation at 1200m in Ali Shan, appreciated the irony of us applying the ‘Dong Ding’ style of making to their high mountain tea leaves since to them it was a gentle nod to the old days.
As we come to the Southern quarter of ‘Taiwan’s garden,’ we’ve made it to the mountain range that is becoming synonymous for high mountain oolong right now, Alishan. Revered by tourists for its nostalgic steam engine train, beaming sunrise, enchanting woods where the spirits of ancient ancestors loom tall and tea fields are nestled into the sea of clouds at sunset - Alishan is the collective name of an 18-peak central mountain range. Distinctively sweet and mild in character yet not without its complexity, Alishan high mountain oolong is great for the beginner yet also sits proudly amongst the collections of the most discerning of connoisseurs.
One of Alishan’s ‘5 enchanting moments’ - the ‘sea of clouds’
Taiwan’s tea trade is an interesting tale that starts with the coming together of cultures: know-how from the mainland, entrepreneurship from the visiting Brits, continued ingenuity from the Japanese, and culture sustained by impassioned Taiwanese.
Government-funded research as well as local organisations and support networks assist and collaborate with its 6,000 family-owned small-scale tea farms to develop trade, and its tasting competitions help define standards of quality and excellence. Further to this, its culture bureaus work extensively with community enthusiasts to host celebratory tea heritage festivals and its museums and recreational tea farms educate and entertain in equal measure to deliver an authentic experience to domestic and international tourists. All of these increase trading opportunities and creates a domestic demand that spurs the industry in times of prosperity and buoys the industry in times of struggle. Upon visiting the US and the UK, we can say that it certainly feels like the long anticipated ‘third-wave’ of tea has arrived in the West. Although it’s easy to look at its connoisseurship counterparts - coffee and wine - and question if it can really get there, it’s worth noting that coffee and wine have their not-so-secret weapons such as the caffeine content to start a stuttering engine and enough alcohol in one glass to put rose in the cheeks. Tea might not have one of these silver bullets, but what it does have is a story and a heritage that has been espoused by the Chinese literati of past dynasties and Japan’s prominent religious scholars. Further to this, it has that connection to the natural; to the divinely balanced; to the calm and serene. As Eastern culture, mindful practices and our 7-soon-to-be-9 billion population of increasingly urbanised dwellers look to rekindle their relationship with nature - I cannot help but feel that if only the industry pulled back the curtains and allowed us to truly experience the coming together of each tea’s tradition and terroir, we could weaponise the wonder and make each tea taste that little bit sweeter.
Dachi Tea Co. is a new lifestyle brand that uses tea culture as an entry point to explore the wholeness of humanity. Our mission is to help people get centered through the ritual of drinking tea, with crafted loose-leaf tea being the perfect embodiment of the intimate interplay between man and nature. You can find out more at http://www.dachitea.co.
Concubine Goes Pro by Andy Kincart of Eco-Cha Concubine is a relatively new name of Oolong tea that was coined in Taiwan following the 9/21/99 earthquake. This unique character of oolong tea is indebted primarily to the Green Leaf Hopper that feeds on the sap of young tea leaves. The result is that the leaf is slightly "injured" by the insect, and the natural immune system response in the plant evidently causes subtle changes in the leaf's chemistry, along with the slight oxidation of the leaf caused by the minuscule insect bites while the leaf is growing. After the earthquake, landslides prevented many tea gardens from being maintained, which resulted in a lot of bug-bitten tea leaves in that growing season. This prompted an unprecedented production of what had previously simply been called “bug-bitten tea� in the local dialect. The name Concubine is a derivative of Oriental Beauty, which is also made with bug-bitten tea leaves. The bug-bitten effect is an enhanced substance and distinct flavor that these leaves brew when they are properly cured. Concubine tea can typically undergo many more infusions than a conventional Oolong. The most pronounced quality is a honey-like fragrance and flavor that is unlike anything else in the world of Oolong Tea. It is a telltale quality that is unique effect of the Green Leaf Hopper. Incidentally, this also indicates the absence of pesticides that would otherwise deter this bug from feeding on the leaves.
Concubine is medium oxidized and the leaves are tightly rolled in the manner of Dong Ding Oolong or High Mountain Tea. This is a relatively modern innovation that was adopted in Taiwan in the 1980's. Tightly rolling the leaves prevents crumbling and preserves freshness. Concubine is also roasted after curing the leaves, similar to Dong Ding Oolong, although usually Concubine is only lightly roasted. In recent years, we have observed the research done by artisan friends on both processing and post-process roasting "bug-bitten tea leaves" in order to make Concubine Oolong. It proves to be a particularly unpredictable type of tea to produce, and the leaves will change in character over time when stored without being vacuumsealed. This factor lends to the traditional artisan quality of producing this type of tea. Not only do the leaves need to be affected just the right amount by the Green Leaf Hopper at the right time in their growth cycle, but they also need to be masterfully processed roasted to produce the desired effect. The volume of a bug-bitten crop of leaves is also significantly less than normal, as the leaves are stunted in their growth as a result of this insect. In a word, making this tea is a gamble on many levels, which has deterred many farmers from producing it intentionally.
Having said that, the increased consumer demand for naturally cultivated tea has inspired a significant amount of more adventurous tea farmers to allow at least one season’s crop to grow with no pesticides, intentionally inviting the Green Leaf Hopper to work it’s magic. This innovative approach is more sustainable in a few significant ways: It differentiates the tea type from conventionally made standard teas; no pesticide use is environmentally and economically advantageous; and has the consumer appeal of being naturally produced. So by producing a chemical-free tea with a distinct character, value is added. And so far, it is a regional specialty, produced almost exclusively in central Taiwan (mostly in Lugu Township).
Only in the last couple years have we become aware of a new level of professional dedication to the increasingly popular Concubine Tea. A friend in Lugu, professional tea judge and Dong Ding Oolong artisan is a prime example. He has begun to specialize in Concubine. He was inspired to do so as a result of cultivating his own isolated high elevation tea farm with zero use of chemical products for many years. So he has gained experience in working with bug-bitten tea leaves from his own farm. Last year, he discovered that a friend’s spring crop of high elevation tea had been affected by the Green Leaf Hopper. This was a quandary for his friend, who had a stable customer base for his conventionally produced High Mountain Tea. So our friend, Mr. Lee decided to procure the entire crop. This was his most significant new development of specializing in Concubine. Consequently, this spring he cooperated with another high elevation farm by promising to buy the whole crop if no pesticides were administered during the growing season. Mr. Lee’s gamble proved successful. This batch of leaves that he bought before they had grown turned out to be the best Concubine Tea that we’ve tasted this year, and Mr. Lee is marketing it at a significantly added value due to its high quality and rarity. He has also become known in the extended tea farmer community as the guy to call if your crop has been “bugbitten”. He has farmers coming to him with their batches of potentially good Concubine stock.
Mr. Lee and his wife showing off their aged award-winning competition teas that they inherited from Mr. Lee’s father.
As we mentioned, this is still a gamble for Mr. Lee. Because, even if the leaves have been processed and brew a distinctly honey-essence flavor of tea, the unpredictability of roasting to produce the desired effect is risky. But he has taken on the challenge, along with other artisans who are increasingly willing to take risks to produce a tea with unique character. Each batch of Concubine has its own personality. And variations in roasting the same batch of leaves can result in very noticeable differences as well. Due to the natural cultivation methods and expertise required in the processing, we feel that Concubine Oolong is the most prominent “new age� representative of a traditionally made Oolong in the 21st Century.
Eco-Cha was born out of a passion for tea in which life-long friendships, careers, and cross-cultural exchanges have grown and flourished. We share this deeply rooted connection to Taiwanese Tea by offering you a window into this complex and colorful world. You can find out more at http://www.eco-cha.com.
Click here to check out my video on using aroma cups. They're awesome for drinking Taiwanese oolongs!