Description

Alishan “ChiaYi” High Mountain Oolong

Our Alishan High Mountain Oolong thrives at elevations exceeding 1500 meters in Taiwan’s ChiaYi region, within a tea garden surrounded by wooded hills. The cool climate, high humidity, and nutrient-rich soil in this area favor the growth of tea plants. Hand-picking, traditional Artisan processing, and the highly regarded Qing Xin cultivar in Taiwan all contribute to making this lightly oxidized, unroasted “ball-type” Oolong exceptional. It boasts a light body, silky texture, and a complex flavor profile characterized by floral and honeyed notes.

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Origin / Terroir

The Alishan mountain region in Chiayi County, Taiwan, is one of Taiwan’s most renowned tea-growing areas. The associated “High Mountain” terroir propvides for a cool climate, high humidity, and nutrient-rich soil, creating ideal conditions for tea plant growth and producing teas with complex flavors and aromas.

The Tea Garden

The tea garden, surrounded by forest and dense undergrowth, is situated at elevations of over 1500 meters and is cultivated using natural farming methods, without the use of pesticides or other agrochemicals. The cool climate and daily mists ensure that the plants grow slowly, yielding delicate, flavorful tea leaves and buds.

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The Cultivar

The Chin Shin Oolong cultivar (also known as Qing Xin Oolong, 青心烏龍) is a predominant choice for many highland tea plantations in Taiwan. Taiwanese tea consumers hold a high regard for Chin Shin Oolong, and the natural cool climate in the high-altitude Alishan region results in fewer pests, creating an ideal environment for this cultivar, which is relatively susceptible to pests compared to others. It is particularly renowned for producing Oolong teas with floral flavors, ranging from orchid notes to hints of lilac and gardenia.

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Picking

The hand-picking of the tea leaves follows the standard for harvesting high-quality Oolong tea leaves. This involves selecting the young shoots at the tip of each branch along with the 2 larger adjacent leaves.

Processing

The processing of this lightly oxidized and unroasted “Pouchong” Oolong follows the traditional Artisan standard. Freshly picked leaves undergo a withering phase initially. During this period, the tea leaves are constantly turned and tossed in order to break up the leaf surfaces. Following this is a brief oxidation phase and the rolling of tea leaves into the characteristic ball shape, which aids in breaking down cell structures to ensure even distribution of tea juices within the leaf. The tea leaves are then dried to a moisture content of about 5%.

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Taste, Aroma & Visual Appearance

The dry leaves of this “ball-type” Oolong have a rugged appearance and an intense dark green color with a characteristic bluish hue (Oolong tea = “blue tea”). The clear, bright yellow infusion is light, crisp, and fresh, with a silky texture and a flavor profile marked by floral notes (buttercups), balanced honey sweetness, and buttery undertones. There are no grassy or vegetal notes, nor any astringency or bitterness.

Preparation

This tea virtually aks for preparation in the Chinese or Taiwanese “Gong Fu” style. Characteristic of this style is a series of relatively short steeping times with a high tea leaf dosage.

As an initial approach, pour 3-5g / 100ml Alishan High Mountain Oolong tea leaves with boiling hot water. Then let steep for 40 seconds for a refreshing and delicious first infusion. Subsequently, a 2nd infusion needs about 1/2 minute only, with each subsequent steep adding an extra 30 seconds. Over time, of course, tea lovers will develop their own individual preparation preferences.

For more teas from Taiwan, pleae visit the following link: :

Tea from Taiwan @ Siam Tea Shop