A Basic Introduction to Taiwanese

We’d like to start with a special thanks to Li Guang Chung, whose research was invaluable in creating this introduction. 烏 is truly a tea paradise, full of bountiful tea varieties, and events, artisans and masters. A Chajin can turn any corner and find another tea lover to share another perspective over a cup or two. The island’s wealth of tea is way beyond the scope of even an extended issue of Global Tea Hut. There is more oolong variety than we can explore, let alone all the other kinds of red and the island offers. If you look 龍 at it, the island itself is shaped like a tea leaf! Our journey through Taiwanese oolong will be geographical. Like all true Zen masters, Tea has always been known by the mountain She comes from, since She is one with Her terroir. A few of the shown on the map to the right are varietals/ processing methods—Baozhong, GABA, Eastern Beauty and —but the rest are locations. We will move from the general to the specific, starting with an overview in this article and then moving into the history of , changes over time, varietals and then some informative articles on specific oolong regions and farmers. So let flick her magic waters on us and let’s climb up on this black dragon. He’s gentle, and will guide us well... Wen Shan 文山 / Pinglin 坪林 Baozhong (包種) GABA (佳龍) Muzha 木柵 Tieguanyin (鐵觀音)

* 北埔 Eastern Beauty (東方美人) *also found in Miaoli (苗栗)

Taichung 台中 Li Shan (梨山) Da Yu Ling (大禹嶺)

Nantou 南投 (名間) Dong Ding (凍頂) Shan Lin Xi (衫林溪) Yu Shan (玉山)

Chiayi 嘉義 Ali Shan (阿里山) Taiwan Oolong

olong is the richest and most leaves from Wuyi mountain like a 1. The trees and the environ- refined of tea chests, filled green tea or an artificially fermented ment/terroir. with so many varieties and (not red!), they would not Okinds of tea that you couldn’t explore be nearly as good as green tea from a 2. The farming methods, viz., them all in a lifetime. It is technically green tea varietal or Liu Bao black tea. organic or not, fertilized or not, defined by the fact that it is semi-ox- Furthermore, they wouldn’t be as nice irrigated or not, etc. idized, but that barely sketches an as the oolong made from the same 3. The processing/drying of the outline of this huge genre of tea— leaves! tea leaves. especially since “semi-oxidized” can And this evolution continues on in mean everything from ten to seventy every tea-growing season, even now. If percent. When you add to that all the you travel to Wuyi, for example, and With puerh tea, for example, the different mountains oolong tea comes watch a true master make oolong tea quality is almost exclusively in the first from, the varietals of trees and varia- each year, you will see a lot of varia- of these—the trees and the environ- tions in processing, you have a huge tion from year to year. The overall ment. When producing a fine oolong, map, spanning Taiwan, Chaozhou methodology used to describe oolong however, all three are equally import- and mostly. We’d truly need the production is as general and rough a ant. It’s not enough to have great tea “black dragon” this tea is named after sketch for what actually happens as in a nice environment, since the com- to fly through the rich heritage, history any basic understanding of an artis- plicated processing will have as much and variety of oolong. But what a jour- tic process is. In any art, the basic to say as Nature. This is true of all tea, ney that would be! formula is always a very abstract and as a manifestation of Heaven, Earth When talking about genres of tea, simplified explanation of what the and Human energies, but none as it is always important to remember practitioner knows much more inti- profoundly as oolong tea. that the popular statement “all tea is mately, subtly and with complex dis- The basic steps that make up all one plant and the differences are in crepancies. Similarly, when a beginner oolong production are harvesting, the processing” can be very mislead- watches a master brew gongfu tea, he withering, de-enzyming, rolling and ing indeed. There is some truth in or she tries to grasp the basic steps roasting. But these steps are a part that statement, but authors who use of pre-warming the cups, showering of almost all tea production. What it rarely qualify it as much as they the pot, the tea, showering really sets oolong apart is the with- should. the pot again, and so forth. But to ering/shaking. Because oolong is a Different processing methodolo- the master, there are great and very semi-oxidized tea, it is withered in a gies were developed locally over time important subtleties that change these very particular way—both indoors and are as much a part of the terroir steps from tea to tea, like the height and outdoors. Oolong is traditionally as the rain, sun or soil composition. from which you pour water into the withered on big, round bamboo trays And these regional variations in pro- pot, for example. that are stacked on shelves, allowing cessing grew alongside certain vari- The master farmers are chang- for airflow underneath. (Though pro- etals of tea. The masters who lived ing the way they make tea each and duction in larger quantities as well as and worked with these leaves were every season. Everything from when more modern, mechanized processing, listening to them, and that conver- they pick—which day and what time means that it is also often withered on sation was often responsible for the of day—to how long they fry the tea large tarps outside on the ground.) As evolution of any given processing to de-enzyme it will change based we discussed earlier, there are infinite methodology. In other words, oolong on the weather and season and how subtle variables in the withering of processing was developed over time the tea looks and feels to them. This fine oolong tea. We have even seen to suit certain varietals of tea because means that their processing must suit a master lick his thumb to feel the that is what brought out their greatest their trees and terroir, and not as some humidity during indoor withering, potential. The farmers mastered their fixed methodology, but rather as a and then ask his sons to bring a can craft by processing the tea the way it changing and adaptable process that, full of charcoal to place in the back “wanted” to be—for lack of a better like any skill, requires them to intuit right corner of the room where he felt word, we use “want” to describe the and then modify their processing to the humidity was too high. nature of the tea. Just as water “wants” suit the current leaves. In that way, During the withering, oolong to flow downhill, these leaves wanted oolong is as much the terroir and trees tea is also shaken. This shaking is the to be oolong. In that way, oolong is as it is the processing methods. most distinctive feature of oolong as much in the varietals of tea as it Oolong tea is the most refined . It helps to bruise the is in the processing. And that is true and complicated of all tea production, cells and further the oxidation of for most of the other seven genres requiring the greatest skill to make. the tea. When you see a master pick of tea as well (red and black tea can The processing can refine or ruin a up one of the big round trays and be exceptions to this rule, but not tea. Each kind of tea finds its quality dance the leaves around with grace, always). While you could process tea in a ratio between these three things: you may think that it looks easy—

17/ Basic Introduction to Taiwanese Oolong Tea until you try it and toss all the leaves machine-processed tea will be much Taiwan in the late 1970s and became onto the ground (or in your face). more uniform. predominant in the 1980s. And the Like all stages of fine tea, this too After withering/shaking, the sec- shift toward greener oolong also had takes great skill. The best shaking ond most important part of oolong to do with terroir and varietal. will just bruise the cells at the edges processing is the roast. If a farmer As we have discussed in previ- of the leaf, which will be apparent is roasting their tea themselves (as ous issues, the majority of Taiwanese when you brew the tea. When the opposed to selling maocha to a shop), oolong tea is produced from Ching shaking is done masterfully, there is they will usually just roast the tea shin trees, which were brought to a redness only at the edges of the tea, dry—to arrest oxidation and stop Taiwan from Wuyi. They are very all around each leaf. Nowadays, in a the processing—until all the tea is sensitive trees, which get sick easily. world of quantity over quality, most finished that year. They don’t have As Taiwan started to develop infra- stages of tea processing are done with the time to keep up with all the tea structure and prosper in the 1970s, machines. The shaking is done in a coming in, and rarely sleep during tea culture grew in popularity and large machine that turns around on an harvests. After the picking and initial farming started to increase. Marketing axis and tumbles the tea, bruising it, processing of the maocha is done, they moved production into higher alti- but not with the precision that a mas- will then roast the tea slowly and with tudes where Ching shin trees thrive. ter can manage by hand. care, knowing this is one of the most Higher altitude farms receive less Oolong tea is either ball-shaped crucial stages in the production of fine sunlight and the tea leaves therefore or striped, depending on how it is oolong tea. respond well to light oxidation. Again, rolled. The rolling is done to further Traditionally, all oolong tea had the innovations in processing were a break down the cells in the leaf and higher oxidation and roast than what result of changes in terroir. This can’t to shape the tea. Striped tea is rolled you see these days. The range of oxi- be stated enough, especially since so flat across large, ridged bamboo mats. dation that defined the genre of many authors mistakenly promote the Ball-shaped oolong, on the other oolong was much smaller for the first idea that all tea is one plant and that hand, is rolled in twisted-up bags. few hundred years of its development. the differences in kinds of tea are just You can tell a lot about a tea by look- Most old-timers can’t stand the lightly based on the arbitrary decisions made ing at the shape of the balls or stripes. oxidized, greener tea that is popular by farmers who choose to process Hand-processed tea, for example, will these days. Some say that “if it looks their tea as white, red, black, oolong, have a variety of shapes, sizes and like a green tea and smells like a green etc. And if you are reading between twists in the balls or stripes, whereas tea, then, well…” That trend began in the lines, as good teawayfarers,

18 Taiwan Oolong you can perhaps see the more pro- tage that has been developed, refined Lightly oxidized oolong teas, pro- found truth hiding between the rows and passed on that processing wisdom cessed by machine, lack character. of tea trees: there is no tea tree of itself. from generation to generation. They are standardized and too uni- Saying that there is no such thing And so you can understand how form, season to season and cup to as a tea tree of itself seems obvious, traditionalists might not see tea in cup. but necessary to state. We so often such simple categories as “oolong,” forget to connect the dots because especially when the whole indus- Background our rational mind is all about dissec- try has so radically transformed in a tion and analysis, fragmentation and single generation. Generally speak- Taiwan has developed a reputation exploration of conceptually cut-up ing, we find that most tea lovers will for the production of fine oolong such parts. There is no tea tree. Not really. slowly migrate towards deeper, darker as Bai Hao (Eastern Beauty), Dong Tea is an environment. Tea is the and more full-bodied teas over time. Ding, Baozhong and several other soil, the weather, the water, the rocks But that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy varieties of high-mountain oolong and mountain. Oolong tea is not a a lightly roasted oolong now and tea. Modern business practices and formula in a textbook. (Show me a again. They can be spectacular! But agricultural research have combined farmer who uses a textbook to pro- a nice heavily roasted oolong at the with Taiwan’s ideal humid moun- cess his tea!) Neither is it in the leaves height of winter can change your tain climate to foster one of the most alone. Oolong tea is a certain terroir, day, and maybe even your week. dynamic and influential tea markets one that includes a particular pro- There is a power and breadth to an in the world. This contemporary suc- cessing methodology that suits the oolong that has been crafted in the cess story is built on a firm founda- environment, trees and leaves of that traditional way. It coats the mouth tion, as the island has for centuries place. It is also the culture and heri- and throat and has a lasting huigan. been an important hub for tea and

19/ Basic Introduction to Taiwanese Oolong Tea tea culture, though not without an dred kilometers across the Taiwan striped or ball-shaped. These two dis- environmental price. Its tea culture Strait. This is true of processing and tinctive shapes correspond to the orig- dates to at least the eighteenth cen- of varietals. (The exception to the lat- inal birthplaces of oolong: the north- tury. Even classic Qing Dynasty Chi- ter would be the Three Daughters of ern part of Fujian along the Danshui nese books compliment Taiwanese tea Taiwan: native varietals we will dis- River for the long and thin striped production and mention its centrality cuss in depth later on in the issue.) oolong like Wuyi Cliff Tea, which is to the people’s way of life. According The ancestors of today’s tea masters the very first oolong of all, and the to one such record, there were wild brought their trees from Fujian to southern tight ball-shaped oolong, tea trees in Taiwan as far back as the the highlands of Taiwan, along with which came after the northern striped mid-1600s, though it was not until the skills and knowledge necessary to tea, exemplified by Tieguanyin (Anxi the Yongzheng reign (1723-1735) of produce the fine assortment of oolong Iron Goddess). The northern Fujian the Qing Dynasty that the Taiwanese that has become so famous around striped oolong migrated to the hilly began to harvest and sell the tea from the world. The processing methods regions of the northern half of Taiwan these trees. found in Taiwan today can be divided and the southern ball-shaped oolong However, the tea trees developed roughly between the northern and was brought to the central highlands over the past two hundred years in central regions of Taiwan, correspond- via Muzha in the north. This is a cat- Taiwan are not related to those native ing to the proximate regions of north- egorization based on processing, not wild tea trees memorialized in such ern and southern Fujian. varietals/cultivars, which we will dis- historic records. Most Taiwanese tea As mentioned before, the two cuss later on in the issue. (Most con- is instead descended from the plants main types of oolong in the world sumers are satisfied with understand- and traditions of Fujian province in can be categorized according to the ing the processing and brewing of ’s southeast, just a few hun- shape of their leaves, which are either their teas and rarely explore varietals.)

20 Taiwan Oolong

With an understanding of the two categories of oolong based on processing (striped vs. ball-shaped), let’s take a closer look at the types of Taiwanese oolong in those terms:

Northern Danshui River Tea: Baozhong (or Pou Chong) & Bai Hao (Eastern Beauty) Origin: Northern Fujian, Wuyi Cliff Tea Date of Import to Taiwan: 1810 AD (Qing Dynasty, Jiaqing)

The oolong from the northern region of Taiwan is pri- Cliff Tea of Wuyi, Baozhong acts as a bridge between green marily stripe-shaped, consistent with the tea trees and tea like Long Jing or Bi Lou Chun and the versatile world of processing techniques imported from the banks of the oolong. It offers a unique light taste, fresh and green, while Danshui River in the early 18th century. The most famous at the same time presenting the floral fragrances of oolong. of these are Baozhong (Pou Chong) and Bai Hao oolong. Baozhong is named after the packaging it was once wrapped (There is the exception of Taipei’s Muzha Tieguanyin, in, which distinguished it from other Taiwanese tea. which is farmed and processed in a more southern fashion. Another famous Taiwanese striped tea is Bai Hao It is, in fact, where the southern-style tea landed in Taiwan, oolong (Eastern Beauty). Its distinctive flavor is a result of after which it spread to the central highlands.) a natural chemical reactive process, borne of the interaction Taiwan began producing Baozhong as early as 1810 of the tea with its surrounding environment. In the sum- when immigrants from , Fujian cultivated mer, the population of leaf-hoppers (katydids, Jacobiasca tea trees to make flowered tea, like jasmine green tea, for formosana) reaches its peak, and most of the tender tea export. In the early 20th century, the export market col- leaves are eaten by these insects. As a natural self-defense lapsed with the chaos of World War II. Taiwanese tea pro- mechanism, the tea trees begin producing higher concen- ducers shifted their focus to the domestic market, which trations of polyphenols and tannins. These natural chem- demanded finer quality tea. This turned out to be a posi- icals mix with enzymes in the insects’ saliva, causing the tive change, as it forced them to research and develop the tea leaves to begin oxidizing before they are picked, which skills to generate natural floral fragrances from tea without produces a rich, fruity and floral aroma. Bai Hao oolong using actual flowers. Since then,Baozhong has been bred is further distinguished by the fact that it requires three to and processed to emphasize the aroma and complexity four thousand leaf tips to make six hundred grams of tea, of its fragrance, with a flowery fullness as the goal of fine where the same amount of another tea is usually made up Baozhong. Of all the oolong Taiwan produces, Baozhong of about one thousand. It is the most oxidized type of Tai- is the lightest in oxidation (sometimes as low as 5%). Its wanese oolong (70-80%), and is only harvested in Hsinchu elegantly narrow and naturally curved shape reveals its and Miaoli counties during the summer season. Wuyi heritage, but unlike the heavily oxidized and roasted

21/ Basic Introduction to Taiwanese Oolong Tea Central Mountain Area: Dong Ding Oolong & High-Mountain Oolong

Origin: Southern Fujian, Tieguanyin Date of Import to Taiwan: Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period

The processing methods of southern Fujian’sTieguanyin several years without the help of modern innovations like arrived in the central part of Taiwan as early as the Kangxi refrigeration and vacuum- or nitrogen-sealed packaging. reign (1661–1772). Its characteristic round shape comes Today’s more lightly oxidized (30% or lower) and more from a special cloth-wrapped rolling that also imparts a roasted style of Dong Ding oolong was fashioned by and for unique aroma to the tea. The tight shape limits the surface the annual Lugu Tea Competition. The lighter oxidation area of the leaf that is exposed to oxygen, enhancing and allows the judges to more easily inspect the nature of the preserving freshness. This is very important for high-moun- tea leaves. Lighter-oxidized Dong Ding relies on a heavier tain oolong. If it becomes stale, it loses its wonderful flo- roasting to bring out its mellowness and complexity, which ral fragrance. The most influential examples of this tea are is unique to this tea. Recently, many farmers in Dong Ding Lugu’s Dong Ding oolong and high-mountain oolong. have returned to higher oxidation as well. Dong Ding oolong originally referred to oolong har- “Formosa High-Mountain Oolong” is a generic name vested from the three villages of Pin Ding (another name that refers to all oolong tea harvested from plantations for Dong Ding), Yung Long and Feng Huang in Lugu more than 1000 meters in elevation. Such farms origi- , Nantou . Since then, it has come to nated in the 1970s in Mei Shan, . Farmers mean oolong from anywhere in Lugu. In the olden days, in Mei Shan originally depended on dragon eye fruit (long when farmers had to walk to the tea farms and carry the yan) and bamboo farming. In the 1960s and ’70s, they harvested tea leaves back on foot, they had to tighten their faced financial hardship when the demand for bamboo and calf muscles as they hiked. In the Taiwanese dialect, “ding” wood decreased. Local governments noticed the achieve- refers to this action. Every day, they climbed up and down ments of the tea industry in neighboring Lugu County the constantly foggy, slippery and cold mountain paths. and decided to help local farmers plant tea trees and learn “Dong” describes these cold and slippery roads. Hence, the the processing skills needed to revitalize their economy. name of the tea, “Dong Ding” alludes to the mountain hik- The higher elevation (Mei Shan: 1100m vs. Lugu: 700m) ing the farmers did in order to bring this tea to market. and humid and foggy climate made the oolong produced Dong Ding oolong has undergone some changes since in Mei Shan an immediate success. Its thick, refined con- the days when the leaves were carried up and down the sistency and rich, refreshing floral aroma quickly won the mountains on farmers’ backs. Traditional Dong Ding hearts of many tea drinkers in Taiwan. Following Mei oolong was oxidized more (~60%) and roasted less than Shan’s success, tea farmers have been continuously trying to those we see today. This is because more oxidized teas develop tea plantations at higher elevations. Nowadays, the have a more consistent quality. When walking was the most famous high-mountain growing regions are Yu Shan only means of transportation, it was vital to process the (1400m), Ali Shan (1600m), Shan Lin Xi (1700m) and tea with higher oxidation, as the leaves would start oxidiz- Li Shan (2500m). Higher elevations have become synon- ing the moment they were picked. Tea farmers and mer- ymous with higher-quality tea produced in more favorable chants could store this higher-oxidized oolong safely for and hopefully organic environments.

22 Taiwan Oolong

Master Lu Li Zhen roasting oolong tea.

Processing of Taiwanese Oolong

From the ethereally fragrant the following basic steps, each with Oxidation is one of the defining Baozhong to the caramel Dong Ding, infinite shades: elements of all tea. In general, people from the intoxicatingly fruity Eastern categorize oolong tea as partially oxi- Beauty to the teas grown at heights of Harvest/picking (cai cha, 採茶) dized during processing. On the oxi- thousands of meters, the Taiwanese Outdoor withering (shai qing, 曬青) dation spectrum, oolong tea tradition- oolong family presents an enchanting Indoor withering (liang qing, 涼青) ally spanned from 30 or 40% to 70%. and unique tea experience for all tea Shaking (yao qing, 搖青) However, nowadays the high-moun- lovers. But its diversity can be at times (Shaking & withering are repeated) tain oolong (for example, the Li Shan, confusing and daunting. Oolong tea Firing (sha qing, 殺青) Shan Lin Xi, or Ali Shan oolong of is an art, requiring the most skill to Rolling (rou nian, 揉捻) Taiwan) may have an oxidation degree make and brew, and should therefore Roasting (hong pei, 烘焙) below thirty percent. Baozhong cer- be appreciated with an artistic mind. (Often repeated) tainly does. When we were discussing this month’s Sorting (fan ji, 分級) Once you enter the oolong world tea with Mr. Tsai, he said that no two through the oxidation window, you are alike, especially these days To fully understand the diver- immediately face another two import- with a range of oxidation from as low sity of oolong tea, one must under- ant factors: degree of roasting and as five percent all the way up to eighty stand the interplay of three factors age. Roasting and aging the tea can with Eastern Beauty. “There are so that characterize each oolong: degree both be thought of as post-production many steps, and each one so subtle. of oxidation, roasting, and age. Of influences. Though they are different Every time a hand or even machine course, the cultivar of the tea plant in many ways, you can think of them touches a batch of leaves it does so also plays a decisive role in the overall as commensurate, so that aging a tea differently. This influence results in a aroma and taste, which we will discuss throughout the years is like roasting it unique tea.” Oolong is processed in in another article soon. for longer periods.

23/ Basic Introduction to Taiwanese Oolong Tea Roasting of Oolong (hong pei, 烘焙)

Taiwanese oolong tea masters Constant attention is required, as any 1. To lower the tea leaf moisture have inherited the roasting skills so negligence during the lengthy roasting content to about three to four per- essential to Wuyi Cliff Tea and Anxi may ruin the whole batch. cent so that the aroma and taste Tieguanyin. Proper roasting of an A good roasting not only achieves remain consistent over a longer oolong should achieve the following the three goals mentioned above, period of time. goals: (1) stabilize the tea quality; (2) but will also leave the tea free from 2. To remove undesirable smells, correct the aroma and taste; and (3) any sharp or harsh firing or charcoal/ especially any grassiness, usually increase the mellowness and complex- burnt/roasty flavors. Every stage of due to an insufficient kill-green ity. Traditional oolong roasting can be oolong processing should complement (sha qing) process. a very time-consuming and labor-in- and encourage the potential of the tea tensive process, especially for oolong without leaving any trace of itself. The 3. The high temperature during roasting causes complex chemical such as Dong Ding and Tieguanyin. ideal roasting retains the existing flo- reactions among tea leaf com- Roasting was often done by hand ral quality, adds a mature fruity aroma ponents. Two major reactions over hardwood charcoal fire, and the and blends the two in harmony. It are (1) the Mailliard reaction: tea had to be monitored constantly enhances the taste to create a lingering the carbonyl group of the sugars by sight, smell and feel. Even today, and penetrating experience that not reacts with amino acids, and (2) when modern machinery has mostly only entertains the mouth and throat, caramelization: the oxidation of replaced roasting over charcoal fires, but resonates smoothly with the body, certain sugars. Both reactions experience and patience still play vital changing the way the tea enters the result in brown-colored and aro- roles in the success of oolong roasting. subtle body or flow of Qi. In general, matic components, and hence the It is common for oolong such as Dong oolong tea may undergo additional, more amber-colored liquor with Ding to undergo several days of roast- heavier roasting steps, beyond the more complex aroma that comes ing, and Tieguanyin to take weeks. first, for the following reasons: from a more roasted oolong.

24 Taiwan Oolong

As a general rule of thumb, the selected and stored by the owner so that forced farmers to improve their roasting degree usually aligns with the that its aroma and taste will develop product; and (3) The people: the oxidation degree. A higher-oxidized over a long period of time, maybe tens hard-working, honest and creative tea oolong can undergo a higher degree of years. producers in Taiwan are always refin- of roasting to develop a robust and Aging an oolong can significantly ing their skills. complex aroma and taste. A lightly improve its mellowness and develop Today Taiwanese oolong has oxidized oolong, on the other hand, is more complexity in the aroma and become one of the hottest tea fash- better with light or even no roasting. flavor. Aging oolong is not like aging ions in the world. Taiwan’s precious Roasting decisions are also largely puerh, where biological activity plays high-mountain oolong has even had a affected by the consumer market’s an important role in the transfor- large impact on conventional oolong preference. Take Tieguanyin, for mation of the tea. Puerh requires a production in mainland China. Still, example: Anxi of Fujian province in certain degree of humidity and air Taiwanese oolong faces a formida- China and Muzha of Taipei city in circulation, but aging oolong, on the ble economic challenge in the global Taiwan are both renowned for their other hand, is best in an environment market. More and more teas that Tieguanyin, but their styles are totally low in humidity and oxygen. This bear the name “Taiwan,” “Formosa,” different. AnxiTieguanyin has little means that many of us in this com- Dong Ding,” “Bai Hao,” etc., are not to no roasting these days, as the mar- munity, who live in places that are really from Taiwan and only mar- ket has shifted to a floral aroma from less than ideal for puerh aging, can ginally resemble the original quality. the cultivar, which came on the heels of Taiwan high-mountain oolong’s success. On the other hand, the sour- This means that many of us in this community, ness and sweet, pungent aroma of Anxi Tieguanyin hasn’t caught on in who live in places that are less than ideal for puerh Muzha, which still follows traditional aging, can still age oolong. Generally, a more heavy roasting to caramelize and mel- low the aroma into something more robust oolong is selected and placed in a glazed, mature and fruity. earthenware jar. It helps to completely fill the jar so that there is less oxygen inside. Aging

Enjoying aged oolong is an unfa- still age oolong. Generally, a more These forgeries abound in Asia and miliar experience for most tea - robust oolong is selected and placed the West, promising tea at cheaper ers. Puerh, we know, generally gets in a glazed earthenware jar. It helps prices but without the quality for better as it ages, but fewer of us know to completely fill the jar so that there which the originals have become that something similar actually hap- is less oxygen inside. The jar is then famous. To overcome this problem, pens to oolong. While lightly oxidized sealed, often with wax, and stored in a Taiwanese tea farmers, producers and oolong tea is generally understood to cool place without sunlight or humid- merchants must continuously strive to be best when drunk fresh, it can also ity. More oxidized or roasted tea is improve and refine the quality of gen- be stored for years and improve with usually drier and therefore ages better. uine Formosa teas and courageously time—even though they are not the introduce them to the world market. ideal candidates for aging. We all We also would like to see Taiwan have limited space to store teas, so it Past to Modern shine as a bright example of organic is often better to choose a more heav- tea farming. As an island, Taiwan is ily oxidized/roasted oolong, such as Since early Chinese settlers protected by the sea, and could very Dong Ding, Bai Hao or Tieguanyin for brought tea plants and their process- well become the first fully-organic tea aging. ing skills to the island, the knowl- region in the world. This would surely We must distinguish between edge of oolong and tea horticulture put Taiwan at the forefront of oolong intentionally aged oolong and oolong has been significantly refined and production again! that has exceeded its shelf life but is improved. A thriving Taiwanese tea still left around. The latter accounts culture has arisen as a result of three for more so-called “aged oolong” on factors: (1) Nature: the perfect grow- the market. If a shop does not sell a ing conditions for tea trees and the tea and tosses it in the back, the con- rich geographic landscape of Tai- ditions for aging will be less than ideal wan itself; (2) Timing: the economic and the resulting tea will be inferior to boom in Taiwan since the ‘70s fueled a well-aged oolong. An aged oolong the domestic market’s demand for is the kind that has been carefully finer teas, creating a competition

25/ Basic Introduction to Taiwanese Oolong Tea 隱 退