A Li Shan - Ali Mountain - Oolong Tea

When people think of Taiwan high-mountain oolong, this is usually the first tea that comes to mind. Historically, however, camphor and cypress wood had been the main industry here. During the Japanese period, in order to further develop the area, a network of narrow-gauge railways was built high into the Alishan mountain range, which lasts to this day. On the back of this improved accessibility, initially fruit orchards and later on tea farms followed. Perennially blanketed in thick fog, tea bushes here grow slow with only two harvests annually. This slow growth is also the exact reason why the tea produced here is so special, as plants concentrate their flavour compounds into less leaf, thereby producing a more complex final product. Our Alishan is sourced from a 6th generation tea farming family that despite the advance of tourism into the area, has been able to resist the lure of modernity and instead take pride in their traditional and sustainable methods. This oolong is packed with floral notes, the nuances of which truly reveal themselves to the more seasoned tea drinker.

Overview

Origin
● Harvest: last week April 2021
● Location: Shizhuo, Chiayi County, Taiwan
● Altitude: 1300-1500m
● Cultivar: Qing Xin

Processing
● Method: hand-picked
● Pluck: bud plus 2-3 leaves
● Oxidation: 15-25%
● Roast: none

Tasting notes

Appearance
● Dry leaf: tightly rolled pellets of similar size, dark pine green colour
● Wet leaf: unfurls fully, lightly bruised edges
● Liquor: straw colour, yellow hue

Aroma
● Dry leaf: lily, vanilla, peach blossom
● Wet leaf: rose, orchid, mandarin
● Empty cup: flaky pastry

Flavour
● Taste: chicory, spinach
● Aftertaste: hazelnut, parsnip, daikon
● Mouthfeel: smooth, silky, medium astringency

Brewing tips

The following tips are for your guidance.
Please feel free to adjust to taste.

Gongfu style
● 5-6g per 100ml at 90-95°C (195-205°F)
● 5-10 secs to rinse
● 20-30 secs for 1st steep
● add 10-15 secs for each re-steep
● 5-7 steeps total

Western style
● 1.2-1.5g per 100ml at 95°C (205°F)
● 2-3 mins for 1st steep
● add 30-60 secs for each re-steep
● 1-3 steeps total