August 12, 2018
The extensive oxidation and minimal roasting offer a flavor profile that has the rich, density of Small Leaf Black Tea while still maintaining enough freshness to give it complexity and vibrancy. Sweet, ripe fruity notes balanced by mildly astringent nutty/woody tones. Add to this an unmistakeable honey essence in both the aroma and on the palate. It's a proper Oolong in its complexity, and a signature bug-bitten batch of tea.
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August 07, 2018
A mom, dad, and son team manage their small family farm and process their crops on their own. And the recent spring harvest offered the pleasant surprise of one day's harvest turning out to be Honey Oolong. This name is properly used when the flavor of the tea has a distinct honey character that results from the Green Leafhopper working its magic. The Leafhopper (jacobiasca formosana) is a tiny green bug that likes to feed on the sap of the tender new leaf buds.
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August 04, 2018
As the specialty tea industry rapidly gains popularity around the world, topics like this one are increasingly mentioned in blogposts, newsfeeds, and on social media platforms. Unfortunately, this type of commentary is mostly hearsay, and lacks objectivity. It was just such a post that recently prompted us to offer a more thorough perspective from the industry here in Taiwan.
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July 19, 2018
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:
- a container to brew
- tea leaves
- drinking water
That's really all there is to it! Any water-tight container is fine.
On the road and don't have any container? Just buy a bottle of water and put your tea leaves in that!
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July 11, 2018
The inspiration for this post began when we first tasted our spring batches of tea this year. Especially for the three teas that we'll take a look at here, we immediately thought upon tasting each of them, they are noticeably different from last winter's batch. So first, let's list the main points to observe in comparing seasonal batches from the same source of tea.
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July 06, 2018
This month's batch of tea being shared with the Eco-Cha Tea Club continues to intrigue us. It has qualities of a delicate Black Tea, with the complexity and depth that defines Oolong Tea. It's mild in character, but very substantial and well balanced in its flavor profile. Smooth on the palate, with tangy, fruity notes, and a lasting heady finish. It's got that composition that keeps you refilling your cup to get more!
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July 02, 2018
While GABA tea was invented in Japan, it wasn't until Taiwanese tea makers applied their expertise in Oolong Tea processing methods that it became known for its unique qualities of flavor along with its heath benefits. Japanese production of GABA tea is focused on its value as a health food supplement, similar to green tea powder. The tea industry in Taiwan relies on its differentiating value of quality produce to compensate for its relatively low volume, compared to other tea producing countries. So when the demand for GABA tea increased, Taiwanese tea makers used their skillful resources and developed a specialty tea with specific healthy attributes.
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June 27, 2018
Quality cold brew tea, like coffee, is increasingly popular these days. Even the stalwart snobs among us have happily discovered that it cannot be considered inferior to their preferred paraphernalia-laden methods of brewing. Indeed, cold brew is just different, and with benefits of its own. So let's take a quick look at why cold brew appeals to tea lovers of all types.
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June 17, 2018
The truth is, our favorite batches of traditionally made Taiwanese Oolongs have come from this community of family owned farms in the foothills of Phoenix Mountain in Lugu Township. We've been told it's the soil, and the mid-elevation climate that is most conducive to making a traditionally made Oolong Tea. But in our own perception, it's the expertise that comes from generations of tea making that results in the character of tea that we love the most.
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June 13, 2018
We recently visited Mr. Liu when we hosted a visitor from Italy who was keen on experiencing the local tea culture. Our guest was truly elated to be served tea by a true artisan of the trade. Mr. Liu served us three different teas that were all locally harvested this past spring. They varied only in their degree oxidation and roasting. And the one that was sufficiently oxidized, but only lightly roasted, immediately impressed us.
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June 10, 2018
A few weeks ago we came across something fantastic that we knew we had to offer to our customers as part of the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival. We'll be announcing a special offer this Thursday (June 14th) first through our newsletter. So, if you haven't already signed up for our newsletter, sign up now here so you can get first dibs on this exciting item. If you sign up, you'll also get $5 off your first order. Not only is this item functional, and useful, it's sure to become a collectors item!
You can sign up for the newsletter at this link: http://eepurl.com/dvZs4L
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