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Spring 2022 Looking Good for Taiwan Tea!

Lugu Competition Dong Ding Oolong Tea Tasting Notes | Eco-Cha Tea Club

Lishan High Mountain Oolong Tea Tasting Notes | Eco-Cha Tea Club

Taiwan Tea Masters Seminar 2021

Wenshan Baozhong Spring Tea Sourcing Trip

Taiwan Green Tea Sourcing Trip

How Alishan Oolong Tea Competitions Are Judged
Taiwan is one of the world's premier Oolong Tea producing regions. As such, tea makers in Taiwan are producing some of the best oolong tea in the world. Taiwan is also the home to tea competitions that makers from all over the island enter their best teas into. First prize at at the largest competitions goes for up to $10,000 USD for 600 grams.

Behind The Scenes Of A Taiwan TV News Show
Eco-Cha is featured on a Taiwan TV News station's lifestyle program called "Building Dreams For A New Taiwan" (築夢新台灣) broadcasting tonight. When the station called to notify us of the broadcast, I was prompted to go back take a look at the behind-the-scenes snapshots I took during the shoot. I discovered that they captured a personal story that I'm inspired to share.

Longan Charcoal Roasted Wuyi Oolong Tasting Notes | Eco-Cha Tea Club
The roasted quality is prominent in the initial aroma coming off the leaves after their first steeping. This smoky, cured character is also evident on the palate, but integrated with a complex dried fruit, caramelized quality that gives it a broad flavor profile. It has a tangy/sweet, bold finish that is particularly satisfying.

Longan Charcoal Roasted Wuyi Oolong Tea | Eco-Cha Tea Club
The first batch of tea that we shared from this plot of Wuyi tea plants was left unroasted, in the fashion of Taiwan's High Mountain Tea. This one is on the other end of the roasting scale, having undergone 6 roasting sessions in total. After being roasted in conventional modern ovens twice, this batch was handed over to a professional charcoal tea roaster. This is all the guy does: roast tea in woven bamboo baskets, using charcoal made from the Longan fruit tree. He does not let anyone into his workshop, and keeps his traditional secrets to himself, which he has been developing for several decades. He also roasted this year's January batch that we shared with our Eco-Cha Tea Club members, which our members have raved about.

Roots Revisited For Early Spring Tea Harvest
Mr. and Mrs. Chen were lucky to have chosen April 10 for the harvest of the small plot of Jin Xuan they manage for their childhood friend and tea partner. It was sunny and breezy, perfect weather for harvesting spring tea!

Award Winning Alishan High Mountain Oolong Tea Tasting Notes | Eco-Cha Tea Club
This combination of oxidized leaves with slight roasting offers a balanced flavor profile that turns the fresh green quality into a sweeter, softer character that is complex and substantial. Instead of the herbal aroma of an unroasted High Mountain Oolong, there is a balanced, floral/vegetal quality with fresh pastry in the finish. Overall, it is soothing and satisfying in our experience.