Eco-Farmed High Mountain Oolong Tea

Our Eco-Farmed High Mountain Oolong Tea is from a certified organic farm bordering the national parkland of the highest peak in east Asia. The tea trees on this farm have adjusted to organic living, and just in the few past years have been producing well in response to organic pest control and fertilizers in the irrigation system.

This year's spring crop was plucked in early May, when the new leaf growth was still young and tender. Uniform leaf material allows for proper wilting, oxidation, and fixing of the leaves. This results in a balanced, clean tasting brew. These leaves were also affected by the Green Leafhopper, and other pests. This is almost a given, in that this is an organic farm and the summer months are most susceptible to bugs!

This batch of tea was processed similarly to a High Mountain Tea. We then brought it to our mentor Lisa Lin to work her roasting expertise magic. Upon tasting the tea, Lisa decided to let the leaves breathe for 10 days, and reconstitute after what whe perceived as being too hastily dried. She then slowly baked the leaves, starting at 85°C and gradually increasing the temperature up to 110° over nine hours. The effect of roasting the leaves really brought forth the honey-like aromatic and flavor notes that are a result of the leaves being affected by the Green Leafhopper.

What these leaves have to offer as a result of the relatively slow, natural growing phase is their substance. They simply have a lot more constitution. And this composition brews slowly and steadily, with significantly more endurance. We suggest a 1:17 ratio of leaf to water. So about 10g of tea in a 175mL Gongfu style teapot.

It starts off with a mild savory aroma, and brews a smooth, thick texture, with floral, honey, and tangy notes, and ends with a balanced, sweet/dry, lasting finish. It brews steadily and consistently for several brews. Don't be surprised if the first and second brew are a bit timid. These leaves take a bit of steeping to open up. But those first brews offer their own special introduction into the character of these leaves. The lighter more subtle notes are revealed before the more substantial constitution issues forth.

Our Eco-Farmed High Mountain Oolong Tea is from a certified organic farm located on the periphery of Yushan National Park. Yushan, or Jade Mountain is not only the highest peak in Taiwan, but also in all of east Asia. This farm is the closest developed land to the park, in a remote mountain valley.

We are so impressed with this couple's work and the story of how they came to transition their inherited family farm to being certified organic. A husband and wife manage this farm that has been fully certified for over 5 years now. They began transitioning to organic over ten years ago when they decided to stop using chemical farm products.

We can see how naturally these tea trees are allowed to grow. It's a wholly different farming method than conventional farming, and the produce from a farm like this is also next level. In our perception, based on continually visiting tea farms in Taiwan for over 20 years, this source is a rare and precious find. The combination of a pristine geographic location with an ideal micro-climate for tea production, and the natural farming methods are just not to be found. In a word, we love this farm, as well as its caretakers!

Brewing Guide: 9g tea in 300ml 80°C water. Steep for 3 minutes. Re-steep. Adjust to taste.

Cold Brew: Use 7g of tea per liter of water. Brew tea at room temperature for 2-3 hours, and enjoy. Or you can put your cold brew bottle in the fridge to brew overnight and be ready to drink the next day.

Gongfu Brew: Use 9g for a 150ml pot. Use boiling temperature water and brew for about 60 seconds, second brew 50 seconds. Increase brewing time with each successive brew. The leaves can be brewed 8-9 times.