Longan Nectar Red Oolong Tea - Spring 2016

This is a very new type of tea, also very special to the world of oolong tea.  At first glance, it looks like oriental beauty in a heavy rolled form.  Don't be fooled, this is not an oriental beauty, nor a black tea, but 100% an oolong tea. 

The term "red" as applied to tea is difficult to understand in the context of English culture, so we must explain this "redness" in the cultural context of Mandarin culture.  In Mandarin, black tea is actually named "red tea" (紅茶) for its color, and shouldn't be confused with the actual "black tea" (黑茶).  Red tea was referred to as "black tea" because the dry leaf itself is typically black in color (See here).  To this day the vast majority of westerners still don't know what a "Red Tea" actually is! 

In Taiwan the art of tea experimental tea processing is thriving and tea growers and processors alike are searching for new techniques to bring out new flavors and aromas!  Our "Red Oolong" came about as an experimental marriage of oolong tea and black tea processing.  After the process of "waving," the tea will be "heavy rolled" like a black tea immediately and oxidated heavily like black tea, but meanwhile has the traditional oolong processing final steps of "kill-green" and a special types of "heavy roasting".  The result is a unique longan fruit aroma and a silky body that is nectar-like.

Harvest:  Spring 2016 / 春 貳零壹陸

Varietal:  Qin Xing Oolong / 青心烏龍

Elevation:  100 M / 壹佰 公尺

Region:  Luye / 鹿野

Fermentation Level: 80% / 分之 捌拾

Roast Level:  4.5 / 肆伍 分

 Wow!  This tea is silky, creamy, sweet, fruity and floral.  I could drink this all day long.  It just explodes in the mouth and throat filling you up with a wonderful feeling!

 I made this tea for a bunch of friends thinking this would be a fun tea to try. I was right. Dry leaf aroma is crazy fruity in the preheated vessel. Really wow. Wet leaf aroma is equally unbelievably aromatic. Round after round it is silky sweet and full of flavor. Both my tea friends and non tea drinking friends were blown away by the pure joy of this new "red oolong".

As an old dog that loves longan since an old dog lives in Taiwan, this tea is a wonderful and nostalgic reminiscence of childhood memory just for that pure aroma. It delivers a very delightful character that despite of being a "low elevation" tea, this is not only a tea for personal savouring, but even more appropriate afternoon tea with your best lady friends.