I still have a lot to catch up with Taiwanese oolongs. Luckily, I was offered this gorgeous Gaoshan oolong today at the Spring House Tea Room in Beijing.
Gaoshan Tea has the most extended history amongst all the teas planted in Taiwan. It has diversified cultivars based on where it comes from. The most famous mountains include Alishan, Lushan, Meishan, Yushan and Lishan. Most of Gaoshan is lightly fermented and rolled into semi-ball shape.
The characteristics of Lishan is that the tea trees grow in the virgin forests between two peaks of the Central Mountain Range in Taiwan. In this area only, pears and apples grow. The tea grows at a higher altitude of 1,400-2,000 m. The difference between day and night temperatures make the environment for Gaoshan tea ideal.
Lishan Oolong is also considered a tea with high endurance. This means you can re-steep it multiple times and can still enjoy its rich floral aromas and pleasant flavours. For me, this was a very delicate tea. No astringency, no pronounced sweetness but mellowness and richness of floral notes made it outstanding.
Source: Wei Pan, Ooolong Tea, World Culture Books.
Tea Profile:
Type: Oolong
Origin: Lishan, Taiwan
Harvest time: Spring 2020
Leaf colour: Sphrical green balls
Liquor colour: Vibrant light yellow
Tea aroma: Floral
Tea taste: Mellow and refreshing with lingering floral notes
Steeping/brewing: Place 8 g of this tea in a 150 ml teapot and pour water at 95°C. Rinse the leaves for three and discard the water. Infuse the leaves for 15 sec for the second steeping and add 5 sec to each consecutive steeping.
Shelf life: Up to 2 years
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