Tai Wan Oolong Tea----Oriental Beauty Tea/ Dongfang meiren tea/ white tips tea

Dongfang meiren tea (oriental beauty tea), also marketed as white tip oolong tea, is a heavily fermented, non-roasted, tip-type oolong tea produced in Hsinchu County, Taiwan.

Production:

The oriental beauty is 70% fermented, and hand picked 1 bud with 2 leaves of Chin Shin Da Pan to produce the high Class tea of oriental beauty. The tea leaves with white tip, so it is also called white tips tea. The more white tips with tea leaves, the higher the price of teas is. The tea gardens of oriental beauty teas are located in the elevation of about 300~800 meters, and have enough humidity and sufficient sunshine, so there’s no pollution for the growth of the tea.

The tea is unique in the world, so its price is higher. And the tea only have summer tea, so it is rare in production.

Characteristics:

It tastes like black tea, but it has unique honey aroma and the tea brew is bright amber color. The most interesting thing about the Oriental Beauty is the tea leaf must be bit by the little tea bug (the Jacobiasca Formosana insect). After being bitten, the green leaves lose photosynthetic ability and transform into a golden-yellow color. Only after this process, does the Oriental Beauty Oolong possess its unique honey aroma.

Preparation:

Dongfang meiren is brewed with lower temperature water (80°C–85°C) than is typical for other oolongs. It also requires a longer brewing (1–2 minutes for the first pot and then longer for subsequent brewings). Like other oolongs, the leaves can be steeped multiple times.

Taiwan Oolong Tea --- High Mountain Tea/Formosa oolong

High mountain tea refers to any tea grown in the alpine tea zones, higher than 1000m above sea level in Taiwan. One reason for such teas to be preferred is the belief that the air at this altitude is less polluted.

Taiwan's unique island geography - high mountain ranges at its center with high humidity and natural precipitation - makes it a most suitable environment for growing tea.The finest quality and grade of oolongs are mostly high mountain oolong which means the tea that grows from 1000 meters above sea level to approximately 2600 meters. As a matter of fact, growing tea on high mountain areas costs much more than planting on low altitudes

Tea cultivators choose the mountain seeking areas with "high energies," areas with an appropriately high level of exposure to the sun, the moon, and the mountain climate, from which sources the grown tea adsorbs its energies[citation needed]. This "energy" manifests itself through the aroma and flavor of the High Mountain Tea, which is appreciated with specialty, particularly porcelain, tea-drinking utensils.

 

The popular representatives of Taiwan high mountain teas include Dayuling Oolong, Li Shan, Shanlinxi Oolong, Alishan Oolong and Wuling Oolong

Dong Ding oolong, Dòngdǐng (凍頂)

The name means Frozen Summit or Ice Peak. Dong Ding is a mountain in Nantou County, Central Taiwan. This is a tightly rolled tea with a light, distinctive fragrance.

Oriental Beauty, Dōngfāng Měirén chá (東方美人茶)

The name means Oriental Beauty. Also known as White Tip Oolong Bai Hao Oolong. This tea is tippy (the leaves frequently have white or golden tips), with natural fruity aromas, a bright red appearance and a sweet taste.

Alishan oolong, ālǐshān chá (阿里山茶)

Grown in the Alishan area of Chiayi County, this tea has large rolled leaves that have a purple-green appearance when dry. It is grown at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,400 metres. There is only a short period during the growing season when the sun is strong, which results in a sweeter and less astringent brew. It produces a golden yellow tea which has a unique fruity aroma.

Lishan oolong, Líshān (梨山)

Grown in the north-central region of Taiwan, this tea is very similar in appearance to Alishan teas, and is often considered to be one of the best teas from Taiwan. It is grown at an elevation above 1,000 metres, with Dayuling, Lishan, and Fusou being the best known regions and teas of Lishan.

Pouchong, (Bāozhǒng chá) (包種茶)

Also romanized as Bāozhǒng, the lightest and most floral oolong[citation needed], with unrolled leaves of a light green to brown color. Originally grown in Fujian it is now widely cultivated and produced in Pinglin Township near Taipei, Taiwan

How to Brew Oolong Tea