Oolong Tea

If you ever want buttered popcorn without the guilt, this is the tea for you! Many other milk oolongs use a smaller leaf; our milk oolong or milky oolong is a larger leaf which means you can brew this multiple times without much astringency creeping in.

Notes: Butter, Sweet Cream, Popcorn

Origin: Nantou, Taiwan

This GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid) Oolong is from Nantou, Taiwan, invented by the Japanese in 1984. Flushed with nitrogen during the oxidation process. GABA Oolong is very popular because of its benefits such as relieving anxiety, improving mood, reducing symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and treating attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

ORIGIN: Nantou, Taiwan

Notes: Sweet roasted corn

This Oolong is also called Ginseng Oolong. This Taiwanese Dong Ding Oolong is pressed tightly into a little ball, then coated in a blend of ginseng and licorice powders. Natural sweetness with a hint of tingling sensation from the licorice. Very refreshing and unique flavors that you could never describe. Easy to brew and definitely a crowd-pleaser tea! 

Origin: Nantou, Taiwan

Notes: Honey, Ginseng, Licorice

One of Leo's favorite teas, and one of the most popular teas in the store!

If you're looking for an excellent example of high mountain tea that is more than just a famous name, this is the tea for you.

We chose this 2020 harvest because it's one of the teamaker's most favorite batches in recent years. It's a myth that high mountain oolong can't be aged over time. If made well, they can age just as well as any pu-erh or dark oolong. 

This tea is all about texture. Super rich, buttery, and almost luxurious, a hallmark of a good high mountain tea. The flavor is sweet and fresh, without being overly floral or green. The aftertaste is even sweeter.

Alishan is one of the most iconic high mountain regions in Taiwan, but not all Alishan oolongs are created equal. Because Alishan is so famous, there's a big range of quality on the market.

Our Alishan is made by one of the region's most famous teamasters, with leaves picked in a natural garden. She has been working with the same leaves for more than 20 years, and knows how to bring out the best in every harvest. No pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used for the tea which really captures the essence of the high mountain environment. We're big fans! 

Origin: Alishan, Taiwan

Harvest: Spring 2020

Notes: creamy, buttery, sweet

When thinking about how to introduce Taiwanese Oolong to someone new, this is the one tea you must try. Incredible aroma, flavor and after taste. 

The name forever spring comes because of how the tea can be harvest all year long. Tea that can be harvest all-year tends to sacrifice some quality with it. But not this one, since this tea is made by one of our best Taiwanese tea farmers. Even everyday tea like this is incredibly tasty. Definitely the best tea to enjoy for any tea lovers. 

Origin: Nantou, Taiwan

Notes: Honey, Orchid, Nutty

As delicate and airy as high mountain oolong gets!

This super elegant Yushan is made from a special winter harvest called dong pian, or winter petal, which only happens when the weather conditions allow the tea bushes to sprout twice during the winter. Dong pian harvests don't happen every year, and when they do happen, the yield is lower but the leaves are more concentrated and sweet. 

Because this tea is so soft and delicate, brew this tea on its own in a dedicated session to get the best out the leaves.

Yushan is a lesser known region in Taiwan, since most of the Yushan area is a protected national park where tea cultivation is not allowed. This particular garden is just outside the national park but at the same gorgeous, high elevation environment. No pesticides or chemical fertilizers are used in the garden, which really captures the essence of the high mountain environment. 

Origin: Yushan, Taiwan

Notes: Sweet, Delicate, Airy

Iron Goddess Oolong is famous for having an orchid aroma and flavor to it. This unroasted version is unique because of its nice sweet fruity notes. The flavor is very clean, smooth, and slightly creamy. There is a hint of nuttiness as a result of the 40% oxidation, which makes this one of our most complex Iron Goddess teas. It has a honey and vegetal aftertaste that lingers for a few minutes.

Overall it's a remarkable oolong to have for such an affordable price!

Alternate Name: Tie Guan Yin

Notes: Honey Mango, Orchid

This hand-picked oriental beauty is special because it's processed of oxidation relies a lot on the green leafhopper. This tea green leafhoppers love to bite into the leaf. The tiny bites don't necessarily cause bite holes. Instead, the plant actually releases a natural sweetness enzyme to attract predators of the leafhopper. 

As a result of the higher oxidation, this oolong tastes between an oolong and a black tea. You'll get the floral and nutty flavor, and also a rounder, honey after-taste similar to a black tea. Overall a nice relaxing tea to have after meals. 

Origin: Hsinchu County, Taiwan

Notes: Chestnut, Honey, Caramelized Peaches

This Taiwan Oolong sample pack includes:

10g (1/3 oz) Medium Roast Dong Ding Oolong

10g (1/3 oz) Amber Oolong

10g (1/3 oz) Lishan Oolong

10g (1/3 oz) Dark Roast Iron Goddess Oolong

10g (1/3 oz) GABA Oolong

10g (1/3 oz) Oriental Beauty Oolong

If you love the roasted flavor type of tea, this Amber oolong is a great introduction to someone that loves the charcoal roasted flavor. You can smell the deep wood,  charcoal aroma right after brewing. A hint of spice like cloves, nutmeg and black pepper combine with the sweet roasted charcoal makes this tea is a perfect tea to drink with grilled meats.   

With a proper brewing, this oolong can be brewed for at least 10 times. Use a lower temperature (around 195F) to bring out more of the fruitiness of this tea or brew with higher temperature if you like more of a complex and spicier version of this oolong. 

Origin: Nantou, Taiwan

Notes: wood, nutmeg, black pepper, banana

Li-Shan or Pear Mountain is part of the Yu-Shan or Jade Mountain range in Taiwan. This area is famous for its production of pears, apples, and peaches which requires low temperature year-round with high level of humidity. With an elevation between 1600 to 2500 and misty mornings all year, Li-Shan has the perfect condition to make one of the best high mountain oolongs.

This oolong has a floral long-lasting aftertaste with notes of plum and vegetal undertone. 

Origin: Tai Chung, Taiwan

Harvest: Spring 2019

Notes: Plum, citrus, pineapple

If you are looking for balance, this Medium Roast Dong Ding oolong will satisfy your taste bud. There is a taste of sweetness, vegetal, florals, fruity accompanied with great mouthfeel and after-taste. Just everything you want in your oolong. 

Dong Ding means frozen peak. It is special because the constant low temperature creates a higher amount of amino acid in a tea, which makes the tea naturally sweeter and creamier. 

Origin: Nantou, Taiwan

Oriental Beauty is a famous Taiwanese Oolong for being oxidized naturally by relying on bug's bite.

Origin: Nantou, Taiwan

Notes: Floral, Malty, Honey

A rare oolong from Taiwan that oxidizes when particular types of insects bite into the leaves. This attack develops the teas' own unique aroma and flavor in response.

These teas never sprayed with any sort of pesticides. 

Origin: Nantou, Taiwan 

It is uncommon to have an Oriental Beauty leave pressed into a cake. Oriental Beauty tastes so good when it has been aged.

Oriental Beauty is one of Taiwanese most famous tea because of how it was oxidized naturally by getting help from the surrounding bugs. A green leafhopper bites into the leave causing the tea leaves to release a natural sweetness to attract predators of the attacking leafhopper. Naturally, this tea develops a very unique caramel sweetness you don't normally get from a Taiwanese Oolong. 

When thinking about high-mountain oolong. Alishan is the most popular oolong coming from Taiwan with an elevation of about 1000 to 1500 meters. The higher the place, the cooler the temperature. Cool temperature with lots of clouds can help develop natural sweetness and milk-like creaminess in a tea. 

This tea has a clean taste, mild, a balance of floral and vegetal notes with a very refreshing aftertaste. 

Check out our Royal Grade Alishan here. 

Harvest: 2019

Origin: Alishan, Taiwan

There are some teas that are just endlessly complex and rewarding, and the 2002 Yilan Baozhong is one of them. We can't get enough of this tea!

Unlike many aged oolongs from Taiwan, which are re-roasted every few years to remove sour flavors, this 2002 Yilan Baozhong has been kept unroasted the whole time. The teamaker decided early on to store the tea like this, allowing it to capture the natural fluctuation of the seasons for almost 20 years in Taiwan.

As a result, the 2002 Yilan Baozhong has a fruity, fermented aroma like heicha or pu'erh. This is because of active microbes in the tea that can live because the tea has been kept unroasted. Deep and rewarding to explore.

This is tea changes a lot based on the brewing style, with common notes of stonefruit, date, and raisin.

The farm from which this was made has now become overgrown, but even in 2002 this tea was cultivated completely naturally with no pesticides or fertilizers.

Origin: Yilan, Taiwan

Harvest: Spring 2002

Notes: stonefruit, date, and raisin