Gourmet Alishan Oolong Tea from Taiwan

Description

Alishan Oolong offers a full range of quality grades, reflecting the region’s reputation as Taiwan’s most celebrated Oolong-growing area.

The Alishan Mountains produce Oolong in cool temperatures at over 3,000 feet of elevation. These conditions are optimal for Oolong production, so it should be no surprise they produce so many award-winning varieties.

Our Gourmet Alishan Oolong Tea is delicate, creamy, and smooth, but also distinctly floral. It has a buttery mouthfeel and a subtle sweetness. The same region and production methods create “milk Oolong”, a variety first produced in the 1980s that was named for its milky, smooth characteristics.

Product Details:

• Tea Region: Taiwan’s Alishan Mountainous Region.
• Season: Spring 2026.
• Caffeine Level: Low Caffeine Tea Selection.
• Time of Day to Drink: Mornings and Mid-Afternoons
• Hand-Picked Tea: Yes.
• Forest Tea: No.
• Tea Quality: Gourmet Tea.
• Flavor: Slightly sweet and creamy, yet balanced overall.
• Single Origin Tea: Yes, from Taiwanese high mountain regions in Alishan.
• Tea Steep Method: 3-4 grams steeped for 20-30 seconds.
• Qi Strength: Low to medium Balanced Qi.
• Attributes: Organic, Single Origin, Low Acidity.
• Amount: 5 Grams to 1 Ounce, Loose Leaf.

The tea grows slowly, which is partly the result of the cool mountain mists, but also because of the stark temperature difference between day and night, as well as the long winters. It makes for a long and laborious growing period. However, it’s just what the tea needs to develop a sweet and creamy flavor profile.

Typically, tea produces bitter compounds like catechins and tannins through photosynthesis, which act as the plant’s natural self-defense mechanism. Basically, more exposure to sunshine means faster photosynthesis, which, in turn, increases the production of these compounds.

By essentially turning down the heat, the plant doesn’t rush to create these compounds. Instead, it focuses its efforts on producing natural sugars and sweet amino acids. They have more time to concentrate energy on producing aromatic compounds and sugars, while holding onto amino acids that would otherwise be converted into other compounds.

After harvesting, the leaves are then withered and partially oxidized, retaining the flavors and producing more of a rounded sweetness. What’s more, the tightly wrapped leaves will gradually unfurl during several steepings, which means you can brew the leaves multiple times.