A Complete Guide to Taiwan Green Tea

Taiwan primarily produces a green tea known as Biluochun. Farmers cultivate this variety in the Sanxia area, and many tea experts consider it the island’s only true green tea. However, some farmers have experimented with other tea leaves to create additional varieties.

Types of Taiwan Green Tea

Taiwan produces three main types of green tea: Biluochun, Longjing, and Bachuan.

Taiwan Biluochun: The Most Popular Taiwanese Green Tea

Biluochun leads Taiwan’s green teas in production, popularity, and taste. Farmers cultivate it in the Sanxia District of New Taipei City. Its slender, curved leaves produce a delightful sweetness.

Farmers harvest Taiwanese Biluochun each spring and summer when hurricanes and droughts do not interfere with production. The tea offers virtually no grassy flavor and produces an aroma closer to that of a particularly sweet oolong.

Taiwan Longjing Tea

Taiwanese Longjing differs from its mainland Chinese counterpart because farmers use different tea tree varieties. Growers cultivate it in the Sanxia area of New Taipei City, where the tea develops a clear yellow-green color and delicate aroma.

Farmers produce extremely limited amounts of Taiwanese Longjing. In recent years, most producers have exported the tea to Japan.

Bachuan Green Tea

Bachuan green tea provides a mellower and more fragrant experience than Biluochun, with jasmine flowers enriching its aroma. As a scented tea, Bachuan offers a distinctive option that attracts a dedicated group of enthusiasts.

However, most Taiwanese tea farmers place jasmine tea in a separate category between green tea and oolong. Bachuan production also remains highly limited.

Production Origins

Taiwan’s tea industry initially produced green tea before shifting its focus toward black and oolong varieties. Oolong and Baozhong gained attention as early as the Qing Dynasty and flourished during Japanese colonial rule. Green tea exports, however, remained minimal until 1919.

During the Japanese colonial era, green tea exports briefly reached 280,000 kilograms in 1933. Oolong, Baozhong, and black tea still dominated the market. Several factors prevented Taiwanese green tea from achieving similar growth.

Taiwan prioritized partially fermented teas, while limited private-sector technology prevented large-scale green tea production. The Japanese government also protected its domestic green tea industry by suppressing Taiwanese green tea development and encouraging black tea production instead.

Despite these challenges, green tea established a place in Taiwanese tea production. In 1919, Longjing from the Sanxia area became Taiwan’s first green tea export. Producers also made small batches of Japanese-style sencha for Japanese residents in Taiwan and sold lower-grade teas to China’s northeastern provinces.

Biluochun originated in the Dongting Mountains of Jiangsu, China, where it gained recognition for its aroma and flavor. Taiwanese producers began cultivating it more widely during the mid-to-late 1900s.

Where to Find Quality Green Tea From Taiwan

Consumers should choose a reputable producer or distributor with direct access to tea production in Sanxia. The region has limited growing space compared with other Taiwanese tea regions and larger green tea-producing areas throughout Asia.