A Complete Guide to Taiwan Tea
Taiwanese tea primarily consists of premium oolong and black teas grown on the island of Taiwan. Although many people associate Taiwan with high-mountain oolong, the island also produces black, green, and white teas, including varieties such as Bai Mu Dan.
Taiwan Tea Regions Table
| Tea Area | Altitude (m) | County/City | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alishan | ~1,200 | Chiayi | Alishan ranks as Taiwan’s most famous tea region and produces high-mountain oolongs. |
| Shanlinxi | ~1,600 | Nantou | Shanlinxi serves as one of Taiwan’s premier production areas for green tea and bug-bitten black tea. |
| Lishan | 2,000–2,500 | Taichung | The region produces premium fruit for teas such as Pear Oolong. |
| Huagang | 2,200–2,400 | Taichung | Pure mountain streams contribute to multilayered, high-end oolongs. |
| Dayuling | 2,200–2,500 | Hualien, near the Nantou border | The region produces crisp, high-mountain-tasting oolongs that remain underrated in the oolong world. |
| Fushoushan | 2,200–2,500 | Taichung | Fushoushan has a strong reputation for apple production and produces premium oolongs similar to those from Lishan. |
| Yushan | 1,200–1,800 | Nantou, including Xinyi and Shuili | The region produces high-mountain oolong and black tea. |
| Muzha | ~300–500 | Taipei | Muzha produces roasted Tieguanyin with distinctive charcoal-roasted characteristics. |
| Wenshan | ~400–800 | Taipei, Wenshan District | The region produces Baozhong, or Pouchong, a lightly oxidized floral oolong that falls between green tea and oolong. |
| Miaoli | ~300–800 | Miaoli County | Miaoli produces Oriental Beauty, a medium-oxidation insect-bitten oolong. |
| Taitung | ~500–800 | Taitung County | The region produces Red Oolong, a semi-oxidized tea with a distinctive sweetness. |
| Sun Moon Lake | ~600–800 | Nantou | The region produces Assam hybrids, Sun Moon Lake black tea, and Taiwanese Ruby Red No. 18 black tea. |
Quick Facts
Alishan ranks as Taiwan’s most famous tea-producing area. Boba brands widely use its high-mountain oolongs. However, Fushoushan and Lishan surpass Alishan in high-mountain oolong quality.
The Wenshan District, southeast of Taipei, stands out for Wenshan Baozhong, also known as Paochung, and Muzha Tieguanyin.
Shanlinxi excels in honey-flavored black tea. Insects bite the tea leaves and create a sweet, honey-like aroma. Sun Moon Lake also holds a strong reputation for black tea and produces Ruby Red No. 18 and Sun Moon Lake Black Tea. Taitung, in southeastern Taiwan, produces Red Oolong.
Sanxia serves as the center of Taiwanese green tea production and has a strong reputation for Biluochun.
Taiwan Tea Types
Taiwan produces oolong, black, green, and white tea varieties. Popular Taiwanese teas include high-mountain oolong, bug-bitten black tea, Red Oolong, roasted oolong, Dongding, Oriental Beauty, GABA tea, and Biluochun.
Taiwan High-Mountain Oolongs
Taiwan produces many types of high-mountain oolong, including Four Seasons Oolong, Dayuling, Jinxuan, Tieguanyin, Dongding, and Oriental Beauty. Their growing elevations and rainfall give these oolongs strong fragrances and crisp flavors.
These teas also offer returning sweetness, known as hui gan, and can withstand multiple steeps, a quality known as nai pao.
Black Teas From Taiwan
Bug-Bitten Black Tea from Shanlinxi ranks among the island’s popular black tea varieties and remains our personal favorite. Ruby Red No. 18 and Assam come from the Sun Moon Lake region. Taitung’s Red Oolong combines characteristics from both tea types because the area produces both oolong and black tea.
Green Tea From Taiwan
Taiwan produces one primary type of green tea: Biluochun. Some farmers have experimented with non-oxidized high-mountain oolongs to enter the green tea market, but these attempts do not match the taste or quality of Biluochun.
Some sources claim that Taiwan produces other green teas. Based on quality, however, we disagree.
GABA Tea
GABA tea gained popularity in Japan from 2008 to 2012 before spreading to Taiwan. However, quality varies widely, and most Taiwanese producers do not meet the standard of 150 milligrams of gamma-butylaminobutyric acid per 100 grams of dry weight.
White Tea
Although Taiwan lacks a strong reputation for white tea, the island produces small amounts of cultivars such as Bai Mu Dan. Like Fujian Province, a region famous for white tea, Taiwan has environments capable of producing sweet white tea.
Aged Tea
Taiwan’s role in aged-tea storage remains an open secret. This book documents the role most clearly through the history and development of Puerh tea. Storage facilities on the island hold most aged Puerh tea from mainland China.
Popular aged teas from Taiwan include Dongding oolongs aged for 20 to 40 years and rock teas aged for 50 to 70 years.
Background of Tea Production on the Island
Taiwanese tea production began in the 1700s with a focus on non-fermented and non-oxidized varieties. Growers brought tea trees from Fujian Province and primarily exported the tea to Europe.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, producers expanded Baozhong exports to Southeast Asia and Africa, according to The General History of Taiwan (臺灣通史).
Challenges in the Taiwanese Tea Industry
Typhoons create the biggest challenge for Taiwan’s tea industry. Frequent storms from May through October cause excessive flooding and make quality control and production access more difficult.
These challenges have increased tea prices, and Taiwanese teas now cost more than Chinese crops.
The Rise of Boba
Since 2016, more Taiwanese farmers have shifted their supply toward bubble tea brands as those companies expanded worldwide, particularly in North America and Europe.
To address this demand, farmers have moved bubble tea leaf production to Indonesia and Vietnam while reserving local crops for higher-profit products.
FAQ: Why Is Taiwan a Popular Tea Area?
Taiwan has earned recognition for producing organic, single-origin teas in environments that remain largely free from pollution. The island also enforces stricter farming standards than neighboring tea-producing regions.
Alex
