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FTGFOP1 - Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe First Grade Leaves
SFTGFOP1-SP Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe First Grade Leaves
SFTGFBOP-SP Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe
TGFOP - Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe
GFOP - Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe
GFOP1 - Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe First Grade Leaves
FOP - Flowery Orange Pekoe
FOP1 - Flowery Orange Pekoe First Grade Leaves
FTGFBOP - Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe
FBOP - Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe
CTCGBOP - Cut Tear Crush Golden Broken Orange Pekoe
GFBOP - Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe
Jade Oolongs
Oolong or 'Wu Long' translates as Black Dragon and refers to a method of production that produces a tea somewhere between oxidised black tea and non-oxidised green tea. This is why they are sometimes known as semi-oxidised and in China "Blue" teas. Dependent on how oxidised they are, we are given an incredible variety of spectacular flavours and fragrances to experience. The processing of these highest quality oolongs is carried out by a tea master whose experience and technique will have been learned over at least thirty years and is as important as the growing conditions to the quality of the final product. They are rich in antioxidants, are believed to lower cholesterol and aid digestion and relaxation. Although the prices of the most famous varieties may seem a little high it is worth pointing out that the same leaves will withstand between 8 to 10 infusions making each cup cost just a few pence. This section contains the 'Jade' or lightly oxidised teas from Taiwan. You might also like to try one of Taiwan's world beating 'Amber' Oolongs.
Displaying 1 to 5 (of 5 products)
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Price+ |
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King of Ginseng Cha Wan  |
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£14.60
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100g |
| This fine oolong leaf is rolled with ginseng to produce a very healthy tea. The delicious flavour of the tea is complemented by the sweet aftertaste of the ginseng which lingers pleasantly in the mouth for ages. It gets sweeter as it cools and through its many infusions. |
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| Ice Peak Tung Ting (Dong Ding) |
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£18.00
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100g |
| The tea grown on Tung Ting (also referred to as Dong Ding) Mountain has a special place in Taiwanese tea culture and for many years held the place of the finest tea from this beautiful island. Gardens much higher up in the mountainous regions of Taiwan now hold this honour, as the relatively low altitude at which this is grown prevents the unusually complex character developing as is it does in the high grown teas. That said, Tung Ting tea is delicious and still holds its own among the world's best types. It has a bright, amber green infusion and beautiful aroma, ranging from lilac to milky butterscotch. The infusion is sweet with a lingering taste reminiscent of high mountain pines. |
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| Wen Shan Bao Zhong |
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£23.50
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100g |
| Wen Shan refers to a mountain in the Pingling township of Taipei County. Bao Zhong, sometimes known as Paochong means 'wrapped' tea, referring to the special way that this tea was wrapped in the 18th Century. This famous tea has been cast into the shadow of the more recently famous Li Shan or 'Pear' Mountain teas such as Da Yu Ling and Fu So but really the comparison is unfair. Wen Shan is grown at a much lower altitude but its 'First Tier' Competition teas offer up an extraordinarily fragrant cup of tea. I am not sure from one cup to the next whether the fragrance is of lilac or violets but it is certainly exquisite. This is a very lightly roasted Oolong and so has much in common with green tea in its really fresh feel in the mouth but that roasting adds a warm, roundness and intriguing spicy quality to the aftertaste and mouth feel. The greater quantity grown means that this tea is also relatively cheap compared to the Li Shan teas this 'First tier' Competition tea gives them a good run for their money, whilst being quite different in character. |
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| 'Da Yu Ling' from Pear Mountain |
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£55.00
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100g |
| Here at the 2650 metre elevation section in the Da Yu Ling garden, tea bushes grow almost haphazardly amongst fruit trees. The tea from this garden which starts at 2000 metres is generally very good. This peak of spring batch, picked from the highest grown bushes in the garden is considered Taiwan's finest. By rights, we shouldn't be able to get hold of this tea, as it is bought almost before it is harvested, but our good friend and expert tea master Chien-Chen, will always relinquish a little of his own supply to us each year. As with the 'Lucky Life' Oolong on our list, it is the altitude and mineral rich, rocky soil that helps make them like no other tea. Slow growth and just one harvest a year ensure an unrivaled intensity of flavour and fragrance. The liquor has a lingering weight in the mouth yet is light and fresh at the same time. Aromatic notes of peach and apple are noticed both in the mouth and nose whilst the high content of healthy amino acids ensure a natural nectar like sweetness. With multiple infusions in the 'Gong Fu' brewing style our customers have noticed flavours such as floral, macadamia butteriness, honey, caramel and peaches. As with all the best Oolong teas, it can be hours later that these marvelous qualities are still being revealed on the palate. |
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| 'Tie Guan Yin' from Hwa Gan Garden |
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£55.00
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100g |
| In search of a new taste experience I asked the farmer, whom I buy many Taiwanese teas from, if they grew any teas in Taiwan on traditional Chinese strains of bush. His answer was to find me this rarity grown in one of Taiwan's three famous gardens produced from the ancient 'Tie Guan Yin' variety, grown to stunning effect in China's Anxi County. Anxi is the responsible for making one of China's 'Famous Ten' teas, Monkey on Top of the Mountain Oolong. China's Oolong produces a perfect colour, flavour and intense aroma just like the sweet scent of an orchid and a buttery quality in the cup. So, I was intrigued to see what the other two important factor's contributing to a tea's characteristics would bring to this tea. Taiwan's climate and soil or 'terroir' and the finesse of their hand processing bring a delicious difference to the cup and I believe a superiority. The buttery, floral notes intrinsic to 'Tie Guan Yin' are there but so too a deep, juicy freshness found in all Taiwan's top High Mountain Oolongs. The most impressive quality however is in the long lasting, sweet flavour and fragrance that coats the taste buds and olfactory senses for hours after drinking it. For those, like me, wishing to learn more about what makes a tea unique and how it reflects the place where it is grown, trying this and 'Monkey on Top of the Mountain' is the most pleasurable way I can imagine to start! |
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Displaying 1 to 5 (of 5 products)
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Sample packet is available where this image is shown. |
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