This unique low elevation Taiwanese Oolong was produced in Gangkou village, the southernmost growing area in Taiwan. Adding to it’s notability, it’s also produced using the seldom-grown Xue Li (Snow Pear) cultivar. It’s said that the aroma of this tea shares characteristics with Baozhong, a famous very low oxidation Taiwanese Oolong.

While a little temperamental on the first few infusions (benefitting from lighter brewing), from the 3rd or 4th infusion onwards the taste transforms into a mild sweetness that lasts for many more brews. This is a tea that will taste better each time you brew it as you adjust minor details in your technique to achieve your ideal flavour.

Processing:

After being handpicked and left to wither outside for 1 hour and inside for 2.5 hours the tea was put in a long cylindrical bamboo chamber that rotates known as a da lang (大浪), bruising the leaves and promoting further oxidation, after some time in that machine the tea is then fired at 300°C to halt the oxidation process. Then after a brief stint in a rolling machine to further bruise the leaves the tea is dried on bamboo trays, rolled into the ball shape, dried again in a chamber heated to 70°C for 3 hours, then finally roasted over charcoal for 12 hours at 105°C.