2013 GABA Oolong 

**This is not a tea for beginners. It has challenging flavor notes, is hard to brew and isn't the best choice for those new to Taiwanese teas. 

Another tea that got aged by accident, this GABA is sure to become a controversial one. It is sour but not tart, has notes of dried dusty fruit, is thickly fruity but with a clear, smooth and clean aftertaste, we can't really figure out if we like it or not! The flavors are clear, recognizably GABA Oolong-esque, but is like no tea we have ever had. The experience of the tea tends to change with steeps times and water temperatures so if you choose to get it remember to experiment!  

Unlike many of our 'Storage Wars' teas, we actually have a firm date for this one, 2013. It was made in the first years of GABA processing being introduced to Taiwan and it does have an 'experimental' feel to it. It is machine picked, not the best leaf material but care was definitely taken in making the tea. It was most likely made in Pinglin from some extra Baozhong material as it is loosely rolled and not as heavily oxidized as many other GABAs. Overall, it is a fascinating glimpse of some of the first experimentations with the GABA processing style. And after over 10 years, we are not quite sure what to make of it!

**This tea is part of the collection of tea bought from a tea shop that had laid untouched since the mid 2010s. As is common with most aged teas, many of the details of the teas are missing and we have shared as much information as we can. We will be releasing these teas slowly as we catalog and explore them over the next months. 

Elevation: 400m (?)

Cultivar: Qinxin (?)

Season: Late Spring 2013

Method: Machine picked

Oxidization: GABA Processing

Region: Most likely Pinglin 

Recommend Brewing Style:

Gong Fu Style: 3-5g per 100ml, ~100C water, 30, 45, 60 then add 5-10 seconds steeps in gaiwan. Lasts 5-6 steeps.

Western Style: 3g per 100ml, ~100c water for 1 minute. Lasts 2-3 steeps

Brewing Difficulty - Intermediate : A strange tea that needs lots of experimentation but difficult to 'ruin'. (More Details Here)