Alishan Red Oolong

**The 2024 version of this tea was finished in mid-June and has a beautiful sweet/tart fruit complexity **

There is only one organic/regenerative tea garden left in the famous tea growing area of Alishan, Taiwan (as far as we know) and we were lucky enough to snag some of their beautiful Red Oolong. This farm is one that we are so happy to support as it is an island in a sea of conventional tea gardens. The famous nature of 'Alishan Oolong Tea' makes it the case that any tea grown in the area, no matter the quality, can sell for 50% more than tea in any other area of Taiwan. This puts dramatic pressure on the farmers to produce a lot of leaf, which in turn creates a very agrochemical-thick tea growing region. By supporting this garden we are hoping to show that effective organic and regenerative growing practices can be just as lucrative as conventional farming and perhaps change the minds of some farmers in the area. 

This tea is made with material from late Spring and is oxidized to about 85% before going through most of the processing of making oolong tea. What results is a complex dark oolong with a sweet/tart fruit flavor that resolves into a deep red floral version of the flavor that has made Alishan so famous. It has been three years since we have had this tea on the site and we are so happy to have it back!

**If you enjoy this tea it might be worth it to check out the Organic Alishan Oolong that was made this spring from the same garden.

Elevation: 1400m

Status:  Certified Organic 

Cultivar: Qinxin

Oxidization: 85%

Season: June, 20th 2021

Method: Hand picked, processed on site, very small batch

Region: Alishan, Nantou County

Recommend Brewing Style:

Gong Fu Style: 3-5g per 100ml, ~95c water, 30, 45, 60 then add 5-10 seconds steeps in gaiwan. Lasts 4-5 steeps.

Western Style: 3g per 100ml, ~95c water for 2 minutes. Lasts 2-3 steeps