Alishan Oolong Tea

Here is a vintage autumn 2021 tea worth contemplating, an excellent choice for both ceremonies and meditation. It's from central Taiwan, Jiayi county, from the Zhangshuhu area of the mountain range, elevation 1300-1450 meters. (Zhangshuhu means camphor lake.) Year-round mists produce enough moisture yielding soft leaves. A traditional medium-roast oolong with a sweet fresh floral aroma and a lingering abundant rich flavor, this renowned Taiwanese tea shows visible green when the leaves are fully steeped.  The usual practice with these high mountain teas from Taiwan, is to use a narrow snifter vessel, so as to enjoy the aroma first before taking a sip.

The Taiwan producer's recommendation calls for a lot of tea to (very) little water, 7 grams of tea to 8 oz of water, where we usually use 3 grams to 5 oz of water. But brewed the producer's way, there will be many more infusions from a gaiwan.

Spring water should be at 100°C (195°F), and the first pour is after 1 minute (into the snifter, if used). Subsequent infusions are brief, another 1-2 min, then increasing to 3 minutes, then 4-5 minutes. The bloom of the tea will be more evident this way.

Try it "kungfu" style in a small teapot using lots of leaf with multiple short steepings. As the infusions get deeper, the honey notes come forth.