Country of Origin: Taiwan
Leaf Appearance: long, dark and twisted
Ingredients: black tea
Steep time: 30 seconds
Water Temperature: 200 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: bright reddish brown

Earlier today I reviewed a Taiwanese oolong so I thought it fitting that I finish the day with a black tea from the same region. One of the first things I noticed about Eco-Cha was their commitment to responsibly sourcing their teas. This is always something that I look for when purchasing tea and it helps my social conscience to rest easier with each sip that I take. The dry leaves of this tea were beautifully shaped. It was hard to believe how large they became once fully unfurled. I love Taiwanese black teas because of their subtlety and this one was a great example of that. It started off with a soft earthiness and spice that developed into a cooling minty aftertaste. Later infusions developed a bit more of a tannic quality but otherwise it was very smooth without bitterness. I really love the information that they provide on the source of this tea:

The maker of this tea is employed by the Yu Chi Township Tea Research Extension Station and his factory produced the winner of the 2011 Black Tea Competition in this area. He is a leading figure in his field and his knowledge and expertise of black tea cultivation in Taiwan is virtually unsurpassed.

Even the elevation and harvest time is provided. In years past, none of this information was available to the consumer. It make me so happy to see such a shift in the industry.

You can find out more about this tea here.

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