Country of Origin: Taiwan Leaf Appearance: deep green, tightly rolled Ingredients: oolong tea Steep time: 30 seconds Water Temperature: 212 degrees Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan Liquor: pale green gold Whenever I get asked for Taiwanese oolong vendor recommendations, +Eco-Cha Artisan Teas is one of my immediate go-to. I’ve been writing about and enjoying their teas for close to five years now. Andy and Nick have both been contributors on the blog as well as inside the pages of Tea for Me Please Quarterly. Trust me when I say that these guys really know their stuff. Four Seasons is produced from the Si Ji Chun variety, which is so named because of its ability to be harvested…

Country of Origin: Taiwan Leaf Appearance: deep green, tightly rolled Ingredients: oolong tea Steep time: 30 seconds Water Temperature: 212 degrees Preparation Method: porcelain gawian Liquor: pale gold There are few things that get me as excited as a really nice Taiwanese oolong. Da Yu Ling in particular elicits oohs and aahs whenever I happen across one. They are getting rarer and rarer these days, especially at higher elevations. This tea was grown at approximately 2,200m. Talk about high mountain! I immediately took to Instagram to capture the beautiful leaves, letting everyone know that I wished there was smell-o-vision so that they could experience the aroma of the tea too. The liquor was…

Country of Origin: Taiwan Leaf Appearance: deep green, tightly rolled Ingredients: oolong tea Steep time: 30 seconds Water Temperature: 212 degrees Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan Liquor: gold When it comes to “green” rolled oolongs Taiwanese high mountain teas are definitely my favorites. Although this is the 2013 harvest, my sample was vacuum sealed and still seemed very fresh. The taste was wonderfully complex and exactly what I needed after overloading on some very heavy teas earlier in the day. It was incredibly smooth and sweet with interchanging fruity and floral notes. The finish had just a hint of creaminess to it. Its aroma lingered in my palate long after each sip. Later infusions…

Country of Origin: Taiwan Leaf Appearance: deep green, tightly rolled Ingredients: oolong tea Steep time: 30 seconds Water Temperature: 212 degrees Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan Liquor: deep gold +Eco-Cha Artisan Teas has some of the best Taiwanese oolongs that I’ve tried so I was really looking forward to digging into this one. Concubine oolongs are interesting because the leaves are bitten by the same leaf hopper insect that brings us Oriental Beauty. Right off the bat my senses were flooded with sweet honey and fruity notes along with an interesting herbaceous undertone. It grew increasingly floral with each subsequent infusion. The mouth-feel was very thick and buttery but there was a refreshing astringency in…

Country of Origin: Taiwan Leaf Appearance: dark green, tightly rolled Ingredients: oolong tea Steep time: 30 seconds Water Temperature: 212 degrees Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan Liquor: gold The aromatics of Taiwanese high mountain oolong is one of my absolute favorite smells. This one is unroasted and according to +Eco-Cha Artisan Teas was oxidized a bit more than the standard. It’s definitely a tea that you need to sit down and take your time with. The taste was complex without being overly heavy or green. Floral notes were expected but I was surprised to find that it was also quite fruity. The mouthfeel was smooth and later infusions had a subtle creaminess. A slight sourness also…