|
 When
many Fujianese Chinese fled to Taiwan with Chiang Kai Shek
at the time of the Revolution, they brought with them tea
bush seeds and tea plant cuttings, as well as the skills
for making Fujian-style oolong tea. Tea making was already
underway in Taiwan by local groups of aborigines (
original inhabitants ) as well as Fujianese Chinese who
had settled across the straits in Taiwan at an earlier
time and had contributed to the development of tea gardens
in various places on the island.
In the ensuing years, the mountainous terrain of interior
Taiwan and the diligence of the Taiwanese tea farmers have
proven that Taiwan is capable of producing some of the
finest oolongs in the world.
Taiwan oolongs can be greenish in style ( no roasting ) or
charcoal-roasted to a light, medium or heavy degree.
Charcoal-roasting is the traditional 'finishing'
methodology for classic oolongs in both China and Taiwan.
Roasted oolongs are still popular in Taiwan with tea
connoisseurs, as proper roasting can round out the rough
‘green’ edges of a tea that will be drunk young, or allow
a tea that is put aside for aging to do so gracefully and
flavorfully.
Roasting oolongs over a low ember fire is the traditional
style of finish-firing ( drying ) the tea. In fact, the
person who fires the tea is considered to be as important
to the entire process as are all the workers who
manufacture the tea in the tea factory. Everything is lost
with a charcoal firing gone awry or one that is too
heavy-handed.
Look closely at this tea, and instead of individual
leaves, you will see large, irregular balls of leaf with
visible stem attached. The color of this leaf is a deep
army green-brownish color, with a bit of a shine that
makes the leaf almost glisten.
This tea is known as a – gao shan – a high mountain
grown tea that is entirely hand-plucked. The pluck is
comprised of the complete stem end of the branch and
contains three or four connecting leaves (and sometimes a
little bud or two attached). These attached clusters of
leaf can be strikingly large, one of the signatures of a
good gao shan.
Gao shan teas grow at altitudes of 6,000 feet or more. At
this elevation, the cool-crisp high-altitude environment
contributes wonderful nuances to the flavor of the tea.
This oolong is from the Li Shan, one of Taiwan’s most
famous tea mountains.
Multiple infusions are necessary to reach the heart of
this tea, a totally pleasurable journey.
Upon steeping, and especially by the 3rd or 4th infusion,
the leaves will have opened to an astonishingly large size
in the cup. Be sure to pull some out, lay them on a table,
and carefully examine the leaves to see the full glory of
this type of pluck.
Gao shans are best drunk at a slightly cool temperature.
Western-style steeping:
(Medium to large sized teapot: 20-32 oz)
Use 2 teaspoons (2-3 grams) of tea per each 6oz water
Steep 1-3 infusions at 2-3 minutes each.
Water temperature should be 180˚ - 190˚ F
Asian-style steeping: (small teapots under 10 oz or a gaiwan)
Use 4 teaspoons (5-6 grams) of tea per each 6oz water
Steep upwards of 6-8 infusions (or more!) at 10 seconds to 1 minute each
Water temperature should be 180˚ - 190˚ F |
