Li Shan
Jade Oolong
High Mountain gao shan
Da Yu Ling area
2010-11 Winter
Organic

• Taichung County, Taiwan

• 8,000 feet in elevation tea garden

• 25%-40% Oxidation

• No roasting

• Semiball-rolled leaf style with significant stem showing

• Hand-Plucked

• Light, sweet flavor

• Clean, floral aroma that intensifies in subsequent steepings

• Clear pale straw-colored liquor
   

Look closely at this tea, and instead of seeing individual leaves, you will see large, irregular balls of leaf with visible stem attached. The color of this leaf is a vibrant green-grey-bluish color, with a bit of a shine that almost glistens. 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 includes 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 tea bushes 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 tea. This tea is from the Li Shan, one of Taiwan’s most famous tea mountains. Specifically, the tea is from the Da Yu Ling tea growing area, (slightly over 8,000 feet in altitude ), making it one of the highest elevation tea growing areas in the world. Da Yu Ling produces only two harvest each year: one in the winter ( 1st pluck ) and one in the spring ( 2nd pluck ).

The cold, thin air of this location conspires to produce a succulent oolong that is chewy, juicy and has a pleasant combination of sweetness and astringency. The aroma of this tea is very floral, yet there is an austere, slightly dry, ‘chilled’ quality to the flavor that shows restraint.

Multiple infusions are necessary to reach the heart of this tea, a journey that is totally pleasurable

Upon steeping, and especially at 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 spread the leaves to see the full glory of this type of pluck.

Gao shans are best enjoyed when they have been allowed to cool slightly in temperature.

Western-style steeping: (Medium to large sized teapot: 20-32 oz)
Use 1 heaping teaspoon (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 1 heaping Tablespoon (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