Cha Thé Tea

茶：Tea 茶：Tea
绿茶：Green Tea 綠茶：Green Tea
太平猴魁：Taiping Houkui Tea (Green Tea) 太平猴魁：Taiping Houkui Tea (Green Tea)
西湖龙井 ：Xihu Longjing Tea (Green Tea) 西湖龍井 ：Xihu Longjing Tea (Green Tea)
信阳毛尖：Xinyang Maojian Tea (Green Tea) 信陽毛尖：Xinyang Maojian Tea (Green Tea)
碧螺春：Biluochun Tea (Green Tea) 碧螺春：Biluochun Tea (Green Tea)
毛尖茶：Maojian Tea (Green Tea) 毛尖茶：Maojian Tea (Green Tea)
日本煎茶：Japanese Green Tea 日本煎茶：Japanese Green Tea
大红袍：Dahongpao Tea(Wuyi Mountain Rock Tea) 大紅袍：Dahongpao Tea (Wuyi Mountain Rock Tea)
安溪铁观音：Anxi Tieguanyin Tea (Oolong Tea) 安溪鐵觀音：Anxi Tieguanyin Tea (Oolong Tea)
台湾阿里山乌龙：Taiwan Alishan Oolong Tea 台灣阿里山烏龍：Taiwan Alishan Oolong Tea
台湾冻顶乌龙：Taiwan Dongding Oolong Tea 台灣凍頂烏龍：Taiwan Dongding Oolong Tea
台湾金萱乌龙：Taiwan Jinxuan Oolong Tea 台灣金萱烏龍：Taiwan Jinxuan Oolong Tea
台湾人参乌龙：Taiwan Ginsen Oolong Tea 台灣人參烏龍：Taiwan Ginsen Oolong Tea
君山银针：Junshan Silver Needle Tea 君山銀針：Junshan Silver Needle Tea
大白毫：White Milli- Silver Needle Tea 大白毫：White Milli- Silver Needle Tea
茉莉花茶：Jasmine Tea 茉莉花茶：Jasmine Tea
茉莉大白毫：Jasmine Silver Needle Tea 茉莉大白毫：Jasmine Silver Needle Tea
牡丹绣球：Peony Jasmine Tea 牡丹繡球：Peony Jasmine Tea
台湾桂花乌龙：Taiwan Cassia Oolong Tea 台灣桂花烏龍：Taiwan Cassia Oolong Tea
普洱：Pu 'er Tea 普洱：Pu 'er Tea
陈年普洱：Aged Pu 'er Tea 陳年普洱：Aged Pu 'er Tea
陈年普洱(31年) ：31-Year Pu 'er Tea 陳年普洱(31年) ：31-Year Pu 'er Tea
红茶：Black Tea 紅茶：Black Tea
祁门红茶：Keemun Black Tea 祁門紅茶：Keemun Black Tea
立顿红茶：Lipton Black Tea 立頓紅茶：Lipton Black Tea
大吉岭茶：Darjeeling Tea 大吉嶺茶：Darjeeling Tea
伯爵茶：Earl Grey Tea 伯爵茶：Earl Grey Tea
薄荷锡兰茶：Mint Tea 薄荷錫蘭茶：Mint Tea
冻顶乌龙：Dongding Oolong Tea 凍頂烏龍：Dongding Oolong Tea
绿毛峰：Lvmaofeng Tea 綠毛峰：Lvmaofeng Tea
八宝茶：Assorted Chinese Herbal Tea 八寶茶：Assorted Chinese Herbal Tea
薰衣草茶：Lavender Tea 薰衣草茶：Lavender Tea
意大利桔茶：Italian Orange Tea 意大利桔茶：Italian Orange Tea
俄罗斯红茶：Russian Black Tea 俄羅斯紅茶：Russian Black Tea
梅子红茶：Greengage Black Tea 梅子紅茶：Greengage Black Tea
菊花茶：Chrysanthemum Tea 菊花茶：Chrysanthemum Tea
茶饮料Tea Drinks 茶飲料Tea Drinks
冰茶：Iced Tea 冰茶：Iced Tea
冰红(绿)茶：Iced Black Tea / Iced Green Tea 冰紅(綠)茶：Iced Black Tea / Iced Green Tea
冰奶茶：Iced Milk Tea 冰奶茶：Iced Milk Tea
港式奶茶：Hot Tea, HK Style 港式奶茶：Hot Tea, HK Style
巧克力奶茶：Chocolate Milk Tea 巧克力奶茶：Chocolate Milk Tea
冰巧克力奶茶：Iced Chocolate Milk Tea 冰巧克力奶茶：Iced Chocolate Milk Tea
草莓奶茶：Strawberry Milk Tea 草莓奶茶：Strawberry Milk Tea
花生奶茶：Peanut Milk Tea 花生奶茶：Peanut Milk Tea
哈密瓜奶茶：Hami Melon Milk Tea 哈密瓜奶茶：Hami Melon Milk Tea
椰香奶茶：Coconut Milk Tea 椰香奶茶：Coconut Milk Tea
芋香奶茶：Taro Milk Tea 芋香奶茶：Taro Milk Tea
热柠檬茶：Hot Lemon Tea 熱檸檬茶：Hot Lemon Tea
冰柠檬茶：Iced Lemon Tea 冰檸檬茶：Iced Lemon Tea
菠萝果茶：Pineapple Tea 菠蘿果茶：Pineapple Tea
菠萝冰茶：Iced Pineapple Tea 菠蘿冰茶：Iced Pineapple Tea
黑莓冰茶：Iced Blackberry Tea 黑莓冰茶：Iced Blackberry Tea
草莓冰茶：Iced Strawberry Tea 草莓冰茶：Iced Strawberry Tea
蓝莓冰茶：Iced Blueberry Tea 藍莓冰茶：Iced Blueberry Tea
芒果冰茶：Iced Mango Tea 芒果冰茶：Iced Mango Tea
蜜桃冰茶：Iced Peach Tea 蜜桃冰茶：Iced Peach Tea
香蕉冰茶：Iced Banana Tea 香蕉冰茶：Iced Banana Tea
奇异果冰茶：Iced Kiwi Tea 奇異果冰茶：Iced Kiwi Tea

【聯合報╱記者莊芳銘／竹山報導】   2008.01.09 04:10 am 栽種冬片茶超過20年的李占魁，常到茶園巡視。
記者莊芳銘／攝影 冬茶產季結束，竹山鎮、名間鄉等中低海拔茶區仍陸續有人採茶、製茶，這是介於冬茶與春茶之間的「冬片茶」產季，栽種冬片茶超過20年的竹山鎮茶農李占魁將冬片茶取名「凍片茶」，打開行銷通路。 「冬片茶生長於寒冷，受霜雪洗禮」。李占魁產製的冬片茶，最近打出此口號，在網路上以「凍片茶」品牌銷售，獲得不錯迴響；不少人上網詢問何謂「凍片茶」，了解這是介於冬茶與春茶之間的茶葉，紛紛購買。 李占魁栽種冬片茶20幾年，約20前號召其他茶農組成冬片茶班，後來改名為竹山鎮農會茶葉產銷第1班，由他擔任首任班長；產銷班去年獲選為全國10大經典產銷班，冬片茶名號更加響亮，他的冬片茶申請登記為「凍片茶」。 李占魁說，冬片茶產季在每年冬至到元旦間，這是1年最冷的時候，竹山等中海拔茶園普遍降霜，冬片茶經過霜寒，品質風味更佳。李占魁說，冬片茶強調清香，茶湯蜜綠色、外表顆粒大，每公頃可生產約1,000台斤初製茶，冬片茶以新品種的金萱、翠玉為主要茶種，烏龍茶種不多。 冬片茶主要產品在南投竹山鎮的照鏡山、山坪頂及名間鄉八卦山茶區，目前正值採收旺季，在鹿谷及高海拔茶區茶葉進入休眠期之際，這些茶區依然可見繁忙的採茶、製茶景象。 【2008/01/09 聯合報】

2008-01-11 17:50／中央社記者盧太城台東縣十一日電 台東福鹿茶「冬片茶」競賽成績出爐，劉榮亮和允芳茶園分別獲得烏龍組和其他品種特等獎。 成績如下： 青心烏龍組特等劉榮亮，頭等有碧蘿園、劉榮輝、允芳茶園。貳等有博雅齋、昇昌茶園、李英華、逸品茶園、萱懋茶園、嵩山茶居農特產品行。參等有愛嬌姨、允芳茶園、七碗茶、碧蘿園、嵩山茶居農特產品行、厚生茶園、梁添盛、福鹿山農莊。 其他品種組特等允芳茶園，頭等有碧蘿園，貳等有碧蘿園。參等有碧蘿園、厚生茶園。 鹿野地區農會表示，台灣茶葉的採摘按季節氣可分為春、夏、秋、冬茶，夏秋季間因氣候炎熱茶芽生長迅速可多採一至二次。茶芽在清明前後採收的叫春茶，冬茶多數在冬至前就已採收完畢，高山茶區因溫度較低會更早些採收。 冬茶採收完後，因受低溫和寒流影響很少還有芽葉可採收，如果有茶芽可採摘也屬珍貴而稀少，這就是所謂的「冬片茶」，一般來說生長在冬至後至立春前。

傳承自1862年的烘焙技術以及對茶的熱忱，王德傳茶莊嚴選產區，堅持僅挑選優質安全的好茶，加以獨家烘焙去蕪存菁，達到茶葉氣清質醇之境界，王德傳茶莊禮盒以誠意一一手工包裝，成就精緻中國茶禮，任何時刻都能傳遞送禮者的祝福。    一中罐禮盒
凍頂烏龍150g   $850      
二小罐禮盒 金萱100g / 烏龍茶100g                     $720
阿里山金萱100g / 凍頂烏龍100g     $1,050   二中罐禮盒 四季春150g / 烏龍茶150g       $880
金萱150g / 凍頂烏龍150g       $1,250
阿里山烏龍150g / 凍頂烏龍150g       $1,650
杉林溪烏龍150g / 梨山烏龍150g       $3,050
   
木製二中罐禮盒 凍頂烏龍150g / 梔香烏龍 150g     $1,750
   
二大罐禮盒 金萱250g / 阿里山烏龍250g                   $1,950
阿里山金萱250g / 阿里山烏龍250g       $2,350     木製杯壺組禮盒 白玉壺 x1 / 白玉杯 x2     $1,450   自由組合 您也可以依送禮對象的喜好挑選不同的茶葉，依您的預算自由組合禮盒的茶種及包裝。

* 凡購買王德傳禮盒滿NT$ 5,000元，享95折。
* 本專案恕不與其他優惠合併使用。
* 長春門市提供專業宅配服務，消費滿NT$ 3,000元以上免宅配費用
   (限台灣本島地區)。
   歡迎來電洽詢：02-2561-8738，傳真02-2567-5978。

王德傳茶莊 - 禮盒專區

【聯合報╱記者陳明成／鹿野報導】2008.01.12 03:34 am 茶葉改良場人員評比鹿野冬片茶。
記者陳明成／攝影 鹿野地區農會昨天舉辦「福鹿冬片」優良茶比賽，155處茶園分烏龍、其他兩組比賽，劉榮亮、允芳茶園分別獲得優等，茶葉改良場台東分場場長吳聲舜說，獲得優等的茶香氣、滋味特別好。 參加冬片茶比賽的鹿野茶園計，烏龍組103處，其他組52處，昨天下午吳聲舜、茶改場製茶課長陳國任、台東分場製茶課長陳信言等人就茶的外觀、形狀、水色、香氣、滋味等進行評比，選出優等、頭等、二獎、三獎等，其中得獎最多的是碧蘿園所屬的茶園。烏龍組頭獎分別有碧蘿園、劉榮輝、允芳茶園，其他組是碧蘿園。 台灣茶葉按季節氣採摘分為春、夏、秋、冬茶，夏秋季間因氣候炎熱茶芽生長迅速可多採1到2次。茶芽在清明前後採收為春茶，冬茶多數在冬至前採收完畢，高山茶區因溫度較低會更早些採收。冬茶採收完後，因受低溫和寒流影響很少還有芽葉可採收，如果有茶芽可採摘也屬珍貴而稀少，冬至後到立春前，採收的謂「冬片茶或冬片仔」。 花東茶區地屬北回歸線以南，日照強，日夜溫差大，茶芽是不休眠的，茶芽可陸續生長採收，可說是全台最晚產製冬片茶，稀少而珍貴。 【2008/01/12 聯合報】

新竹縣北埔、峨眉生產的「東方美人茶」，就是白毫烏龍，也有人叫它膨風茶或香檳烏龍。是一種奇特的台灣初夏茶，每年端午節的前後為產季，需要在無空氣的污染、背風、高溫、潮濕、日照充足的多重條件下生長，且栽種中完全不可施予化學肥料及農藥，以利「小綠葉蟬」叮食，使茶葉片自然變質，才能產生膨風茶的奇特風味。 東方美人茶最大的特徵也就是上述提到的茶葉嫩芽皆受到”小綠葉蟬”的叮食，因此而質變產生了天然的熟果香味，也有人形容滋味如同蜂蜜般的甘甜，泡出來的茶色接近琥珀色；同時其製作過程精細，只採鮮嫩的心芽製作，因此要做成同樣的份量的成茶，需要比其它茗茶至少2~3倍的茶菁量製成。 東方美人茶採摘為一心二葉，且發酵程度較重，所以不會像其他半發酵茶很容易帶有一股「草菁味」，且又因加工時採低溫炒菁和乾燥處理，所以沒有凍頂烏龍茶的焙火味，且茶湯更甘甜爽口。沖泡時，以80-90度為宜。

Formosa Oolong is what Taiwan's Bai Hao was called for over a century before the names "Taiwan" or "Bai Hao" were ever heard of in the West. This classic oolong, which is often sold as Oriental Beauty today, has always deserved its fame. It is flamboyantly aromatic, its taste and perfume often reminiscent of ripe peaches but in any case more deliciously fruity than any other tea. Traditionally defined by a crisp, open bold leaf, mostly reddish-brown, the very best and rarest may be distinguished by silver tips and edges on the leaves. The leaf colors result from high oxidation and the silver tips from the action of prized microscopic mites that may occasionally infest portions of a garden. Our Bai Hao (White Tip) Oolong has all the traditional notes of flowers and honey, and deep, rich flavors with no hint of bitterness.

PREPARATION: Imperial Bai Hao Oolong may be prepared in many ways, including regular teapot, individual gaiwans or gongfu style. We recommend 85～-95～C (185～-203～F) degree water and an infusion time of 2 to 3 minutes. May be resteeped several times by gradually increasing time and temperature. View Product

By Guang Chung Lee Taiwanese tea culture dates back to at least the 18^th century, and has long contributed tea and traditions to the world. Even very antique Chinese books complimented Taiwanese tea production and mentioned how central it was to the people’s way of life. According to one such ancient record there were wild tea trees in Taiwan as far back as the middle of the 17^th century, but it was not until the Yong-Zheng reign (1723 to 1735) of the Qing Dynasty that the Taiwanese people began to harvest and sell the tea from these trees. However, the teas that have been developed over the past two hundred years in Taiwan are not related to those native wild tea trees written about long ago. The island has since then developed a reputation for the production of fine Oolongs such as Bai Hao Oolong (Oriental Beauty), Dong Ding, Bao Zhong, and several other varieties of high-mountain Oolong teas. In modern times the ideal mountainous climate, modern business practices and agricultural research have all combined to create what is probably one of the most dynamic and influential tea markets in the world. When discussing the varieties of Taiwanese tea, it is important to first understand the two main types of Oolongs: Stripe-Shaped and Ball-Shaped. These two distinctive categories actually represent the two places they were brought from in Mainland, China. One of the birthplaces of Oolong is the northern part of Fujian province. Oolong teas from Northern Fujian are long and thin, stripe-shaped teas like the famous Wu Yi Rock Teas (yen cha). The southern part of Fujian developed its own version of Oolong that is rolled into tight balls as exemplified by teas like Anxi Iron Goddess (Tie Guan Yin). The ancestors of today’s tea masters brought their teas from Fujian to the highlands of Taiwan, along with the skills to produce the fine selection of Oolongs that have become so famous around the world. The types of trees and processing methods were divided roughly between the northern and central regions of Taiwan, corresponding to the proximity of the northern and southern regions of Fujian. The Northern striped Oolongs, therefore, migrated to the Northern hilly regions of Taiwan and the Southern ball-shaped Oolongs were brought to the Central Highlands of Taiwan. With an understanding of the two kinds of Oolong tea, let’s take a closer look at the varieties of Formosa Oolong: Northern Dan Shui river series: Pou Chong and Bai Hao Oolong Origin: Northern Fujian, Wu Yi Yen Cha Time of Origin: 1810 A.D. (Ching Dynasty, Chiang Ching Period) The northern region of Taiwan imported the teas and processing techniques familiar to the northern region of Fujian to the banks of the Dan-Shui River in the early 18^th century. The Oolongs from that region of Taiwan are therefore stripe-shaped— the most famous of which are Pou Chong (Bao Zhong) and Bai Hao Oolongs (although there is the modern exception of Taipei’s Pin Lin Tie Guan Yin, which is farmed and processed in a more southerly way). Taiwan started to produce Pou Chong as early as 1810 when immigrants from Chuan Zhou, Fujian cultivated tea trees to make flowered teas, like jasmine green tea, for export. Later, World War II collapsed the international market and Taiwanese tea producers changed their focus to the domestic market, which demanded teas of finer quality. This turned out to be a positive change, as it forced them to research and develop the oxidation skills needed to generate a natural floral fragrance from teas without using actual flowers. Since then, Pou Chong has been farmed to emphasize the aroma and complexity of its fragrance during brewing. Of all the Oolongs Taiwan produces, Pou Chong is the lightest in oxidation. The elegantly narrow and naturally curved shape of Pou Chong reveals its heritage in Wuyi. Pou Chong is, however, not heavily oxidized and roasted like the rock teas (yen cha) of Wuyi. Pou Chong poignantly bridges green teas, like Long Jing or Bi Lou Chun, to the versatile and profound world of Oolong. It offers a unique, light greenness and freshness while at the same time presenting the floral fragrances of Oolongs. Another famous striped tea of Taiwan is Bai Hao Oolong. It is created through a glorious waltz played in harmony with Nature herself. During summer, the population of leaf hoppers reaches its peak and most of the tender tea leaves are eaten by the insects. Due to a natural self-defense mechanism, the tea leaves produce a higher content of polyphenols and tannins. These natural chemicals are mixed almost alchemically together with enzymes in the insects’ saliva to produce tea leaves that are rich, fruity and full of a profound floral aroma. Bai Hao Oolong is further distinguished by the fact that it requires three to four thousand leaf tips to make six hundred grams of tea, whereas other teas usually only need about one thousand. It is the most oxidized type of Taiwanese Oolong (~70%), and is only harvested in Hsin Chu and Miao Li counties during the summer season. Central Mountain Area: Dong Ding Oolong and High-Mountain Oolongs Origin: Southern Fujian, Tie Guan Yin Time of Origin: Ching Dynasty, Kang Xi Period Southern Fujian’s Tie Guan Yin was brought to the central part of Taiwan as early as the Kang Xi reign (1661 – 1772). The characteristic round shape comes from a special cloth-wrapped kneading process which also imparts a unique aroma to this kind of tea. Another important benefit of the tight shape is that it enhances and preserves freshness, as it limits the surface area of the leaf that is exposed to oxygen. This is very important for these High Mountain Oolongs. If they become stale they lose the wonderful floral fragrance they are so famous for. The most influential of these teas are Lu Gu’s Dong Ding Oolong and Ming Jian’s Song Po Oolong. Dong Ding Oolong originally referred to the Oolongs harvested from the three villages of Pin Ding, Yung Long and Feng Huang in Lu Gu, Nan Tou County. Since then it has come to mean any Oolong that is from anywhere in Lu Gu. In the olden days, when farmers had to walk to the tea farms and carry the harvested tea leaves back on foot, they had to tighten their calf muscles as they hiked. In the Taiwanese dialect “Ding” refers to this action. Everyday, they climbed up and down the constantly foggy, slippery and cold mountain paths. “Dong” is the word for such cold and slippery roads. Hence, “Dong Ding” alludes simply to the hiking up and down the mountains that the farmers did in order to bring this amazing tea to market. Dong Ding Oolongs have undergone some changes since the days when they were carried up and down the mountains on farmers’ backs. Traditional Dong Ding Oolongs were oxidized more (~60%) and roasted less than what we are seeing today. That is because more oxidized teas have a more consistent quality. Before, when the only means of transportation was walking, it was vital to have a stable quality control that could survive the longer transportation period. Moreover, the higher oxidized Oolongs enabled the tea farmers/merchants to store them safely for several years without the help of any of the modern innovations like refrigeration and vacuum or nitrogen-sealed packaging. The lighter oxidized (~30%) and more roasted style of Dong Ding Oolong was fashioned by and for the annual Lu Gu Tea Competition. The lighter oxidation allows the judges to inspect the nature of the tea leaves more easily. These lighter oxidized Dong Ding rely on a heavier roasting to bring out their mellowness and complexity. “Formosa High-Mountain Oolong” is a generic name that refers to all Oolong teas that are harvested from plantations over 1,000 meters in elevation. Such farms originated in Mei Shan of Jia Yi County in the 1970's. Farmers in Mei Shan originally depended on wood and bamboo farming. Then in the 1960's-70's, when the demand for bamboo and wood decreased, they faced financial hardship. The local governments had noticed the achievements of the tea industry in neighboring Lu Gu County, and decided to help the local farmers to plant tea trees and learn the processing skills needed to revitalize their economy. The higher elevation (Mei Shan: 1,100m, Lu Gu: 700m) and humid/foggy climate made the Oolongs produced in Mei Shan an immediate success. The thick and refined consistency as well as the rich and refreshing floral aroma quickly won the hearts of many tea drinkers in Taiwan. Following Mei Shan's accomplishment, tea farmers have been continuously trying to develop tea plantations at higher elevations. Nowadays, the most famous High-Mountain growing regions are Yu Shan (1,400m), Al Li Shan (1,600m), Shan Li Shi (1,700m), and Li Shan (2,500m). Higher elevations have become synonymous with higher quality teas produced in more conducive and often organic environments. Roasting (hong pei) Taiwanese Oolong has also inherited the roasting skills so essential to Wu Yi yen cha and Anxi Tie Guan Yin. Proper roasting of an Oolong should achieve the following goals: (1) stabilize the quality of the tea, (2) correct the aroma and taste of teas; and (3) increase the mellowness and complexity. Traditional Oolong roasting can be a very time-consuming and labor-intensive process, especially for Oolongs such as Dong Ding and Tie Guan Yin. It was often done by hand on hardwood charcoal fires, and the teas had to be monitored constantly by sight, smell and feel. Even today, as modern machinery has mostly replaced the hand-roasted, charcoal fires, experience and patience both play vital roles in the success of Oolong roasting. A good roasting not only achieves the three goals mentioned above, but also is free from any sharp or harsh firing or cooked feeling. It retains well the existing floral quality, adds a mature fruity aroma, and blends them in harmony. It enhances the taste to an even more lingering and penetrating experience that not only entertains the mouth and throat, but also resonates smoothly with our bodies. Aged oolongs While it is generally understood that Oolong teas are best when drunk fresh, some can be stored for years and actually improve with time. Those Oolongs are usually heavy-roasted or those with a higher oxidization, such as Dong Ding, Bai Hao Oolong or Tie Guan Yin. Lightly oxidized Oolongs like Pou Chong may also be aged if they first undergo a proper roasting. Aging an Oolong can significantly improve the mellowness and develop more complexity in the aroma and flavor. From my personal experience, even freshness-oriented High-Mountain Oolongs can become mellower and sweeter, though losing some degree of their freshness, after even just one year of aging. Aging Oolongs is not like the aging of Puerhs in which biological activity plays an important role in the transformation of the tea. Puerhs, therefore, need a certain degree of humidity and air circulation. In the aging of Oolongs, on the other hand, one should use an environment that is low in humidity and oxygen. Generally, a more robust Oolong is selected and placed into a glazed, earthenware jar. It helps to completely fill the jar so that there is less oxygen inside. The jar is then sealed shut, often with wax, and stored in a cooler place without sunlight or humidity. More oxidized or roasted teas are usually drier and therefore age better in humid climates like Taiwan. Many Western countries that aren’t very good places for storing Puerh, because they’re too cold or dry, would still be excellent candidates for storing Oolongs. Since our ancestors brought tea plants and their processing skills to the island, the knowledge of Oolong and tea horticulture has been significantly refined and improved. The thriving Taiwanese tea culture has arisen as a result of three factors: (1) Nature: the perfect growing conditions for tea trees and the young and rich geographic landscape of Taiwan itself; (2) Timing: the economic boom in Taiwan since the 1970's strongly fueled the domestic market’s demand for finer quality teas, creating a competition that forced farmers to improve their product; and (3) The People: the hard-working, honest and creative tea producers in Taiwan are always refining their skills. Today Taiwanese Oolong has become one of the hottest tea fashions in the world. Taiwan’s precious High-Mountain Oolongs have even had a large impact on the conventiona l Oolong production in Mainland China. Still, Taiwanese Oolong faces a formidable economic challenge in the global market. More and more teas that bear the name “Taiwan”, “Formosa”, “Dong Ding”, “Bai Hao”, etc. are not really from Taiwan and only marginally resemble the original quality. These forgeries abound in Asia and the West, offering tea at cheaper prices, but without the quality that the originals have become famous for. To overcome this problem, Taiwanese tea farmers, producers and merchants must continuously strive to improve and refine the quality of genuine Formosa teas and courageously introduce them to the world market. In that way the true form of Formosa tea, in all its astonishing varieties, will be given the chance to speak for itself.

Bai Hao oolong tea, with its multi-hued leaves reminiscent of autumn foliage, is a perfect choice for an autumn tea. The name Bai Hao means white tip and refers to the small tender white buds that are picked along with the top two leaves. Bai Hao originates from Xinzhu County, Taiwan. This area in northern Taiwan is especially humid and foggy and the natural environmental conditions help to create the special characteristics of Bai Hao. Unlike most high-quality Taiwanese oolong teas, which are picked in the spring or winter, the best grades of Bai Hao are harvested in June and July. Once harvested, the leaves of Bai Hao are processed to a greater degree of oxidation (around 50-60%) than other Taiwanese oolong teas. The result is a tea with a very smooth and sweet flavor, virtually no astringency, and a unique aroma of ripe peaches and honey.
There are many stories about the origin of Bai Hao tea. According to one Taiwanese tea book, a tea farmer in Beipu noticed that small green insects resembling grasshoppers had damaged the leaves of his newly picked spring crop. Rather than destroying his crop, he decided to process the leaves into tea. He took his finished tea to a local tea merchant, who liked it well enough to pay him twice the price of his usual tea. When he returned to his village, he boasted to his neighbors about his success. His neighbors believed he was exaggerating and so named his tea, "Peng Feng cha", or Braggart tea.
Bai Hao is also known as "Dong Fang Mei Ren" or Oriental Beauty. The origin of this name dates back to the early 20th century when a British tea merchant presented a sample of this tea to Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen was captivated by the special aroma and taste of Bai Hao. Because of the tea lovely appearance, like a beautiful lady, and its origin in Asia, the Queen named it "Oriental Beauty". Bai Hao Oolong: Taiwan's Beauty