Taiwanese oolong tea
High-mountain tea or "gaoshan" tea (; pronounced ) refers to several varieties of Oolong tea grown in the mountains of central Taiwan. It is grown at altitudes higher than above sea level, and includes varieties such as Alishan, Dayuling, Yu Shan, Wushe, and Lishan. The high humidity and natural precipitation in the high mountain ranges of Nantou and Chiayi Counties make the region a suitable environment for growing tea plants. High Mountain Oolong is a tea that holds all of its original nutrients that are within the unfermented green tea. It does not hold the usual grass-like taste, hints of chestnut flavor paired with nutty aromas are often described. The fermentation process that removes the harsh ingredients allows the tea to taste flavorful.
Production.
Gaoshan tea leaves are usually hand harvested, and grow slowly due to the thin air in high altitudes. Hence, the yield of gaoshan tea is relatively low every year. There are two kinds of gaoshan tea based on the season: "winter gaoshan" is harvested during late October, and "spring gaoshan" is harvested during the middle of June.
It takes about 36 to 40 hours to process a batch of gaoshan tea. If weather allows, the handplucked leaves are spread on top of a tarp, where they develop aromas such as jasmine, rose and geranium. The tea is folded to bruise the leaf for oxidation and is then transferred to another tray to ferment and wither for eight hours. It is then packaged as "handkerchief tea", where farmers emphasize on the quality of the tea rather than the quantity.
References.
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