From the previous blog, I have shared Oolong from North Fujian and South Fujian. In this part II, I would like to share other two main location that produce Oolong tea, those are Phoenix oolong from Eastern Guangdong Province(ChaoZhou “潮州”) and Oolong from Taiwan(台湾).  

Phoenix DanCong Oolong

WuDong FengHuang Dancong (乌岽凤凰单枞) is also known as Phoenix Oolong Tea which come from Phoenix Mount (乌岽山) which located in  Chaozhou city (Eastern Guangdong Province). DanCong (单枞) Means single bushes or single tree that traditionally this tea products had taken the process from the tea leaves harvested from individual tea tree and this processing method also apply to some specific DanCong varieties as well in the present day. DanCong has more than 50 varieties and it is mostly classify by Xiang (香means Fragrance). DanCong has natural perform of floral, fruity and nut with amazing aromatic noted. 

Among those varieties of DanCong, There are some well-known varieties such as MiLanXiang(蜜兰香) that has Orchid and Honey flavor, XingRenXiang(杏仁香) that provide Almond flavor, HuangZhiXiang(黄枝香), YAShiXiang(鸭屎香), TongTianXiang(通天香), DongFangHong(东方红), etc. The leaves are normally roasted with medium length, and its tea soup is gold with kind of green. 

Value: DanCong Value depends on the variety and where the tealeaves are picking. Most of them are affordable as it process in contemporary way, but Some can be quite high, as it may pick and process from the single bushes (Traditional method) or it may pick from the old tea trees(老枞LaoCong that can be almost or more than 100 years old tree) or from Song Zhong Tea trees variety that age can be up to 600 years old. 

How To Steep: I normally use about 6g to 8g in 150ml to 200ml tea ware. I normally use spring water to steep this Oolong. The infusion is about 10 times.

Taiwanese Oolong

Once we are talking about Taiwanese Oolong Tea, there would remind us of High Mountain Oolong and Dong Ding Oolong (Icy Peak Oolong), there also remind of how amazing of fragrance that these tea. Well, this part would show about some basic of some Taiwanese Oolong.

 

Dong Ding Oolong or Icy Peak Oolong (冻頂乌龙)

DongDing Oolong is a very famous Taiwanese Oolong tea, it is grown in central Taiwan (I had once write about DongDing Oolong, you can check https://teatimeguy.com/2018/05/11/icy-peak-oolong-dongding-oolong/for more). DongDing Oolong is giving the process in medium oxidation oolong that provide its special flavor in fruity rather than floral flavor. The level of roasting DongDing Oolong can be from medium to high that makes its fragrance powerful and long lasting in the mouth after drinking. DongDing Product is also associated with the seasoning of picking the leaves and the height of the picking areas. The spring product is more fully in flavor when the winter products is fruitier flavor.  

High Mountain Oolong (GaoShan Oolong 高山乌龙茶)

Taiwanese high mountain oolong refers those Oolong products that pick from the tea tree that grown attitude from 1000 meters or more than that. The processing of this high mountain oolong is normally low oxidation and unroasted. The flavor notes is floral, fresh, smooth and long lasting flavor; this Oolong aroma is also very high and clear. Value of high mountain tea is normally high compare to other Taiwan Oolong and it is depending on the level of picking tea areas, as the higher area of tea picking products, the higher in price. There are some example of famous high mountain Oolong such as Lishan Oolong (梨山), Alishan Oolong (阿里山) and DaYuLing (大禹岭). 

Oriented Beauty Oolong

Oriented Beauty Oolong is also known as DongFang MeiRen (东方美人), BaiHao Oolong or White Hair Oolong(白毫乌龙) and Five Color Tea or Wu Se Cha (五色茶). The processing method has began in the late 19^thcentury that involve with small insect which is called Cicadas (in Chinese called 小绿叶蝉). At that time, Cicadas chewed the leaves before the farmers picked. Therefore, in that time instead of throwing away the leaves, farmers had decide to picking and process the leaves instead. The result of this tea had received even more popular and the price also more than the usual price that they used to have. So this tea products has begun from that time until now. 

Beside from above varieties, there are many of other Taiwanese Oolong such as BaoZhong Oolong from PingLing from Southeast downtown Taipei, Osmanthus Oolong (桂花乌龙mean GuiHua Oolong), Taiwanese TieGuanYin Oolong(Iron Goddess Oolong), Milky Oolong, Jade Oolong, etc.   

Here are all the 4 main locations of Oolong products(included part I), I hope that you also enjoy this blog and could you share me how many of them had you drink before and how many you have not. Which are your most favorites among these four main source of Oolong tea. 🙂 

Lastly, Don’t forget to drink more Tea.

Shawn 🙂