Ali Shan Jin Xuan Oolong
Jin Xuan Oolong Tea is hand-plucked from a farm located on the famous Ali Shan (Ali Mountain) in central Taiwan. Jin Xuan Tea was introduced to the market by the Taiwan Tea Experiment Station in 1981. The upper altitude limit for growing Ali Shan Jin Xuan Oolong Tea is 1600m above sea level, but this particular Jin Xuan tea is grown at 1200 metres, procuring its famous ‘milky fragrance’ with a rounded, soft sweetness touched with a light creaminess. Curiously, the main leaf vein almost forms a right angle to the the other branch leaf veins.
The name Jin Xuan refers to a specific tea varietal developed by the Taiwan Research and Experiment Station (TRES) dedicated to the improvement of the tea industry of Taiwan. Jin Xuan teas are satisfying teas to drink as they offer mild floral notes, with a sweetness that hints at exotic fruit. This Alishan Jin Xuan is a very good example of how this strand has contributed to the characteristic high mountain oolong taste, with typical green, crisp, pastoral notes tinged with the scent of mountain flowers that charm the nose. The palate will immediately be pleased by the creamy texture and taste which embody all of the characteristic qualities for which Taiwanese high mountain teas, are famous.
Ever Spring Tea / Four Season Oolong
Ever-Spring Oolong also known as Four Seasons Oolong (Si Ji Chun) Tea is a variety of Wu Yi Tea from Wu Yi Shan, Fujian Province in China. Brought to Taiwan, this tea is widely planted at Mingjian Village in Nantou County, and can be harvested six times per year. The quality is better if it is harvested in early spring and late winter. It is a machine reaped oolong tea with a small leaf size and a fascinating fragrance. Ever Spring oolong has a fresh, vivid and flowery aroma, which is both refreshing and enticing to drink. Some people say it is very much like Chinese Tie Guan Yin.
GABA Emerald Green
(grown according to organic principles)
The tea garden of Alishan Gaba green tea is in Ali Shan at an elevation of 1000m. Unlike the process of making normal green teas, this tea undergoes a special vacuum anaerobic fermentation for 10 hours before the process of panning. This allows the glutamic acid in the tea to convert into GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid). The GABA quantity contained in this tea is 200mg~250mg / per 100g.The taste is unique.
The actual process happens inside a chamber that has been flushed with nitrogen. This converts naturally occurring glutamic acid into GABA. GABA is a natural food preservative and also has the effect of inhibiting neurotransmitter action, the result being a relaxing effect on the human being. Since it has been “oxidized” using nitrogen, GABA green is technically not a green tea. But the name ‘Green’ is used to differentiate it from the fully roasted GABA oolong. The leaves are hardy, like their cousin, Formosa High Elevation green tea, and it requires hot water for its flavours to develop. We recommend 200° or better and a full 5 minute brew time for all steepings.
Ginseng Oolong
This is a high grade oolong tea, picked and dipped into Ginseng powder and then dry roasted. This unique tea will enjoy many steepings. It is a wonderful energy-tonic. Ginseng has long been believed to aid in the digestion of food, and is also believed to be a good tonic that benefits one’s stamina and helps boost energy levels, increasing thought speed and concentration. Ginseng oolong is produced by taking superior oolong and mixing it with ginseng powder. The result is a rich and crisp tea that produces a memorable ginseng after taste that coats the mouth and warms the stomach.