Oriental Beauty Oolong Competition Grade

A legendary Taiwanese oolong

awarded at the Oriental Beauty tea competition in Hsinchu. The tea is from the Qing Xin Da Mao cultivar and comes from the Emei region. Tea from similar competitions is sold anonymously, so we do not have more information about its origin. Beautifully processed, regularly rolled dark brown leaves with a sweet, spicy aroma are made up of hairy tips and one to two leaves. A light golden infusion with a delicate sweet fruity taste with notes of citrus, dried apricots, and rose petals. (photo of original packaging added for illustrative purposes only)

How to brew Oriental Beauty Oolong

Use 5 grams of tea leaves for 0.5 litre of boiling water cooled to 85-90 °C, steep for 2–3 minutes. Feel free to experiment with steeping time, water temperature, and the amount of tea leaves. You can also read our articles on tea preparation and water quality. These tea leaves are also suitable for Asian-style preparation, which includes multiple infusions: you steep 5 grams of tea leaves per 150 ml of water that has boiled and cooled to 85–90 °C for 30 seconds and in the following three infusions, you steep the leaves for 40, 60, and 90 seconds, respectively.

This is a highly oxidized oolong consisting exclusively (unlike most other Taiwanese oolongs) of young newly sprouted leaves infested/bitten by a type of small grasshopper (Jacobiasca Formosana). The eaten leaf starts the oxidation process while still "alive" on the tea plant, which results in a tea of very original, sweetly spicy tones, for which it is so valued. These grasshoppers actually suck on the juice from the leaves, branches, and buds. The infected plant thus starts producing certain substances, monoterpendiol and hetrienol, which cause the unique tea aroma. This also gives the affected leaves white color on the edges.