Imperial Formosa oolong tea is one of many finest oolong teas you should buy, so long as it’s produced in an excellent tea garden that takes great care in how the tea is harvested and processed. To choose the best Imperial Formosa oolong tea, it’s important to understand some reasons for having this tea and how it’s harvested and produced.
Oolong tea is really a hybrid of green and black tea. It’s produced from exactly the same plant as other teas, but processed a bit differently. 綠茶茶葉 Green tea extract is left unfermented, black tea is fully fermented and oolong tea is semi-fermented, meaning that the fermentation time is shorter than that of other teas, so some percentage of the tea leaves are left green. This partial fermentation creates a tea that’s lighter than black tea, but bolder and more flavorful than green tea. Dependant on just how long the tea artisan allows the leaves to ferment, or oxidize, the tea may be closer to the flavor of a green tea or closer to the flavor of a black tea. In addition, oolong tea is produced from larger tea leaves, those that grow further down the tea plant.
Imperial Formosa oolong tea is produced only in Taiwan. Teas from Taiwan are known as Formosa teas because this is the country’s original name. Many people think of China as where oolong teas are produced, and, in fact, China does produce the largest level of oolong tea today. However, Taiwan runs a detailed second, and their oolong teas are believed some of the finest in the world. In accordance with historical book reports, tea bushes had been found growing in the wild of Taiwan about 300 years ago. Tea varieties were introduced in Taiwan about two hundred years ago by immigrants from China and a brand new industry was born.
Imperial Formosa oolong tea is fermented until the leaves are about 30% oxidized. Timing the oxidation period is really a critical part of developing a good oolong tea. To generate exactly the same flavor each time, the artisan must appropriately bruise the leaves and then note that the oxidation happens precisely. Producing oolong tea is really a labor intensive process that can not be effectively managed with machines and other mass production processes.
For this reason, fewer tea gardens produce oolong than other teas. Producing the most effective oolong requires strict adherence to the process and timing as well as skilled tea artisans who will determine exactly once the tea leaves are appropriately dried and when they’re appropriately fermented. For this reason, oolong teas are often more costly than black and green teas. Formosa oolong teas are generally the most expensive oolong teas because labor costs in Taiwan are more than those in other countries.
Like black and green teas, the flavor of oolong teas may also be suffering from once the leaves are plucked. The very first teas plucked during the growing season are the spring teas, also known as first flush teas. They’re generally the most highly prized tea leaves of the season. Although the tea plant will soon be harvested several more times before the conclusion of the summer, generally the tea from these subsequent pluckings will not rival the first plucked tea in flavor. This really is primarily because tea leaves grown later in the growing season are subject to hotter weather and often become baked in sunlight before they’re even plucked. The exact same rules apply to many oolong teas. Typically, the first flush of oolong will have the best taste. You’ll typically find Imperial Formosa oolong tea produced from the first plucking of the season.
The very best tea gardens, can, however, make good tea from each flush of the growing season, though many tea connoisseurs will always favor first flush teas. This exceptional flavor and smaller availability make first flush oolong teas the most expensive of the growing season, too.
The very best tea gardens label their teas not just by the grade of the tea leaves, but based on which plucking they were produced from. Some tea gardens don’t even pluck a lot more than twice a season, believing that the caliber of the tea is not sufficient after the next plucking.
Typically Imperial Formosa oolong tea is a first flush tea and will soon be graded Finest to Choice, the greatest grade of Formosa teas. Few tea gardens produce Imperial Formosa oolong, and most may be counted on to make good quality tea.
Still as a consumer, you should make certain that you’re getting what you pay for. The simplest way to do this is to purchase your teas only from the best tea shops, whether in your local area or by shopping for tea online. Often choosing tea shops that provide a smaller selection of teas helps ensure that you will be buying tea that’s of excellent quality. These tea shops are careful about what they purchase, and work with only a few of the best tea gardens in the world. Their selection may be smaller, but you understand that it is a hand picked selection of the best possible quality.
Its not all tea shop will have Imperial Formosa oolong tea, as it is one of many rarest teas, grown by just a couple of gardens. When you will find this tea, and can find it from a tea merchant who’s focused on selling only the greatest quality of teas, you can be assured that you’re buying a tea that will be delicious and satisfying.