For over 100 years, Taiwan has understood the importance of tea as an agricultural product and has exported it around the world. In the 1970's locals finally began to catch on to what great teas were being grown right in their own backyard.
How Chinese Teas are Produced
All tea comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis, which is a genus of flowering plants from the family Theaceae. Various types of Chinese teas produced in Taiwan are harvested from this plant, including baozhong, green, oolong, tie guan yin, and black teas. The resulting teas appear and taste different based on the post-harvest fermentation process used to achieve different oxidation levels. Green tea is unoxidized, oolong is partially oxidized, and black tea is fully oxidized. The oxidation process is the natural process that results in the tea leaves darkening after they are picked.
Baozhong Tea
This tea is partially oxidized, undergoing about 10% fermentation. As it is partially oxidized, it is classified as an oolong tea, but the period is less than typical oolongs grown in the high mountainous regions of Taiwan. A common area for baozhong tea is southwest of Taipei, in the hills of Pinglin, which is known for the high quality of the teas grown there. The typical color of the baozhong tea is light golden-green and it has a light, sweet taste, sometimes with floral tones.
Green Tea
Green Tea is unfermented and is produced by steaming the tea leaves shortly after they are picked. By steaming them, the oxidation process is halted and the leaves retain their bright green color. Green tea is produced primarily in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, and Taipei counties. The caffeine content in green tea is the highest of any Chinese teas and has a pale yellow-green appearance. Some variations of the green tea include the gen mai cha, which is green tea leaves and browned rice kernels. Brewed together they give the tea a subtle nutty flavor.
Oolong Tea
Oolong tea, also known as wu long or wulong, is the most renowned tea Taiwan produces. It is partially fermented (about 20-40%). After the leaves are picked, they are thrown in bamboo baskets, which bruises them slightly. The leaves are exposed to air for several hours and then pan roasted, which halts the fermentation process. The Alishan Mountains area is known for its high-mountain oolong tea, grown between 1,000-2,300 meters above sea level. The morning fog, low evening temperatures, and mountain spring water make ideal conditions for growing teas. Oolong teas tend to be a bit sweeter than others and usually have a distinct, golden-yellow color.
Ti Guan Yin
This is probably the most famous of the oolong teas and also has other local spellings: ti kwan yi, tie kuanyin, or anxi tie guan yin. The translation means Iron Goddess of Mercy or some believe Iron Buddha. There are several legends surrounding the history of this tea. One legend is that a farmer, Mr. Wei, who always passed by the abandoned Goddess of Mercy Temple, reflected upon the worsening condition of the temple. He was too poor to repair the temple himself, but swept it and gave offerings to the Goddess. One day, he fell asleep in the temple and dreamt of the Goddess telling him to look for a cave behind the temple. There he would find his treasure, and when he awoke, Mr. Wei found a single tea shoot in the cave. He planted the shoot and it grew into a tea bush with high quality tea leaves, which he gave to friends and neighbors, helping the area prosper.
This tea is partially fermented, about 50-60%. It has a darker, more orange-yellow color and tends to have a honey-like fragrance, sweet and smooth taste, with a long finish.
Black Tea
Also called hong cha, black tea is fully fermented. Years ago, the local black tea was produced from plants that were better suited for green or oolong tea. Later, plants were imported from India that produced excellent black tea. Unfortunately, the cost of production made it impossible for Taiwan to compete on the world market and subsequently, much of the area was converted to other tea production. There is still some black tea produced, all of which is the Assam variety from the India plants. Since it is still expensive to produce, most of it is for local consumption only.
Although the consumption of coffee has increased over the years, Taiwan continues to produce superb Chinese teas. With such a wide assortment available, tea is, and will remain, the drink of choice for most locals. And as Taiwan continues to perfect this process, the production and export of quality teas should continue for generations to come.
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