Imperial Formosa oolong tea is one of the finest oolong teas you can get, so long as it’s produced in a good tea garden that takes great care in how the tea is harvested and processed. To find 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 is produced from the same plant as other teas, but processed a bit differently. Green tea 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 is lighter than black tea, but bolder and more flavorful than green tea. Based upon just how long the tea artisan allows the leaves to ferment, or oxidize, the tea might be nearer to the flavor of a green tea extract or nearer to the flavor of a dark tea. Furthermore, oolong tea is produced from larger tea leaves, the ones that grow further down the tea plant.
Imperial Formosa oolong tea is produced only in Taiwan. Teas from Taiwan are called Formosa teas because this was the country’s original name. Many people think of China as where oolong teas are produced, and, actually, China does produce the biggest level of oolong tea today. However, Taiwan runs a detailed second, and their oolong teas are thought some of the finest in the world. According to historical book reports, tea bushes have been found growing in the wild of Taiwan about three hundred years ago. Tea varieties were introduced in Taiwan about two hundred years back by immigrants from China and a 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 step in developing a good oolong tea. To generate the same flavor every time, the artisan must appropriately bruise the leaves and then note that the oxidation happens precisely. Producing oolong tea is really a labor intensive procedure that can’t be effectively managed with machines and other mass production processes.
For this reason, fewer tea gardens produce oolong than other teas. Producing the top oolong requires strict adherence to the 綠茶香港 procedure and timing as well as skilled tea artisans who is able to determine exactly once the tea leaves are appropriately dried and when they’re appropriately fermented. For this reason, oolong teas in many cases are more costly than black and green teas. Formosa oolong teas are generally the most expensive oolong teas because labor costs in Taiwan are higher than those in other countries.
Like black and green teas, the flavor of oolong teas will also be suffering from once the leaves are plucked. The initial teas plucked during the summer season are the spring teas, also known as first flush teas. These are generally the most highly prized tea leaves of the season. Although tea plant is likely to be harvested several more times before the finish of summer time, generally the tea from these subsequent pluckings will not rival the initial plucked tea in flavor. This really is primarily because tea leaves grown later in the summer season are at the mercy of hotter weather and often become baked in sunlight before they’re even plucked. The exact same rules apply to many oolong teas. Typically, the initial flush of oolong will have the very best taste. You’ll typically find Imperial Formosa oolong tea produced from the initial plucking of the season.
The 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 best tea gardens label their teas not only by the grade of the tea leaves, but in accordance with which plucking they certainly were produced from. Some tea gardens don’t even pluck significantly 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 is likely to be graded Finest to Choice, the highest grade of Formosa teas. Few tea gardens produce Imperial Formosa oolong, and most can be counted on to make high quality tea.
Still as a consumer, you should make sure that you’re getting that which you pay for. The easiest way to get this done is to get your teas only from the very best tea shops, whether in your neighborhood area or by buying tea online. Often choosing tea shops that offer a smaller choice of teas helps ensure that you will be buying tea that is of excellent quality. These tea shops are careful by what they purchase, and work with just a several best tea gardens in the world. Their selection might be smaller, but you understand it is a hand picked choice of the finest quality.
Its not all tea shop will have Imperial Formosa oolong tea, as it is one of the rarest teas, grown by just a couple gardens. When you discover this tea, and can get it from a tea merchant who is committed to selling only the highest quality of teas, you may be assured that you’re buying a tea that will be delicious and satisfying.
