Pouchong is a lightly-oxidized Taiwanese oolong, celebrated for its beguiling aroma. As relayed by a tea master, "if there's no fragrance, it's not worth the effort!" As such, our Masters-grade Pouchong has a deep and inviting floral nose. The liquor is a pale golden-green color with melting-butter texture, uplifting floral notes and mild, succulent flavor. The sweet floral nose lingers long after the last sip. Luckily, our Formosa Pouchong offers worthwhile second steeping, as its leaves continue to unfurl and release their treasures. Harvest: Spring 2019.
Oolong Tea | Moderate caffeine | Steep at 195° for 3 minutes.
Formosa, meaning 'beautiful island', is what Dutch traders called Taiwan. The teas grown here, mainly north of Taipei, continue to be called as such. Tea can be harvested up to six times a year here, although the high mountain teas maybe only twice a year. Oolong tea had been a very important export for the island until the 1980s, when tea growers turned their focus to native oolong enthusiasts. Today, oolong tea is mainly produced for tea lovers in Taiwan, and the rarest, most prized lots are extremely difficult to find in the U.S. Tea culture is so alive and well in Taiwan, annual competitions are held amongst tea growing districts to reward the most outstanding oolongs each year. Gold medal-winning oolongs are some of the most expensive in the world.
