Imperial Formosa oolong tea is one of many finest oolong teas you can purchase, so long as it is produced in an excellent tea garden that takes great care in how a tea is harvested and processed. To find the best Imperial Formosa oolong tea, it’s important to understand some reasons for this tea and how it is harvested and produced.
Oolong tea is just a hybrid of green and black tea. It’s produced from the exact 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, and therefore 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 how long the tea artisan allows the leaves to ferment, or oxidize, the tea might be nearer to the flavor of a green tea or nearer to the flavor of a black tea. In addition, oolong tea is produced from larger tea leaves, those who 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. 香草茶 Most people consider China as where oolong teas are produced, and, in reality, 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 greatest 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 just a critical step in developing a good oolong tea. To create the exact same flavor each time, the artisan must appropriately bruise the leaves and then see that the oxidation happens precisely. Producing oolong tea is just a labor intensive process that cannot be effectively managed with machines and other mass production processes.
Because of this, fewer tea gardens produce oolong than other teas. Producing the most truly effective oolong requires strict adherence to the procedure and timing as well as skilled tea artisans who can determine exactly when the tea leaves are appropriately dried and when they’re appropriately fermented. Because of this, oolong teas tend to be more costly than black and green teas. Formosa oolong teas are normally the absolute most expensive oolong teas because labor costs in Taiwan are greater than those in other countries.
Like black and green teas, the flavor of oolong teas are also afflicted with when the leaves are plucked. The first teas plucked during the summer season would be the spring teas, also called first flush teas. They are generally the absolute most highly prized tea leaves of the season. Although the tea plant will soon be harvested several more times before the end of the summertime, typically 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 summer season are at the mercy of hotter weather and often become baked in sunlight before they’re even plucked. The same rules apply to the majority of oolong teas. Typically, the first flush of oolong may have the most effective taste. You’ll typically find Imperial Formosa oolong tea produced from the first 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 absolute most expensive of the growing season, too.
The best tea gardens label their teas not merely by the grade of the tea leaves, but according to which plucking they were produced from. Some tea gardens don’t even pluck a lot more than twice a season, believing that the grade of the tea is not sufficient after the second plucking.
Typically Imperial Formosa oolong tea will be 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 could be counted on to make good quality tea.
Still as a consumer, you ought to make sure that you’re getting everything you pay for. The best way to do this is to purchase your teas only from the most effective tea shops, whether in your local area or by searching for tea online. Often choosing tea shops that give you a smaller choice of teas helps ensure that you will be buying tea that’s of excellent quality. These tea shops are careful in what they purchase, and work with just a few of the best tea gardens in the world. Their selection might be smaller, but you understand that it’s a hand picked choice of the best possible quality.
Its not all tea shop may have Imperial Formosa oolong tea, because it is one of many rarest teas, grown by just a couple gardens. When you will find this tea, and can purchase it from a tea merchant who’s devoted to selling only the greatest quality of teas, you may be assured that you’re investing in a tea which will be delicious and satisfying.