Imperial Formosa oolong tea is one of many finest oolong teas you can purchase, as long as it’s produced in a quality 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 learn some things about this tea and how it’s harvested and produced.
Oolong tea is a hybrid of green and black tea. It’s produced from the same plant as other teas, but processed somewhat differently. Green tea extract 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 is lighter than black tea, but bolder and more flavorful than green tea. Based upon how long the tea artisan allows the leaves to ferment, or oxidize, the tea may be nearer to the flavor of a green tea extract or nearer to the flavor of a dark tea. Additionally, 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 was the country’s original name. A lot of people think of China as the place where oolong teas are produced, and, actually, 草本茶 China does produce the largest quantity of oolong tea today. However, Taiwan runs a detailed second, and their oolong teas are believed some of the best in the world. In accordance with historical book reports, tea bushes had been found growing in the wild of Taiwan about three hundred 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 a critical part of creating a good oolong tea. To produce the same flavor each time, the artisan must appropriately bruise the leaves and then see that the oxidation happens precisely. Producing oolong tea is a labor intensive procedure 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 top oolong requires strict adherence to the process and timing along with skilled tea artisans who can determine exactly once the tea leaves are appropriately dried and when they’re appropriately fermented. For this reason, oolong teas tend to be more expensive than black and green teas. Formosa oolong teas are typically the absolute 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 affected by once the leaves are plucked. The first teas plucked during the summer season would be the spring teas, also referred to as first flush teas. These are generally the absolute most highly prized tea leaves of the season. Although tea plant will be harvested several more times before the conclusion of summer time, typically the tea from these subsequent pluckings won’t rival the very first plucked tea in flavor. This really is primarily because tea leaves grown later in the summer season are subject to hotter weather and often become baked in the sun before they’re even plucked. The same rules apply to many oolong teas. Generally, the very first flush of oolong may have the very best taste. You’ll typically find Imperial Formosa oolong tea produced from the very 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 absolute 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 according to which plucking they certainly were produced from. Some tea gardens don’t even pluck significantly more than twice a season, believing that the grade of the tea isn’t sufficient after the second plucking.
Generally Imperial Formosa oolong tea will be a first flush tea and will 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 produce high quality tea.
Still as a customer, you must ensure that you’re getting that which you pay for. The best way to get this done is to get your teas only from the very best tea shops, whether in your neighborhood area or by searching for tea online. Often choosing tea shops that offer a smaller choice of teas helps ensure that you are buying tea that is of excellent quality. These tea shops are careful by what they purchase, and work with only a several best tea gardens in the world. Their selection may be smaller, but you understand that it is a hand picked choice of the best possible quality.
Don’t assume all tea shop may have Imperial Formosa oolong tea, as it is one of many rarest teas, grown by just a few gardens. When you find this tea, and can find it from a tea merchant who’s committed to selling only the greatest quality of teas, you may be assured that you’re investing in a tea which is delicious and satisfying.