Taiwan tea production began in the 17th century when Dutch rulers discovered wild tea bushes in the mountains. Some 200 years later, the first Oolong tea was exported to the States by an English merchant and the trade flourished for many years.
Today as in mainland China, India or Sri Lanka, tea is an integral part of local culture, from the myriad tea houses scattered across the land to aboriginal plantations rolling through the mist on lush mountain slopes. Green or black, most of Taiwan’s Chinese tea is produced by small farmers, at times grouped in cooperatives and some creating their own brands or specialising in organic tea.
Oolong, Alishan and Dong Ding Tea
Oolong tea in Taiwan comes in different varieties, most famous Dong Ding Oolong named after the southern mountains where it grows. Also highly praised is Oolong from Alishan which owes its quality to clear water from nearby springs in the Tsou homeland. Others include Bai Hao Oolong, or Oriental Pearl, and Guan Yin, the Iron Goddess of Mercy.Long rooted in Chinese culture, all tea is made from a single plant species, camellia sinensis, but each brand owes its own characteristics to the way it is processed and the altitude where it grows. High mountain tea is said to be sweeter, with a rich aroma and colour.
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