Formosa (Taiwan)
From £37.40
The name Pi Luo Chun (or Bi Luo Chun) translates as “Spring Snail” as the leaf resembles the shell of these tiny creatures.
It was given its name by one of the ancient Emperors of China, who saw its unusual leaf, twisted into a tight coil, and its remarkable mixture of colours – a very dark green, almost black, on the one hand and a pale, delicate tan on the other.
This Formosa Pi Luo Chun is a similar style of tea produced in Taiwan, formerly Formosa. This particular tea is the non-curly variety of Pi Luo Chun, so the leaves are rather large, coarse, and dark tan in colour, similar to All About Tea’s Formosa Pouchong.
The brewed liquor is surprisingly light and delicate, and a rich amber in colour, and has a distinct strawberry sweetness.
From £44.00
High Mountain Oolong (gao-shan wu-lung cha) is perhaps the greatest and most famous of all Oolong teas.
Grown, as the name indicates, at high altitude, the leaves flush slowly on the plant. This concentrates the flavours and allows great richness and subtlety to develop in the leaf.
Oolong, or Wu-long, tea, is partly fermented. It is therefore half-way between green and black tea. It has a smooth, refined, rounded and satisfying taste between peach and chestnut. It also has greatly-prized and remarkable health properties – see the site for more details.
Taiwan, or Formosa, is renowned as the home of the finest Oolongs in the world. In the stratosphere of tea quality sits High Mountain Oolong, and the best grade of High Mountain is what the tea trade calls Toppest, also known as Silver Tip, after the beautiful colour of the leaf.
From £19.80
Pouchong tea is a type of Oolong, but closer to Green tea.
Oolong tea is partly fermented, half way between green (unfermented) and black (fully-fermented) tea. Pouchong is closer to green tea than normal Oolong, so has a more vegetal, sometimes slightly bitterer taste. As a guide, Oolong is usually about 30% fermented and Pouchong 15-18%.
Formosa, modern Taiwan, is the greatest producer of Oolong and Pouchong teas in the world today. Its island, mountain climate makes for very particular growing conditions and its teas are simply sensational.
This wonderful Formosa Pouchong is delicate, slightly grassy or vegetal, and with a very distinct fruit /floral character balanced with a delicate burnt, bitter note. Delicious and refreshing. The dry leaf is surprisingly dark, darker than many Oolongs, and with plenty of silver tip.