Cloudy Valley, Formosa tea

---

Tea Types

The term “tea type" refers to the variety of the tea plant itself.

Processing Methods

Processing methods are developed through experience. Generally, specific teas have fixed methods of production. However, sometimes tea farmers or tea masters innovate by borrowing techniques from other tea-making methods, resulting in variations that make it even harder to identify specific processing methods.

Production Regions

Production regions gain recognition over time. Certain teas become popular due to their origins, and consumers start associating the tea with its production region. This association is sometimes reinforced through marketing.

---

In general, tea names are often tied to all three aspects: variety, processing method, and production region. However, processing methods usually have the most significant influence. To help everyone better understand the general outline of Taiwanese teas, here is a summary:

---

Baozhong Tea

• Named for its processing method, with an oxidation level of around 8–12%.
• Typically produced as strip-shaped tea.
• Renowned for its fragrance, often characterized by an elegant floral aroma.
• The tea liquor is sweet, mellow, and lively.
• Best brewed in tea ware that dissipates heat quickly (e.g., gaiwan).

---

Jin Xuan Oolong

• Named for its variety, officially known as Taiwan Tea No. 12, also called Jin Xuan or “No. 27," bred by the Taiwan Tea Research and Extension Station in 1981.
• Produced as ball-shaped tea.
• Known for its milk candy aroma or pineapple fragrance.
• The tea liquor is typically smooth and silky.

---

Cui Yu Oolong

• Named for its variety, officially known as Taiwan Tea No. 13.
• Produced as ball-shaped tea.
• Known for its wild ginger flower and osmanthus flower fragrance.
• The tea liquor is rich, sweet, and flavorful.

---

High Mountain Oolong

• Named for its high-altitude production region, referring to oolong tea grown in tea gardens located at altitudes above 1,000 meters.
• Produced as ball-shaped tea.
• Known for its elegant floral aroma.
• The tea liquor is flavorful, rich in minerals, and lively.
• Highly durable for multiple brews.

---

Oriental Beauty

• Named for its cultivation and processing method, Oriental Beauty’s distinctive ripe fruit and honey aromas are the result of “tea leafhopper" bites, a phenomenon known as “tea leafhopper influence."
• Also called “Peng Feng Tea" or “White Tip Oolong."
• Produced as strip-shaped tea.
• Known for its ripe fruit aroma and the “tea leafhopper-induced" honey fragrance.
• The tea liquor has a unique, rich flavor, with a relatively heavy oxidation level.
• Limited production.
• Best brewed in tea ware that dissipates heat quickly (e.g., gaiwan).

(To be continued…)