WenShan QingXin Baozhong Oolong 2023

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An exceptional, slightly oxidized Taiwanese oolong of the Baozhong type, from the organic garden of Mr. Chen, located at 500m.a.s.l. in Pinglin, WenShan, New Taipei City. The material used for this tea was handpicked leaves of the QingXin Wulong 青心烏龍 cultivar.

What makes this tea special is that Mr. Chen is already 96 years old. He was born in Taiwan during the Japanese rule and started working with tea around 1945. He still lives in his birthplace near Pinglin and tirelessly devotes himself to the tea craft, although now with the help of his son and daughter-in-law.

Taiwan was hit by droughts in the spring, especially in the north where WenShan is located. Such lack of rainfall drastically affects the quality of the resulting tea. This magical Baozhong is even more surprising. Mr. Chen is old school and so he makes it with slightly stronger oxidation than the current modern trend. This gave this Baozhong a deeper, more subtly mineral complexity and richness. Our well-known Mrs. YuWen gently roasted the tea, just enough to gently dry it and stabilize its aroma.

The result is very elegant and beautifully balanced. It is a sign of the way the tea was grown, as Mr. Chen does not use synthetic fertilizers.

In the first infusions, notice its butteriness combined with greenish tones, complemented by a typical floweriness that deepens with each subsequent infusion.

This Baozhong is only in limited quantity. It was produced in the amount of 60 kg and it is the only batch of tea that Mr. Chen made this year. Last fall, his deteriorating health made it impossible for him to produce, but this spring he gathered his strength again and the result is this unique tea that carries 78 years of craftsmanship and experience.

Harvest: April 2023