Nanshan Organic Qing Xin "Oriental Lotus" Oolong Tea - Winter 2019

Nanshan is now some of our favourite places when it comes to Qing Xin oolong varietal. To be honest, we think this is the very few places that cultivate some of the best Qing Xin oolong in Taiwan judging by its unique terroir and purity. All of this has to thanks to Mr. Chang’s persistence and diligence.

Taiwanese consumes lots of cabbage each year. You can observe this when you are eating here from night market to regular restaurant. Nevertheless, cabbage growing comes with great cause for its delicacy. Bugs also loves the sweetness cabbage carries, making the use of pesticide fundamentally necessary for such industry. Nanshan area, which locates at the south side of Yilan, supplies 70% of cabbage demand in Taiwan, which makes this place valley filled with pesticide. Nanshan’s micro-climate is proper enough for cabbage to taste good, and that should be the same on tea.

It is therefore a miracle for such tea plantation to even exist at Nanshan. Our farmer Mr. Chang was both wise and fortunate to find the tea plantation of this tea. It is located high above away from the cabbage plantation beneath with a gravel-like soil condition, it was also for this “gravel soil” condition the landlord (Mr. Chang rent from him) did not know how to use it since their cabbage certainly can’t grow here. In short, the existence of this plantation is a wonderful coincidence.

This is our second season processing this particular plantation, and nature seemed to respond with our hard work with the blessing of a subtle bug bitten-ness. You did not hear that wrong, this season’s Nanshan has a hint of bug bitten-ness in it. Normally it is impossible for leafhopper to survive in cold weather, but we speculate Nanshan’s microclimate allowed such miracle to happen. The “nectar aroma” is very subtle but noticeable for an experienced tea lover, and that is how it got the name “Oriental Lotus.”

Harvest: Winter 2019 / 冬 貳零壹玖
Varietal: Qing Xin Oolong / 青心烏龍
Elevation: 1180 M / 壹仟壹佰捌拾 公尺
Region: Nashan / 南山
Fermentation Level: 30% / 分之 参拾
Roast Level: 0 ~ 3 / 零至参 分