Hello,

Winter tea of 2008 is finally ready to be shared with all of you who have been patiently waiting, as well as all who are trying our teas for the first time. We were slightly delayed in our procurement of this winter’s tea. The Alishan tea was harvested later than usual, and our Dong Ding sources were busy roasting their leaves to perfection.
This year’s growing season was significantly warmer than usual, and the majority of the harvest that was picked at the traditionally appointed time (based on the lunar calendar) was not able to attain its full winter characteristics since temperatures did not drop significantly. The unusually mild character resulting from this seasonal variation has been evident in all the tea we have sampled. However, with a little patience and discernment – and good connections – we are left feeling very satisfied with the tea we have to offer.

After his first day’s harvest of winter tea, our Alishan tea farmer decided to delay the remainder of his production. This decision had striking results, as the first cold spell of the season hit the week following the standard harvest time. The tea harvested after the several days of cold weather possesses the body and flavor of winter tea notably more than the other high mountain tea we sampled. In fact, I picked up a sample of Shan Lin Xi tea and took it straight to the Alishan tea farmer’s home to try them side by side. The Shan Lin Xi was floral and obviously of high quality, but it did not compare to the complex and substantial flavor that the Alishan brews – which is what makes winter tea special. So we went with our instincts and decided to get all of this season’s high mountain tea from our Alishan source. It has a fresh green character that reflects the spring or fall like weather it grew in, but a boldness and complexity of flavor that came through from just a week of chilly winter temps before its harvest. Go light on the amount of leaves, as it can become bitter with over-brewing. But once you get to know the leaves, they brew a fine cup of tea.

The Dong Ding tea from both of our sources has already been enjoyed a great deal by us here at Black Dragon Teas HQ. Together they exemplify the varying effects of roasting that Dong Ding is famous for. The Phoenix Mountain Dong Ding Oolong is the lighter of the two: A mellow, soothing brew with a sweet nutty flavor and an aftertaste reminiscent of dried apricots. The medium roast of a mild, yet substantial leaf makes it nicely palatable to all tea lovers. The Classic Dong Ding Oolong has undergone repeated roastings of more than thirty hours total! It shows how influential roasting is in the making of a strong flavored traditional Oolong. This leaf brews an earthy, woody, hearty flavored tea with an aroma of something coniferous in essence. Unfortunately, our good friend and teacher only had a small amount of this batch left after supplying their life-long local customers. So it won’t last.

And last but not least, you may notice a lower price tag on some of this season’s tea. This is a consequence of our well-established sources acknowledging two current factors: unseasonable weather producing a leaf that is not fully representative of the locally prized, and higher priced winter tea, combined with the current challenges in the local economy. So the sellers offered their winter tea at fall and spring prices. Given the honesty and integrity of our sources, we could only follow suit.

Beyond these fine high elevation teas from Central Taiwan, we will soon be announcing the return of a Taiwan Oolong cultivated in Thailand. It is from the same farmer we have worked with in the past, and are excited to be able share this variety once again – after a long stretch of logistical difficulties. It is tea from a farm in its prime years, grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and interspersed with lychee trees. We have always appreciated the robust nature of the tea from this farm. We just confirmed that it has been shipped, so you shall be hearing from us upon its arrival.

We will now let you get over to our site and pick the winter tea that is most to your liking!

As always – in tea,

Andy

www.blackdragonteas.com