Tea preparation

Teas from Taiwan, the fruit of inimitable know-how

Publish on 09.20.2024 by Gaia Gardens

Taiwanese teas, heir to the know-how of Fujian producers and exceptional climatic conditions, are highly prized by connoisseurs. The small island, nicknamed "Ilha Formosa" by the Portuguese, produces wulong and other high quality teas thanks to its subtropical climate and mountains. Local producers, supported by the government, use refined methods and develop sought-after cultivars. The recently created gaba teas are appreciated for their relaxing effects and unique taste. To fully appreciate these teas, preparation in gong fu cha is recommended, and our Yixing terracotta teapots are ideal for this.

Taiwan's teas are the result of a combination of tea-growing know-how, originally inherited from producers in China's Fujian province, and exceptional climatic and geographical conditions. They are a delight to the eyes and taste buds of all connoisseurs of fine teas.

Every year, some of the finest teas are produced in the small tea gardens that dot this small island, 394 km long and 144 km wide, which the Portuguese nicknamed "Ilha Formosa" (Island of Beauty), including wulong* teas much sought-after by connoisseurs.

The subtropical climate and the numerous mountain ranges that make up over 60% of the island's surface provide ideal growing conditions, with large temperature swings between day and night that enable the tea bushes to develop inimitable organoleptic signatures.

The subtleties of local know-how complete the picture of Taiwan as the exceptional terroir it is today.

The island is home to some of the most talented producers in the world, with extremely refined firing methods, and the cultivars developed there with the support of the Taiwanese government (Jin Xuan #12, Cui Yu #13, Hong Yu #18... ) have become highly sought-after references in the world of tea.

At the same time, the inventiveness and dynamism of Taiwanese producers are remarkable, notably with the recent production of "gaba teas", which are appreciated not only for their relaxing effects due to their high levels of the precious amino acid, but also for their particular organoleptic signature.

The further south you go, the more oxidized and roasted the wulong teas become.

To fully appreciate all the subtleties of these great vintages, we highly recommend preparation using gong fu cha, the Chinese art of tasting which has found its highest degree of refinement on the island.

In our range of Yixing terracotta teapots, the fruit of our collaboration with a local manufacturer, you'll find the ideal instruments for infusing and enhancing these prestigious teas..

*also known as oolong, blue-green or semi-oxidized teas.

Our range of teas from Taiwan

Dong Ding

Dong Ding (iced peak) is a specialty of Nantou County, which is the only county bordered solely by land. This superb mountainous region is home to the famous Sun and Moon Lake, near which excellent black teas are also produced.

This wulong from the high-quality Fujian cultivar qing xin lives up to the expectations of one of Taiwan's most emblematic wu long teas..

Moderately oxidized (between 35 - 50%) and carefully cooked in successive stages, it offers a smooth, dense infusion with excellent balance.

Its floral flavors, subtly accompanied by hints of nuts on a buttery, lightly roasted background, will be superbly enhanced in a Yixing terracotta teapot.

Baozhong

This Baozhong, from its historic production region of Pingling in the Wenshan Mountains in northern Taiwan, is the "greenest" of Taiwan's wulongs, with very little oxidation (15-20%).

Made from the prestigious Qin Xin cultivar, this tea is very light and pleasant to drink in hot weather, very much like a green tea. It delivers elegant, subtle floral (gardenia notes) and slightly biscuity flavors.

Supple, gourmand and sweet, it's a beautiful long wu that's easy to prepare and enjoy.

Its name, which translates as "wrapped in paper", comes from the fact that its leaves were sold in this form in the past. A wu long that's sure to delight you too!

Gaba Wulong

This gaba wulong has been produced in the north of the island of Taiwan using a manufacturing process that was invented in Japan in the 80s, making it a genuine health product. The fresh leaves are totally deprived of oxygen for a certain period of time, allowing them to develop the amino acid "gaba", but also to bring out hidden aspects of their organoleptic profile.

The result is superb, with a tasting that leads to complex, long-lasting flavors with notes of stewed apples, licorice, iodine, cocoa, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) and a pleasant buttery finish.

Gaba Wulong Superior

This superior quality wulong has been developed from the prestigious Qing Xin cultivar in a pioneering organic garden in the Nantou mountains of Taiwan.

Its leaves have been deprived of oxygen between two stages of oxidation. The result of this particular transformation is an increase in the level of the amino acid gaba, the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, enabling better stress management.

This particular manufacturing process also reveals subtle flavors.

The liqueur is immediately seductive, evoking both the fruitiness of fresh cherries and the vegetal subtlety of sakura leaves, all enhanced by a particularly bewitching malty, woody and roasted base.

Sun Moon Lake Milky

This "milky wulong" has been produced near the famous Sun Moon Lake, from the excellent Taiwanese cultivar Jin Xuan #12, known for its characteristic milky notes when the tea is lightly oxidized, which is the case here with a low oxidation level of 20%.

This tea's aromatic palette is both complex and intense. Its full-bodied, supple liquor offers fruity, gourmet flavors reminiscent of nashi and green pear on a fresh, milky background that is particularly pleasant. A gourmet wu long!

Sun Moon Lake Gaba

This "gaba wulong", also produced near Taiwan's famous Sun Moon Lake from the Jin Xuan #12 cultivar, has been transformed by depriving its leaves of oxygen between oxidation phases. The result is increased levels of the amino acid gaba, which has a positive effect on stress management. This particular transformation also results in a very interesting evolution of the tea's aromatic profile.

The silky, full-bodied liquor has a slightly acidic attack, followed by flavors reminiscent of cooked rice, toast and buttered rusk on a sweet background that is particularly pleasant and long-lasting.

Qing Xin Wulong

This wu long from a small producer was born in the Nantou mountains, in a garden that pioneered organic farming in Taiwan.

It highlights the specific features of the Qing Xin cultivar, originally from the Chinese province of Fujian, which has developed its own unique characteristics on the island. It is renowned for its finesse and aromatic complexity. Full-bodied on the palate, the liquor of this wulong delivers flavors of exotic flowers and warm stone, underlined by a slightly acidic vegetal note reminiscent of fresh sorrel.

Gaba White Tea "Buddha's Hand

This absolutely exceptional white tea comes from a seaside tea garden on the island's northern coast in the sparsely populated Shimen (Stone Gate) district -石門區. The tea bushes in this tea garden are unique in that they are not pruned. Its name comes from the cultivar Fo Shou (Buddha's Hand) - 佛手 which, like Qin Xin, originates from the Chinese province of Fujian and is so called because of the very large size of its leaves.

This white tea contains a high level of the amino acid gaba, thanks to its transformation process, which also brings out some particularly interesting organoleptic subtleties. We immediately fall under the spell of its highly textured liquor, with a mineral attack, followed by a fruity explosion reminiscent of baked plum. A fresh eucalyptus note crowns the whole.

What is GABA, the source of gaba teas?

GABA, or Gamma-Amino-Butyric Acid, is an amino acid of great interest for its positive effects on the central nervous system. Present in the brain, it is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter. Simply put, it reduces neuronal excitability by binding to several types of receptor. When these receptors are located in the presynaptic part of nerve endings, GABA inhibits them, thereby regulating the release of hormones such as noradrenaline, glutamate, dopamine or serotonin.

This regulation helps maintain a healthy balance between brain activity and the resting state, characterized by the presence of alpha brain waves.

To significantly increase the level of gaba in tea and give it the name "Gaba tea", producers vacuum-seal the leaves several times during the oxidation phase. This operation increases manufacturing time by a factor of 3 compared with conventional tea. Oxygen deprivation enables a chemical reaction that converts the glutamic acid naturally present in tea leaves into gaba. The result is a minimum quantity of 150 mg of gaba per 100 g of finished tea, which in Taiwan is known as "gaba tea".

Drinking gaba tea, which prevents neuronal signals from being transmitted too intensely during phases of intense activity, is an excellent response to stress, while promoting alpha brain waves, the waves of relaxation and creativity.

Traditional tasting of Taiwan teas

These high-quality Taiwan teas can be drunk throughout the day, and can be re-infused several times while retaining their beautiful flavors. Preparing these teas is quite simple. In your classic teapot (ideally not too large), pour boiling water (95°C) and leave to infuse for 3-4 min for the first infusion, and for a further minute for the second infusion. The third infusion will again take a little longer.

Traditional tasting is a plus. The advantages?

Traditional earthenware teapots from Yixing (China) are small in size, so you can get the best out of the tea leaves and appreciate the flavours as you infuse them, in the heart of an ever-concentrated liquor.

These teapots, with their porous walls, retain the memory of previous infusions, which over time amplifies the aromas of the teas brewed. Tasting is done in small cups, more suited to the tasting of fine teas.

Find out more about Yixing teapots

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