Description Tasting Notes Origin Brewing Flavor: Soft, flowery aroma. Sweet, delicate pastry, floral, and herbal notes. Clean, lingering finish. Garden: This plot of Qing Xin Oolong situated at 1100m elevation in Zhangshuhu Village, Meishan Township . Zhangshuhu is the northernmost corner of the Alishan tea growing region, and has become one the most popular names for Alishan High Mountain Tea. Our batch was picked on 11/18/2025 — the very last day of winter harvest! Harvest: Hand-picked, Zhangshuhu, Taiwan. Winter 2025. Elevation: 1100m Our assessment skills were put to the test in procuring this batch of tea, as we had to decided whether to buy it or not before it was finished being cured! We had told the boss lady of the factory that we were not in the habit of doing so, because there is still a potential margin of error before the tea is completely rolled and dried. She concurred, but said that the margin is relatively small in her factory, and that they are diligent about avoiding this mistake. The decisive factor was when we tasted the brew from the 85% cured leaves. It was amazingly fragrant, substantial, and represented the winter tea character that has become rare in recent decades due to climate change. In a word, we were sold! This batch offers a delicate, complex floral/herbal aromatic and flavoer profile with a deeper subtle quality that is simply referred to locally as "winter tea flavor". We procured this batch of tea from a factory that is in high demand among wholesale merchants in the local industry. Merchants come to the factory to taste the previous day's harvest that is still being rolled and dried, and purchase large quantities of fresh produce before it fully cured! Zhangshuhu is a narrow valley — more like a ravine, in the northernmost section of the Alishan High Mountain Tea growing region. We originally sourced our Alishan High Mountain Oolong in this valley 20 years ago. We have been introduced to a new source here that has brought us back with renewed interest! We finally had a chance to visit this factory that we had been introduced to a while ago. It is run by a former school teacher who is quite active in developing and promoting the local tea culture. Many local farmers have their seasonal produce cured at this factory, and she represents them and facilitates the sale of their tea to merchants who come from all over Taiwan. Ms. Yang has a solid business ethic, and is all about sustainable business practice. After a couple of visits comprised of long rambling conversations about all things tea, we are very much looking forward to future cooperation! Mug: 8g tea in 300ml 100°C water. Steep for 4 minutes. Re-steep. Adjust to taste. Cold Brew: Use 5g of tea per liter of water. Brew tea at room temperature for 2-3 hours, and enjoy. Or you can put your cold brew bottle in the fridge to brew overnight and be ready to drink the next day. Gong Fu: Start with a 1:15 ration of leaves to water (10g tea leaves for 150mL water) and adjust to preference. Use boiling temperature water and brew for about 50 seconds. Increase brewing time with each successive brew. The leaves can be brewed 6 times.
