Fanciest Formosa Oolong

This tea is made in Northern Taiwan and is twisted (as opposed to the balled style). It is harvested around June, which is later than other oolongs. The growers allow a leaf hopper (Jacobiasca formosana) to attack the tea leaves. The plants release a compound in self-defense that we find deliciously similar in flavor to peaches. Mike saw the plants on the defensive on a trip to Taiwan; he found it fascinating to observe this remarkable botanical process.