This exquisite hongcha comes from Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan where it is grown on old trees (>100 years old). The leaves are hand picked. The quantities of this are very limited in each production.
The flavour is excellent with enough character to prevent it falling into that bland sweetness often found in hongcha.
The trees are farmed without the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides. A quick glance at the photos will show the abundant insect life amongst the trees.
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powerful hongcha Review by tom
Great hongcha with plenty of character. Brews pretty strong but with enough subtleties to keep it interesting and lasts long in the back of the throat. Recommended. (Posted on 27/11/2011)
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deep blue Review by Norbert
This was my first hongcha from Taiwan, and I noticed the difference in comparison with the Chinese red teas. The tea has unique character which makes it interesting, but on the other hand I was expecting more malty notes and “bottom of the cup" sweetness. As it was already mentioned this hongcha works nicely as a morning tea with its fresh and wild character. A curiosity is that every time I drink this tea I somehow associate it with the dark blue color :). (Posted on 26/10/2011)
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nice organic hong cha Review by DBJ
When i first smelled this tea as it was brewing in the gaiwan I got that lipton teabag aroma and was preparing myself for boredom. But in the cup it transformed to something more interesting with some nice mushroomy forest notes. The tea itself has enough bite to keep you interested. While red tea is not my normal choice for my cup, I found enough in this tea to keep me interested. (Posted on 14/10/2011)
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A "traditional" strong black tea Review by RC
I have had several Taiwan black teas. Most of them are somewhat sweet, perhaps a bit akin to an oolong.
This one however is stronger, with a touch of tannic flavor or astringency. I believe it is an Assam. This is what I drink when I want a strong black tea, particularly if I want to drink tea while eating breakfast or another meal. I find that most other teas are difficult to appreciate when eating but this one can hold it's own.
I also appreciate the natural / organic way in which it is produced. (Posted on 11/09/2011)