Lishan Dark Roast

Lishan Dark Roast is a medium-oxidized, medium-strong roasted highland tea from Lishan using tea leaves of the Qingxin cultivar. Qingxin means green heart. It is the cultivar with the longest history of cultivation in Taiwan, the most popular among tea farmers and tea drinkers alike, and by far the most widely cultivated. When people talk about Oolong in Taiwan, they usually refer to it as “Qingxin-Oolong”. It is the same cultivar from which the traditional, genuine Dongding is made.

Since the beginning of the 80s, more and more tea cultivation areas have been developed in the highlands. There it has also found by far its widest distribution. Due to the strong temperature fluctuations and the frequent fog in the highlands, these teas are naturally much finer, milder and sweeter in terms of their ingredients and were therefore also intended as a suitable alternative to Dongding or to teas from the lowlands. Today, the whole market is oriented only towards the highlands and the variety of processing methods has greatly decreased. Also the highland teas themselves are increasingly greener, i.e. less oxidized, so that the actual character of a wulong tea is often lost.

Lishan Dark Roast is a medium-oxidized, traditionally processed highland tea from Lishan. Due to the medium oxidation, the tea has a honey-like yet flowery aroma, which is complemented by the stronger body and more intensive taste experience typical of Oolong tea. The leaves are processed traditionally, resulting in red edges. The reverberation in the mouth is still clearly perceptible even over a longer period of time and it is a pleasure to trace the character of the tea in meditative silence and to fathom its complex character more and more.

Lishan Dark Roast is medium-strong roasted, which adds layers of flavor including warm, nutty notes, hints of caramel, and roasted barley. But, the character of highland teas is still clearly visible. Due to the traditional processing, it can be stored without any problems and without losing its aroma. With increasing age, the aroma changes and develops its very own charm.

Harvest time: spring 2019
Aroma: floral, with notes of honey, nuts and caramel
Oxidation: approx. 40%
Roasting: medium-strong
Cultivar: Qingxin
Terroir: Lishan, Nantou, Taiwan
Preparation: In this blogpost you will find a description of how to brew Oolong tea.
Tip: The aroma in the mouth unfolds best when Lishan Dark Roast is not drunk too hot. Wait briefly until it has cooled down a little in the cup.
This tea is also particularly suitable for infusion in a large cup or a larger pot as it does not become bitter and is very productive. It does not have to be poured off, simply let the tea leaves sink to the bottom.