{"title":"Taiwanese Oolong","description":"\u003cp\u003eTaiwan is famous for its high elevation mountains, which produce outstanding oolongs with distinct creamy and floral notes, and a particularly rich body.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"alishan-high-mountain","title":"Alishan High Mountain","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis fresh, winter harvest oolong is from a small, high altitude tea farm in the towering Alishan Mountain range of Taiwan. The varietal is indigenous to the area, and favours the cool climate of the mountains. Here, the trees are covered in cloud and mist all year round, producing a tea that is vibrant, full bodied and sweet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese robust, wakame-like leaves reanimate beautifully under water, revealing their impressive stems and structure as they unfurl. Eventually, it is as though an entire tea tree has bloomed in the gaiwan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts taste balances the sweet and savoury qualities of the Qingxin varietal; a flavour that feels woven together by warm and intriguing spice notes. Hints of cinnamon, clove, and cardamom are complimented by a tingling \"high alpine\" sensation at the back of the palate. The warmer notes fade after a couple infusions, but its taste stays very integrated. In a long and elegant finish, later infusions remind us of lilies and rainwater.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":47386038534424,"sku":null,"price":30.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":47386038567192,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100g","offer_id":47386038599960,"sku":null,"price":112.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/alishanhighmountain.jpg?v=1784989491"},{"product_id":"oriental-beauty-gold-award","title":"Oriental Beauty Gold","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriental Beauty is a tea that occupies a category of its own. It is well known as a rare and precious tea, often commanding the highest prices of all teas from Taiwan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are a few reasons why Oriental Beauty carries both this value and reputation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirstly, it is entirely made from leaves that are bitten by a small fly. The bite from the fly is what begins this oolong's process of oxidation, allowing it to happen while the leaves are still on the tree! We can attribute Oriental Beauty's very unique and sweet characteristics to this little fly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondly, like all highly prized tea, terroir is extremely important to Oriental Beauty. True Oriental Beauty will only come from one of two small villages, Beipu and E'mei. of Hsin Chu County. These two villages combined have an area of 90 km², (to put that in perspective, the city of Vancouver is 114 km²!)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLastly, Oriental Beauty is extremely labour intensive to harvest and craft. The highest grades are made exclusively of the smallest and youngest one-bud-one-leaf. These  tender leaves are very hard to pick. In one full day of harvesting, a skilled tea picker will only collect between 75 and 100 grams of fresh leaves. Thus, it takes 8 to 10 skilled tea pickers an entire day to collect enough leaves to make 500 grams of Oriental Beauty. As you can quickly calculate, the labour costs for Oriental Beauty are amongst the highest of all teas in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this highest grade of Oriental Beauty we notice smaller, more condensed leaves. In the dried tea, we clearly see one tip and one bud. It is difficult to imagine that each leaf and bud was picked by hand, they are so tiny and delicate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe aroma of this tea has the same sweet, earthy bass layer as the Bronze, but with an extra-dimensional complex set of top notes, which caused us to describe it comparatively as \"more 3D.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tea brews a champagne coloured liquor, much lighter than the Bronze tea. Its taste is bursting with life, like spring flowers and magnolia. It has a robust aquatic quality, like water lotus: a unique bouquet supported by the earthiness of the tea itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the first infusion the lid of the gaiwan smells like what we think angel wings might smell like, were you to bury your face in them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second infusion plunges us deeper into this tea's serene world of pond notes: we taste petals, moss, and wet stone. The soft mouthfeel invites pause, and we hold it on our palates for a moment before swallowing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe notice that, as we drink this Oriental Beauty, it opens the imagination. Whole images and scenarios come to us as we sip it, and our minds wander through them. We recall the truth in our initial impression of its taste: that it really is extra-dimensional.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter several infusions the wet leaves look entirely like an aquatic plant. They are a rich, uniform, oxidized red – waxy, winding, and wholly intact.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"4g","offer_id":47660808306968,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false},{"title":"8g","offer_id":47660808339736,"sku":null,"price":120.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/615A3233.jpg?v=1707443126"},{"product_id":"oriental-beauty-bronze-award","title":"Oriental Beauty Silver","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriental Beauty is a tea that occupies a category of its own. It is well known as a rare and precious tea, often commanding the highest prices of all teas from Taiwan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are a few reasons why Oriental Beauty carries both this value and reputation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirstly, it is entirely made from leaves that are bitten by a small fly. The bite from the fly is what begins this oolong's process of oxidation, allowing it to happen while the leaves are still on the tree! We can attribute Oriental Beauty's very unique and sweet characteristics to this little fly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondly, like all highly prized tea, terroir is extremely important to Oriental Beauty. True Oriental Beauty will only come from one of two small villages, Beipu and E'mei. of Hsin Chu County. These two villages combined have an area of 90 km², (to put that in perspective, the city of Vancouver is 114 km²!)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLastly, Oriental Beauty is extremely labour intensive to harvest and craft. The highest grades are made exclusively of the smallest and youngest one-bud-one-leaf. These  tender leaves are very hard to pick. In one full day of harvesting, a skilled tea picker will only collect between 75 and 100 grams of fresh leaves. Thus, it takes 8 to 10 skilled tea pickers an entire day to collect enough leaves to make 500 grams of Oriental Beauty. As you can quickly calculate, the labour costs for Oriental Beauty are amongst the highest of all teas in the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn my recent trip to Taiwan I was fortunate to source two grades of Oriental Beauty, crafted by a 76-years old tea master. One won the Gold Medal Award at the Annual Hsinchu Oriental Beauty Competition, and the other won the Silver Medal Award. These teas exemplify what makes Oriental Beauty so sought after and so highly regarded in the world of tea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe immediately notice the gorgeous spaciousness of this dried tea: its delicate, variegated silver and dark-red leaves seem to hold themselves up. Their aroma is arresting, with layered notes of flowers, honey and sunbaked earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first infusion brews an apricot coloured liquor. We encounter the sweet earthiness of this tea, with lilly and cacao notes flickering on top of it. The second infusion brings out its tobacco and incensed notes, as we find it increasing in complexity. The wet leaves that have now unfolded completely are a deep, uniform sandalwood colour. Their fullness and opacity is something very unique to behold: they look and even smell a bit like sweet wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea can go on for many infusions without its character or colour waning. Subtle tannins reveal themselves as the intensity of its flavour subsides, creating an architecture that holds it on our palate a little longer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter you've finished drinking the tea you must touch the leaves before discarding them. They feel unlike any other tea leaves – almost like a succulent, or arame seaweed – full of life.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"4g","offer_id":47660813484312,"sku":null,"price":40.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false},{"title":"16g","offer_id":47690682237208,"sku":"","price":160.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/615A3552.jpg?v=1707840001"},{"product_id":"cuifeng-high-mountain","title":"Cuifeng High Mountain","description":"\u003cp\u003eCui Feng, or \"Emerald Peak\", is one of the highest mountains in Nantou, Taiwan. It is very close to the famous Li Shan 梨山, or \"Pear Mountain,\" so most of the time teas from Cui Feng are categorized as coming from Li Shan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe visited Mr. Li's tea farm in Cui Feng in January 2024. The 3 hour drive from Sun Moon Lake in Nantou up into the mountains is done by way of narrow, switchback roads: it feels like you're weaving your way into the clouds. When we arrived at Mr. Li's small tea farm at the peak of Cui Feng, over 8500 ft elevation, we were astounded by the view of the surrounding mountains, and at how steep the terrain was.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCui Feng oolong has a very distinct vibrancy and brightness. This is usually referred to as the \"cold fragrance,\" only found in very high elevation Taiwanese oolongs. This is also an exceptionally sweet year for this tea. The first infusion tastes like dissolved sugar more than anything else.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe can attribute its intense sweetness to the dramatic height of the mountain, where the difference in temperature between day and night is drastic. Here, tea plants work desperately to produce sugar for themselves. By the second infusion the leaves have fully opened and a refreshing salinity, as well as a structured mouthfeel, has emerged. Its sugaryness plays a supporting role as complexity increases, coming forward at the finish alongside a minty, tingling \"cold\" sensation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":48900750737688,"sku":null,"price":30.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":48900750770456,"sku":null,"price":58.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100g","offer_id":48900750803224,"sku":null,"price":112.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/20260316_Cultivate_18400_WEB.jpg?v=1774037594"},{"product_id":"jinxuan-milk-oolong","title":"Jinxuan Milk Oolong","description":"\u003cp\u003eJin Xuan is the name of the varietal of oolong from Taiwan commonly known as \"milk oolong.\" As you might guess, the name comes from the fact that true Jin Xuan is naturally and unmistakably creamy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Jin Xuan comes from a small, high altitude tea farm in the towering Alishan Mountain range of Taiwan. This varietal is indigenous to the area, favouring the cool climate of the mountains where the tea trees are covered in cloud and mist all year round, making them vibrant, full bodied and sweet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike many \"milk oolongs\" available on the market, this is real Jin Xuan, meaning that it does not have anything artificial added to make it taste more creamy. On top of that, this is the best traditional Jin Xuan we have ever tasted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt has a buttery mouthfeel with strong notes of vanilla cookies and whipping cream. The combination of its slight dustiness and palate-coating density is so enjoyable, it is a tea that keeps you wanting more of it. It has a surprisingly clean, floral finish that reminds us of freshly washed cotton: we can't think of a tea that references more comforting things. This oolong will last through many infusions, becoming more and more impressively and pleasingly milky.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":48900761878808,"sku":null,"price":18.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50g","offer_id":48900761911576,"sku":null,"price":36.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"100g","offer_id":48900761944344,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/20260316_Cultivate_18523_WEB.jpg?v=1774037350"},{"product_id":"oriental-beauty","title":"Oriental Beauty","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriental Beauty is a tea that occupies a category of its own. It is well known as a rare and precious tea, often commanding the highest prices of all teas from Taiwan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are a few reasons why Oriental Beauty carries both this value and reputation. Firstly, it is entirely made from leaves that are bitten by a small fly. The bite from the fly is what begins this oolong's process of oxidation, allowing it to happen while the leaves are still on the tree!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSecondly, terroir is extremely important to Oriental Beauty. True Oriental Beauty will only come from one of two small villages, Beipu or E'mei, in Hsin Chu County. Combined, they have an area of 90 km², an extremely small footprint for producing a tea that is sought after around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLastly, Oriental Beauty is extremely labour intensive to harvest and craft. The highest grades are made exclusively of the smallest and youngest one-bud-one-leaf. These tender leaves are very hard to pick. In one full day of harvesting, a skilled tea picker will only collect up to 100 grams of fresh leaves. It takes 8 to 10 skilled tea pickers an entire day to collect enough leaves to make 500 grams of Oriental Beauty, meaning the labour costs for Oriental Beauty are amongst the highest of all traditional teas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis Oriental Beauty from Beipu has everything we could want and expect from a tea of this quality: delicate auburn leaves that smell sweet and reanimate quickly in water; a silky, round mouthfeel with minty floral notes that activate the palate; and lingering tropical fruit notes that leave the taste of water lily in their wake. The total experience of this tea reminds us a bit of junmai sake, or even Monet's Water Lilies, as it resonates as an elegant ode to wateriness itself.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Cultivate Tea","offers":[{"title":"25g","offer_id":49133555089688,"sku":"","price":75.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false},{"title":"50g","offer_id":49133555155224,"sku":"","price":150.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0091\/5737\/8153\/files\/615A2072_a0467f4e-e8ee-4c34-af90-c08e91035361.jpg?v=1726706352"}],"url":"https:\/\/cultivatetea.com\/collections\/taiwanese-oolong\/flavour-creamy.oembed","provider":"Cultivate Tea","version":"1.0","type":"link"}