This tea wouldn't exist if I hadn't placed an order for a light charcoal roast. I don't say this to appear like the hero or tea master of this story. No, the real masters are the Oolong producers and the roasters, in this case it's the same person, Mr. He. But the goal of a tea producer is to make the best possible product that sells easily at the lowest cost possible. In the case of spring high mountain Oolong and his plantation on Long Feng Xia (in the Shan Lin Xi mountain), this tea is the fresh, not roasted, lightly oxidized Oolong. By adding a light roast, I'm making the tea more expensive and reduce its freshness, which is the most important quality factor for a majority of high mountain Oolong lovers.
It wasn't a business decision. Last year, my fresh Long Feng Xi sold out quickly and this year's batch also attracts lots of buyers.
It was the decision of an eclectic Oolong drinker.
I have been drinking Oolongs for 30 years. It started soon after I had arrived in Taiwan in July 1996.
What I have learned and experienced is that Oolong tea reaches its full potential when its oxidation AND roast match its character.
In the 1980s, the best Oolongs in Taiwan were the traditionally roasted Dong Ding Oolongs, like this one: lower elevation, medium oxidation and medium charcoal roast. The Dong Ding Oolong tea competition started in 1976 by Dr. Wu Zhen Duo (吳振鐸, 1918–2000) aimed at preserving this high quality standard inherited from WuYi Yan Cha.
The problem is that the roast level didn't change as the winners became high mountain Oolongs. The farmers are still willing to take the risk of a heavy roast, because a high grade for the tea will increase the price times 2, 3 or up to 100 (for the winner). But this is more akin to playing Russian roulette than a standard practice. That's why there isn't a large market for high quality roasted high mountain Oolongs outside the competition. In most cases (99%), the high mountain Oolongs that do get a roast are those that have some defects.
So, how can we get combine the top quality of a very elevated high mountain Oolong from Long Feng Xia and the beauty of the traditional charcoal roast without taking the high risk of a powerful roast? The answer is to tune down the roast to match the lightness of the oxidation and of the aromas. This way, the price doesn't have to double or triple, but can simply increase by 20%.
And what I've got is the deepest, sweetest, most flavorful and finest high mountain Oolong from Long Feng Xia! However, let me give you a word of caution. If you want a high mountain Oolong, choose one here. And if you want an intensely roasted Oolong, then choose this one. This lightly charcoal roasted Long Feng Xia Oolong is in between and will only please those who are open to both types of tea and wish to see them combined.
My brewing advice is to use fewer leaves than you would for a fresh high mountain Oolong. Enjoy its finesse, its light aromas of hazelnut and flowers! A first long brew is required to open the rolled leaves. But don't pour with force for the first 2 brews. Pour gently, but preheat the vessel well. This advice comes from comparing 2 sessions and realizing that less is more!
You may wonder why this tea only arrives in my selection in September, despite being harvested in spring. The reason is that in spring the farmer is too busy to carefully roast his Oolong with charcoal. Charcoal isn't like an electrical oven that can be turned on and off with a simple button. Temperature can fluctuate. The roaster needs all his attention to avoid burning the leaves and make sure the roast is sufficiently powerful. That's why he's doing this process after the summer harvest (because he's not doing an autumn harvest in order to let the trees rest before the winter harvest).
By the way, the beautiful Chabu in these pictures is part of the new collection that you can find here is very limited quantity!
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