The taste preferences of tea consumers
differ from person to person, natural environment are suitable
for tea cultivation and production in many regions of Taiwan.
Over the past few decades special aromas and flavors
of Taiwan's various teas have been developed, we would like to introduce
some of the characteristics
and producing areas of seven major teas produced in Taiwan.
1. Green Tea
This is a non fermented tea,
there's no weathering and fermentation in the manufacturing process.
The first step is panning.
Zen Cha or Long-Gin leaves are sword shape and groomed
with white pekoe's, once brewed the tea is jade color
and a slight yellow tint and a fresh taste.
The major producing areas for green teas are located in
Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli and Taipei counties.
2. Wenshan Paochong Tea. This type of tea is produced in the northern mountain
areas of
Pinglin, Xidin and Xindian in Taipei county.
The leaves are deep green and curled,
the brewed tea special for its light golden green color and fragrant aroma.
The faintly sweet and smooth taste comforts your throat.
3. Semi-ball shaped Pouchong Tea
This tea is commonly called Tong Ting oolong tea.
Its original production areas are in mountain regions at 500 to 800 meters in
altitude in Lugu of Nantou County.
In recent years its production has extended to Mingjian
and Chu-shan townships in Nantou County and many other areas in Taiwan.
Tong Ting oolong tea is unique because of its
ball rolling process.
The tea leaves are so tight that they are semi-ball shaped.
The appearance is deep green and brewed tea is a
bright golden yellow and has a heavy aroma, the mallow
thick taste remains long after drinking the tea.
4. Tieh-Kuan-Yin Tea
This tea is partially fermented
with similar processing to the semi-ball type of Paochong tea.
The tea leaves are at first roasted slightly
and then packed into a clothed bag and rolled into a ball shape.
The bags are then roasted over a bamboo roaster under medium warm
heat, it curves and shrink the tea leaves, this is repeated several times.
The tea has a special aroma and flavor after roasting
and it maintains its original aroma and flavor after brewing a few times.
The brewed tea is orange-yellow but slightly red.
The taste is mellow, thick, sweet and smooth but slightly sour.
The flavor of Tieh-Kuan-Yih tea is similar to that of pure
but week fruit acid Tieh-Kuan-Yin tea is manufactured in Muzha and Shimen.
both located in northern Taiwan.
5. White-tip long tea or Pom Fong tea.
The more white tips there are the better the quality of the leaves,
it is the most special and famous tea in Taiwan
and it is only produced in Taiwan.
The tea is made from young leaves and tips which are sucked by the smaller
green leafhopper, and the fermenting process is controlled by
hand to give this tea a special honey and matured
fruit aroma. The major areas of production of this tea are
Beipu and Emei in Hsinchu county
and Touwu and Toufen in Miaoli county, Shihlin in Taipei County in Longtan
Township in Taoyuan county have also started produce and market this tea in
the last few years.
White-tip oolong tea is white, yellow,
red, brown and flower like, the brew tea is
amber colored and faced strong and refreshing.
6. High Mountain Tea
High mountain tea is produced at an altitude of over 1000 meters.
Its major production areas include the newly developed tea areas in the
mountains between 1000 and 1300 meters in Chiayi
County and Nantou County.
It is cold in the mountain areas with heavy cloud cover in the mornings and
evenings
and a shorter average period of sunshine,
so the catechin contents in the tea leaves is lower.
The thiamine and other soluble nitrogen contained in the tea leaves is also
higher than in other leaves.
Tea leaves and buds are tender, the mesophyll is thick and
pectin contents are high, therefore high mountain
teas has a black-green appearance, sweet taste,
refined aroma and enduring brewing.
7. Black Tea
This is a fully fermented tea good quality
black tea is made from Assam tea plants that are grown in
Puli and Yuchi of Nantou county and ?? of Hualian County.
Meanwhile the TRES has propagated and marketed
the new cultivar TTES no. 18
since 1999 in Yuchi and this tea smells like natural cinnamon and fresh
mint and is pretty popular
among consumers.
To improve domestic tea manufacturing and offer consumers
high quality tea, county and city and town governments as well as farmers
associations
holds tea manufacturing competitions and famous tea contests every year.
This can allow tea farmers to exchange tea making
experiences with each other and offer consumers better
teas. Facing multiple consumer
patterns, the TRES has made considerable efforts in research and
development of all kinds
of tea products. These multiple products include
powder tea, tea jelly, tea candy, tea desserts,
tea noodles, tea sauces, tea tablets,
tea wine, tea cocktails and GABA tea.
The TRES usually cooperates with some groups for tasting activities
for multiple tea products and providing related information.
It won a very high acclaim from the general public.
Tea has been a traditional beverage for over several thousand years,
it is also been regarded as a health drink.
Overseas and national research reports have proven that tea indeed has many
health and preventive benefits.
Our tea farmers still keep on improving tea quality under the assistance of
government institutions
and their continuing efforts. Drinking tea has become a trend,
tea is an important agricultural product of Taiwan.
While the tea industry is a significant part of Taiwan's
agriculture, industry, commerce and culture
and an important part of daily life.
It has become one of the most prominent cultures of Taiwan. In conclusion we
would like to encourage you to drink tea frequently,
it will be helpful to your health, give you energy
and add pleasure to your life.