Sun Moon Lake Terroir
Sun Moon Lake, Yuchih, is the only plantation area of large-leaf black tea in Taiwan. Besides, Sun Moon Lake has the best environment for planting black tea. These two factors make Sun Moon Lake Black Tea taste so good.
Environment - Sun Moon Lake is in the middle of Taiwan, at the elevation of 421-1000 meters, full of hills and various terrains.
Soil - Tea gardens are mostly on the well-drained hill countries. Moreover, the soil of Sun Moon Lake area is subacid laterite. This kind of soil is good for planting high quality black tea.
Climate - The Sun Moon Lake area belongs to subtropical climate zone. The annual average temperature is 20 degree Celsius. It is warm and humid all year round.
Tea Species in Tea Plantation
Assam Black Tea
A kind of black tea introduced from Assam, India. Representing “Formosa Tea”．Assam Black Tea was selected as Top Grade Tea in England Tea Auction House. The tea liquor is reddish golden, and has the fragrance of caramel and malt.
【Species】Big-leaf variety/ One Bud, Two Leaves/ Twisted-leaf tea.
【Color】Ochre red.
【Fragrance】Strong fragrance of caramel and flowers.
【Taste】Strong, tasty and refreshing.
【Drink】Original flavor of the tea or add fresh milk or lemon.
Emerald Black Tea
Hidden in the stick, the seed of tea was brought to Taiwan in the Japanese Colonial Period. It has been grown over 80 years. As the old-tree black tea, it tastes smooth and mellow just like the love from grandmother that warms our heart.
【Species】Big-leaf variety/ One Bud, Two Leaves/ Twisted-leaf tea.
【Color】Red.
【Fragrance】Fragrance of natural flower and fruit.
【Taste】Smooth, mellow and has aftertaste.
【Drink】Original flavor of the tea or add lemon.
Ruby Black Tea/ Camellia formosensis
Climbing over the mountains, tea searchers were looking for the precious indigenous tea species “Ruby Black Tea”. It is said that if tea searchers found two Ruby Black Tea tea trees in one day, they can receive their paycheck right away. Being grown for over one hundred years, Ruby Black Tea has the fragrance of honeydew, fruit and aftertaste.
【Species】Big-leaf variety / One Bud, Two Leaves/ Twisted-leaf tea.
【Color】Reddish golden.
【Fragrance】Unique fragrance of honeydew and fruit.
【Taste】Clear, soft, mellow and sweet.
【Drink】Original flavor of the tea.
TTES#8/ Jaipuri Black Tea
There is one special tea tree which has better quality than others in the tea plantation. It is TTES#8, Jaipuri Black Tea. It has the light elegant orchid fragrance just like an innocent girl, elegant and refined.
【Species】Big-leaf variety/ One Bud, Two Leaves/ Twisted-leaf tea.
【Color】Bright rust red.
【Fragrance】Elegant light orchid fragrance
【Taste】Sweet and rich.
【Drink】Original flavor of the tea.
TTES#18/ Jade Black Tea
It is developed by hybridizing Taiwan mountain tea and Myanmar large-leaf black tea. People call it”4058” because it was the 58th seed which was grown successfully in the 40th year since the country was established. It has the fragrance of natural cinnamon and mint. It is so special that some people call it “Taiwan Fragrance”.
【Species】Big-leaf variety/ One Bud, Two Leaves/ Twisted-leaf tea.
【Color】Brightly red.
【Fragrance】Fragrance of natural cinnamon and mint.
【Taste】Rich and varied taste, fresh and sweet.
【Drink】Original flavor of the tea or add fresh milk.
TTES#21/ Rose Quartz Black Tea
A hybrid from keemun and Kyang Tea. The aroma of the tea is very strong, with scents of citrus and pomelo flower. Waiting for 30 seconds after drinking the tea, the aroma and sweet aftertaste are very obvious.
【Species】Big-leaf variety/ One Bud, Two Leaves/ Twisted-leaf tea.
【Color】Bright golden to red.
【Fragrance】Strong scents of citrus and pomelo flower.
【Taste】Strong and sweet aftertaste.
【Drink】Original Flavor of the tea.
Process of Making Good Black Tea
Tea trees are planted in a natural way, with organic fertilizers, manual weeding, and no herbicides. What's else, we take the initiative to send each batch of tea for testing to ensure that each batch of tea is analyzed for 0% pesticide detections before it is put on the shelves for sale.。
1.Plucking
Picking the fresh tea leaves from tea trees, every piece of leaf is hand-picked.
2.Withering
Setting the leaves for 18-20 hours to evaporate moisture below 55%. Withering also can soften tea leaves to make it easy to roll. The process is also important in promoting the breakdown of leaf proteins into free amino acids and increases the availability of freed caffeine, both of which change the taste of the tea.
3.Rolling
The bruising breaks down the structures inside and outside of the leaf cells and allows from the co-mingling of oxidative enzymes with various substrates, which allows for the beginning of oxidation. This also releases some of the leaf juices, which may aid in oxidation and change the taste profile of the tea. Rolling lasts for around 120-150 minutes. Tea leaf unraveling is taken once every 30-40 minutes during rolling.
4.Fermentation(Oxidation)
In this process the chlorophyll in the leaves is enzymatically broken down, and its tannins are released or transformed. The tea producer may choose when the oxidation should be stopped, which depends on the desired qualities in the final tea as well as the weather conditions (heat and humidity). Oxidation is highly important in the formation of many taste and aroma compounds, which give a tea its liquor color, strength, and briskness. Depending on the type of tea desired, under or over-oxidation/fermentation can result in grassy flavors, or overly thick winey flavors.
5.Drying
Using high temperature to destroy any remaining enzymes and completely stop fermentation. It is done by drying machine. To ensure thorough drying, the leaves are dried twice. Dried leaves are called “rough tea” when the moisture content is down to 2%-3%.
