Low-oxidation oolong Ever Spring tea comes from the Nantou region on the island of Taiwan and owes its name precisely to the area where its plants grow. At an elevation of about 1,200 meters in the northeast of this region, where the camellia cultivar si ji chun, which translated means "all seasons like spring," is found, there are several streams that generate a mist such that it always maintains a pleasant spring-like cool temperature and can protect the plantations from direct sunlight.
These climatic conditions allow the leaf to impart flavors and aromas in the cup that are already quite elaborate in themselves, for which a low level of oxidation is chosen to preserve them as unaltered as possible from the plant to the liquor. Because of its processing, this tea shows when dry, a leaf rolled on itself which, however, already has a definite vegetal aroma.
Tasting - Sight and Smell
The leaves of Ever Spring oolong tea have a rather narrow rolled shape. The color is a bright dark green with jade green hues and ochre tints at the stems. Once infused, the leaves release floral and sweet, almost milky aromas, with more vegetal and herbaceous end notes and a freshness reminiscent of basil. As the leaves are opened in both the teapot and the gaiwan, moreover, it is possible to observe how the edges are reddish due to the particular process and in particular the shaking and bruising steps, which give the leaves an initial beginning of oxidation. In the cup, the color is pale yellow, very clear and bright.
Tasting Notes
GONG FU CHA
The first infusion of Ever Spring oolong tea is very delicate: it has the sweetness of white granulated sugar and still shy floral notes, which emerge more strongly in the second infusion. Here the floral bouquet becomes more pronounced, and flowers such as lily of the valley, gardenia, and orchid stand out, with an extremely fresh sensation on the palate. Sweet, milky hints reminiscent of cream are also detected. With the third and subsequent infusions, the body becomes more dense and oily: the sweetness that can be felt is now as full-bodied as custard, and the milky hints are much more evident. Fruity notes of ripe yellow peach are also perceived. The persistence is fresh and the floral character of the liqueur remains very pronounced.
TO THE WEST
The first sip of Ever Spring oolong tea is delicate and very sweet: in fact, it leaves a sugary sensation all over the palate and tongue. This is followed by a slightly vegetal note and then immediately floral with intense hints of lily of the valley, lilac and magnolia. The body is decidedly oily, with creamy notes reminiscent of milk and honey, custard and vanilla pudding. The finish is very fresh, with the floral and sugary notes lingering pleasantly.
Location of origin
Northeastern Nantou, Taiwan
Production
After harvesting, the leaves of Ever Spring oolong tea harvest in the sun for a few hours before moving to rest on bamboo trays under cover. Oxidation is then initiated by hand massaging the leaf, performed by the master producer. Given the low oxidation of this tea (about 20 percent), it will only take a short time before the tea moves on to the next stage: the leaves are heated in a charcoal kiln to stop enzymatic activity and fix the product's characteristics. As a penultimate step, the leaf is given its final shape by hand by rolling it onto itself so that its aromas can be better preserved. The last stage of processing is drying, which will allow the aromas to be fixed will make the product ready for consumption.
Preparation
We strongly recommend infusing the Ever Spring oolong tea in the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. Following this preparation, 5 grams of leaves (about 2 teaspoons) can be used in a gaiwan of about 150 ml to obtain multiple infusions with different tastes. After a quick rinse of the leaves in water at 90°C, an initial infusion of 15 seconds can be made, after which, keeping the water at the same temperature, the time can be increased each time by 5 seconds from the previous infusion (15 - 20 - 25 ...).
This tea has a longevity of about 6 infusions.
For a classic preparation according to the Western style we recommend 3 grams of leaves (about 1 teaspoon) in a 200 ml cup with water at 90°C for an infusion time of 3 minutes.
If you would like to try experimenting with infusions with this tea with different amounts of leaves try to think of the suitable amount to allow the leaf to expand freely in the liquid without being compressed or hindered in this. By doing so you will make the most of this product without hindering the extraction of the flavor substances.
The tea can be filtered for ease when tasting and also the infusion times given above here are meant to be purely indicative so you can also adjust according to your personal taste.
We recommend storing the Ever Spring oolong tea in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight.
