Description
Altenative Names: Bai Ya Qi Lan Tea, Baiya Qilan
Storage guide: Store away from strong smells and out of direct light. Best kept in an air tight container.
Oolong Tea
Oolong teas typically involve many more steps during processing, than other tea types. Oolong teas predominantly originate from Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan.
The appearance and flavours of oolong tea are diverse. Oolongs can range from fresh, floral styles like Tieguanyin, through to dark, almost black teas like many of the Wuyi mountain teas and our Baiyaqilan which have rich caramel notes. These characteristics are achieved through the complex processes including single or multiple finishing bakes which involves considerable skill and art on behalf of the producer.
Oolong tea varietals, the tea plants, vary considerably too from very fine leaves of Tieguanyin to Daye and Foshou varietals whose leaves can be the size of a hand.
Zhangzhou, Fujian 福建省漳州市
Zhengzhou lies at the southern most tip of Fujian province and borders Guangdong province. Like the neighouring cities of Quanzhou and Xiamen to the North, the people of Zhangzhou also speak a dialect of the Minan 闽南 language.
Zhangzhou grows many different tea cultivars including Qilan, Shuixian, Foshou and Black tea types. The region's climate and skilled tea masters create oolongs with a distinctive roasted character and profound fragrance.
Zhangzhou is well known for it's more heavily baked style than those of Anxi.
Brewing Oolong Tea in a Gaiwan
Vessel Capacity: 150 - 200ml
Tea Quantity: 8g (loose leaf)
Water Temperature: 95 - 98c
People / Servings: 4
Medthod: Rinse the tea with a little hot water and then discard it. Next refill the tea pot and follow the infusion times below. For a 120ml Gaiwan you can either keep back 1-2g or add all the leaf. If you add all the leaf, you may want to revise the brewing times slightly (downward) to allow for the fuller flavour. Please note using a Zisha teapot times should be revised downward to allow for time for the liquor to pour from the tea pot.
Infusion Times (in seconds):
1st = 30.
2nd = 30.
3rd = 40.
4th = 50.
5th = 70.
6th = 90.
7th = 120.
Please visit our online tea brewing guide, which includes different methods and infusion times for all tea types.