What’s So Special About Oriental Beauty Tea?

东方美人茶是台湾独特技术的发明。 最初，这是一个美丽的错误。 当茶农遇到昆虫问题时，他们会采摘被昆虫叮咬的树上最好的部分叶子和芽。 然后，他们把它们带到茶叶实验室，发现昆虫吸食了茶茎和芽汁后，开始了氧化过程。 因此，这个过程为茶增添了天然的甜味和果香。 stems and buds juice, it started the oxidation process. Hence, this process added natural sweetness and fruity aromas to the tea.

After this significant discovery, the farmer used this skill to grow the tea by feeding the insect, Jacobiasca formosana. And for the need of the feeding, the tea must grow in warmer areas on the leeward side of hills in regions. It also requires sufficient humidity and sunshine at lower altitudes (300–800m) between the mountains and the plains. That’s why this unique plantation technique is only suitable to harvest in the middle of summer, and only about 40–50% of the leaves are used. However, as climate changes globally, Taiwan enjoyed a warm winter in 2019. And this batch of Oriental Beauty tea was harvested in December 2019, which made it especially unique.

However, the annual yield is still low, and the price is relatively high. As a result, the Oriental Beauty Tea is considered as one type of rare and SPECIALITY tea. Besides, the moisture content of Oriental Beauty Tea is higher than other teas; the withering process takes longer hence leading to the longer hydrolysis and oxidation processes. The longer time helped generate the typical sweet flavour and taste of this tea. It was thought to have been named Oriental Beauty by Queen Elizabeth the second when she tasted the tea.

Oriental Beauty Tea Brewing Guide:

1. Tea to water ratio: 1g tea:80ml water; use filtered water and ceramic teaware to enhance the flavour.
2. Water temperature: 80-90°C
3. Brewing time: 8 minutes. 1-3 re-steeping