Winter Formosa oolong teas are typically harvested at the beginning of November. Tea gathering begins at the highest elevation gardens and makes its way down, ahead of the plummeting temperatures as winter approaches.
From the same tea maker that crafted our spring San Lin Xi, our winter harvest was gathered early November 2011 from a tea garden only a couple hundred meters below peak. It is the last harvest of this tea for the year. Winter harvest Formosa oolongs are typically mild and light, with a smoother mouth feel than spring teas.
Because of heavy rains this season, most winter crop Formosa oolongs lack structure and depth. We selected this year's tea after exhaustively cupping from different batches to ensure that the aromatic and fruit notes of the tea met our standards. This tea has the heavier, creamier mouth feel of a winter crop tea, with bright floral and citrus notes that is characteristic of San Lin Xi.
BREWING GUIDE
Infuser Cup
Water Temp 200 ° F
Steep Time 3 mins
Tea Bowl
Water Temp 200 ° F
Gaiwan / Teapot (6 oz.)
Water Temp 200 ° F
Steep Time 2 mins 30 sec
Teapot (12 oz.)
Water Temp 200 ° F
Steep Time 3 mins
Winter Formosa oolongs are different in character from their spring counterparts, to accentuate their innate floral notes, use more leaves and increase steep time.
In a gaiwan or small tea pot, use 5 grams brewed at 200 degrees for 2 minutes 30 seconds on the initial brew, dropping down to 2 minutes on the second brew, and then increasing that in increments of 30 seconds for subsequent brews. For lighter infusions, use hotter water and half the brew time.
