Certified Organic Honeybug Taiwan Oolong Tea

Regular price $12.00 Sale

A "sister tea" to our Organic Four Seasons Oolong, this one is made from the same varietal, but processed differently. Instead of being unroasted and lightly oxidized, this one is medium roasted and well-oxidized. It tastes like a completely different tea though! One key aspect of this tea that makes it unique is that it is considered a "bug-bitten" tea. Tiny grasshopper-like insects bite holes in the leaves, causing the plants to produce more enzymes that alter the original taste, and then the plants produce more sugars to repair the leaves, creating a honey-like flavor..

Rich, sweet, and complex, without the telltale charcoal taste that one might expect from, say, a heavily roasted Wuyi oolong, this is a smooth, mellow tea well-suited for Sunday afternoons or even evening drinking.

Harvested in Spring 2022.

We have had good results brewing this just like the Four Seasons oolong; For a 100-150ml teapot or gaiwan, a hot rinse to open up the leaves, followed by steeps of 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 1 minute, etc. Brewing this tea with near-boiling filtered water is recommended.