Tasting great tea in Taiwan

The streets of old Taiwan are lined with tea shops. Many of these are family owned businesses that have been there for many generations. During an evening stroll I checked out one that seemed interesting. The shelves were lined with tea containers, the floors with rows of three foot tall silver tea tins and the family had smiles that were irresistible. The daughter Julia motioned for us to sit down at the tea tray. She prepared us a high mountain Oolong that had good character, cup colour and depth. The fresh taste of the mountains lingered in my mouth. I learned that Julia had gone to World Tea Expo in Las Vegas this year with the Taiwanese Tea reps and had helped at the booth on the trade floor educating North America on Taiwan Oolongs. She introduced us to her mother, Mei, and her father who didn't seem to have an English name for translation.



We asked about the stacks of Pu-erh on the shelves and she indicated that they had a 20yr Pu-erh from Yunnan. She brought down a brick of tea wrapped in paper and proceeded to prepare a pot of rich dark peaty tea. After a first rinse which she discarded, she brewed a 30 second steep in a small pot. Pouring it in small wide cups we were presented with a very smooth, gently earthy brew that refreshed your pallate.



This was the tea that I bought. I knew that there were days ahead with opportunities to pickup Oolongs right from the tea gardens as we visited. But this Pu-erh was special. Mostly for personal consumption there will be a small amount available at the tea bar. Pu-erh is the only tea that the government allows to be imported into Taiwan. Beside the high quality teas of Taiwan this Pu-erh definitely had a place.