ICE PEAK EVERGREEN TAIWAN OOLONG TEA

This famous oolong tea from Taiwan's Dong Ding, or 'Ice Peak' Mt. in the mist-bound 'Deer Valley'. In this premium grade, only the top two leaves are picked, by hand from the first spring growth as the buds just open into new leaves. While they are being made the bamboo baskets of fermenting leaves are said to exude a heavenly aroma on a par with roses, sandalwood and amber. Being a 'Jade' oolong the light fermentation must be carried out with great skill to capture the perfect taste and I had this batch made to compare with our Classic Ice Peak, made from the same picking. It often goes on late into the night. It has a bright, amber green infusion and beautiful aroma, ranging from lilac to milky butterscotch. This butteriness in the aroma and cup is due to its light oxidation, which also brings a camellia and lilac flavour out of the tea. One of the interesting ways careful processing can bring out desired characteristics from the same raw leaves. Oolong tea like green tea is rich in healthy polyphenols, which remove free radicals from the body. Chinese doctors also recommend it for activating the enzyme responsible for dissolving triglyceride (fatty deposits) and enhancing the function of fat metabolism. Of course, more important than this is that it makes a delightful cup of tea!