红水
This traditional high-mountain oolong from Taiwan is crafted using a slow, high-oxidation charcoal roasting method known as Hong Shui. The process can take three to four days and often includes re-roasting every few years, allowing the flavors to develop fully while the smoky aroma gradually fades. The extensive oxidation creates silky, caramel-like tannins. It eliminates any vegetal bitterness or astringency, producing an aromatic and soothing tea ideal for long infusions in metal teapots, which bring out its hidden complexities. Few growers still practice this fading art, overshadowed by the popularity of green oolongs that lack the aging characteristic of these classic teas.
Sampling aged tea offers a unique opportunity to connect with history. It serves as a time capsule, preserving tales from an era when surroundings and technology felt entirely different. In this encounter, tea becomes our guide, and we become learners, discovering the wisdom it reveals in a transient moment. Each tea represents an experience ready to be embraced. Approaching it with respect and feeling, rather than with an analytical urge to critique, is essential to fully unlocking its essence.
Origin:
Nantou, Taiwan
Cultivar:
Qing Xin
Flavor Profile:
Maple syrup, camphor, delicate sweetness, pumpkin, egg tart, leather, orange blossom, cedar wood
Servings per tea:
4 x 6g servings
Net weight per tea:
25g
