What is Alishan Oolong Tea?

Alishan tea is a high mountain oolong (or wulong) tea grown in Taiwan’s central mountains. It is a tea that only appeared on the market a few decades ago, but it quickly captured the attention of many tea connoisseurs.

High mountain (gaoshan) teas are oolong teas grown at elevations greater than 1,000 meters above sea level. Alishan tea is typically grown between 1000 and 2300 meters in Taiwan’s Nantou or Chiayi counties. Both of these counties are located in Taiwan’s central mountain region (Ali Mountain or Ali Shan).

These regions were formerly known mainly for their orchards, which have been over time largely replaced by tea cultivation.

Ali Mountain

Alishan tea was first grown on Ali Mountain (Ali Shan in Mandarin Chinese), from which the tea takes its name. The entire area has beautiful natural scenery, which over the years has become a major tourist attraction in the country. Famous are the old railway lines (now used as tourist railways) built by the Japanese to make it easier to transport tea and other products from the area to coastal areas.

Growing conditions

High-altitude teas, because of the special climatic conditions and more rarefied air, have slower growth than normal. This allows a higher concentration of aromatic substances in the leaves, resulting in a richer taste after infusion. In addition, the high humidity and relatively low temperatures of the Alishan growing area provide a particularly suitable environment for tea cultivation.

High mountain oolongs are harvested twice a year (in winter and spring). The lower production naturally affects the price, which is on average higher than that of other types of tea.

Cultivation and processing

Tea leaves are harvested by hand, lightly rolled, and left to rest for 8 hours. Rolling breaks down the cell tissues and makes it easier to start the oxidation process.

Next, the leaves are lightly roasted, so as to stop the oxidation process (which if continued would turn the tea into black tea). The roasting also gives the tea a pleasant caramel note.

Color and flavor of Alishan oolong

The flavor of Alishan tea is slightly sweet and floral. It has a pleasant aroma that is similar to that of jasmine or rose, and some varieties may have a creaminess to them. It has a pale yellow color that gets lighter and lighter with each infusion.

Due to slow growth, this oolong has a much more intense flavor profile than other teas. This characteristic allows Alishan tea to stand up well to multiple infusions.

How to prepare Alishan tea following the Gong fu cha method

All high mountain teas require a slightly longer infusion than usual for them to release their full aroma. The ideal infusion temperature is 90°C. You can achieve this temperature by using a thermometer or by letting the water that has reached boiling temperature cool for about a minute.

Below are instructions for preparing a perfect Alishan oolong according to the Gong Fu cha method.

• Heat the water to 90°C;
• Add 3 teaspoons of Alishan tea per 250 ml of water;
• Allow the leaves to steep for 60 seconds;
• Use the first infusion to rinse and heat the cups;
• Make a second infusion of 30 seconds;
• Pour the tea a little at a time into the different cups so that the tea is of the same strength.

Allow it to steep for 30 seconds longer for each subsequent infusion.