Cultivar: Qingxin (ruanzhi) Oolong

Harvested by hand: April 18th, 2025

Origin: Yong Lung, Dong Ding, Taiwan

Process: Rolled Oolong with a light to medium oxidation, well dried but not roasted.

1. View.

The dry leaves are rather big and fresh green. The brew has an excellent transparency. The color is dark yellow. The very healthy-looking leaves unfold well and show signs of oxidation on the edges.

2. Scents

Dry, the smells remind me of very traditional, fruity Taiwan Oolong fragrance. The brew has ripe fruits like apples, pears and peaches, but it ends on an osmanthus note. There are no roasting aromas.

3. Taste

In competition mode (3 grams for 6 minutes), the taste feels thick, clean and powerful. There's a lot of sweetness, but also tannins that prolong the aftertaste. Even this 6 minutes brew is still very enjoyable.

Conclusion: This is a very interesting that helps us better a lot of things about Taiwanese Oolongs. First, it is interesting to compare it to its roasted version. This helps you understand the amazing impact of charcoal roasting on Oolong. Second, it is also interesting to compare it to a high mountain Oolong made from the same cultivar (qingxin Oolong). Its aromas are typical of lower elevation (500 meters approximately).