Rising Star of TEAniverse
Red Oolong Tea
Our Story
A rising star in the tea world, born in Taitung in 2008
The youngest and most creative tea among Taiwanese teas.
It retains the craftsmanship of traditional Formosa Oolong Tea while embracing the international appeal of black tea.
A modern tea designed for a slow-paced lifestyle.
Craftsmanship
Tea is the result of nature’s gift and human craftsmanship
Once the leaves are plucked, the transformation of aroma begins.
Tea is remarkable in that fragrance arises simply from the loss of moisture in its leaves. This first stage, called withering, spreads the leaves out on racks. As water slowly evaporates and the leaves are gently stirred, moisture redistributes and escapes. Inside, an intense process of oxidation unfolds, gradually releasing floral, fruity, and other delicate notes.
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Did you know that tea masters rely on their keen sense of smell to craft tea?
Once the leaves are picked, they immediately begin to lose moisture. During this process, their aroma gradually unfolds—notes of fresh grass, flowers, fruit, and sweetness emerge. The tea masters carefully sense these evolving fragrances, using their refined olfactory skills to determine the tea’s character and the precise timing for each step in the process.
A roasting craft grounded in both experience and science
Like cooking, roasting tea involves heat-induced Maillard and caramelization reactions that unlock nutty, caramelized, and roasted aromas. With patience and expertise, slow and prolonged roasting brings out a mellow, full-bodied richness in the tea.
Read MoreThe Journey of Tea:
From Fresh Leaves to Brewed Infusion
Taiwanese tea is defined by purity: no added scents, no fruits or petals but time, skill, and nature.
With one touch of hot water, the leaves unfold into a fragrant, beautiful brew.
It is the pride of this island, a legacy shaped by centuries of work and refinement.
7 Roasting
High heat alters the tea's chemical composition and develops unique flavor profiles.
1 PICKING
The best quality tea leaves are picked between 11 am and 2 pm. One tip and two leaves are carefully handpicked.
6 Cloth Rolling
The tea leaves are wrapped in cloth, tightly pressed, and rolled into a ball.
2 WITHERING
Through the evaporation process the tea leaves develop various fragrances such as grassy, floral, and fruity notes.
5 Panning
Use high heat to destroy enzymes, therefore stopping the oxidation of tea leaves, and “fix” the desired flavor.
3 TOSSING
The tea master gently stirs the tea leaves with their hands to awaken the leaves and help the water inside them redistribute.
4 HEAVY ROLLING
Rub the tea leaves against each other until they form a strip-like shape. “Heavy” refers to the force and duration of the rolling.
Characteristics of
Red Oolong Tea
The flavor profile is diverse and rich. Everyone can discover a cup of tea that speaks to them.
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FLORAL AROMA
from the cultivar
FRUITY AROMA
from withering
CREAMY NOTE
from the cultivar
HONEY FLAVOR
from small green leafhoppers
WOODY NOTE
from roasting
ROASTED AROMA
from roasting
The Pleasure of Brewing
Hot-brewed: aromatic, with layered roasted and honeyed notes.
Cold-brewed: cool, smooth, and refreshingly sweet.
Cold Brew
-
1 gram of
tea leaves -
lukewarm water
and 100cc cold water -
refrigerate
for 12 hours
Diversity of Cultivars
Red Oolong is unbound by convention.
Drawing on the region’s wealth of tea varieties, producers craft teas that respond to both the market and the evolving tastes of today’s drinkers.
Jhinshuan
TTES No. 12 – This cultivar was developed in 1981 from a crossbreed between Firm Stem Red Tip Variety and Tainung No.8 Bai Yu. It is high-yielding, disease-resistant, and widely planted in Taitung. The tea has a sweet, milky aroma.
Yingxiang
TTES No. 20 – Named in 2004 and granted variety rights in 2006. Highly drought-tolerant, with a distinctive orchid fragrance. When made into Red Oolong, its floral aroma is pronounced, making it popular and the planting area has been expanded each year.
Qinyu
TTES No. 22 – Named in 2014 and granted variety rights in 2015. Suited for lowland planting, disease-resistant, and high-yielding. As an early-maturing cultivar, it offers earlier harvests. Red Oolong from this variety carries rich Yulan magnolia and Pummelo blossom aromas.
Large-leaf Oolong
Local Cultivar – One of Taiwan’s four renowned tea varieties during the Japanese colonial period, originally from northern Taiwan and relocated eastward in the 1980s, becoming a key variety in the Hualien–Taitung region. Red Oolong from this cultivar has an elegant floral fragrance, sometimes with a hint of rose.
Chin-Shin-Dapan
Local Cultivar – Also among Taiwan’s four renowned tea varieties during the Japanese colonial period, primarily grown in Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli. Commonly used for Oriental Beauty tea, with limited planting in Taitung. Red Oolong made from leaves fed upon by small green leafhoppers carries a natural honeyed note.
Shanyun
TTES No. 24 – Named in 2019. Developed by researchers from cuttings of native wild tea collected in Taiping Mountain area in Taitung. Drought- and disease-resistant, with unique mushroom, almond, and coffee notes.
Fo Shou
Said to have originated from Anxi, Fujian, and later introduced to Zhushan (Nantou) and Luye (Taitung). Although a small-leaf variety, its leaves are palm-sized, hence the name “Fo Shou” (“Buddha’s Hand”). Rare and limited in quantity, with a captivating ripe-fruit aroma.
Shuixian
A leading Wuyi oolong variety from Northern Fujian, China, introduced to Taiwan in the postwar period. Small-scale cultivation exists in Taitung. Red Oolong made from this variety is rare and highly prized.
Wuyi
Originating in Wuyi Mountain, Fujian, this notable variety of Chinese tea later spread to Taiwan. In Taitung, it is grown in small quantities and crafted into Red Oolong with floral aromas and a subtle mineral character.
Brand Stories
When you go to Burgundy, you drink red wine. When you go to Kyoto, you savor matcha.
When you come to Taitung, you must drink Red Oolong tea.
You can learn so much about the land and the way of life through a cup of tea.
Jun Yu Tea Planation
Irrigating with the first spring water from the mountains, and with hands broad enough to lift seven bricks at once, Jun Yu brings strength and care to every aspect of tea-growing, crafting, and tea rolling.
Hsuan Mao Tea Garden
Blending tradition with youth and creativity, partners with cross-industry brands to develop Red Oolong products that bring a touch of sweetness into daily life.
Red Oolong Tea Cooperative
A cooperative of 48 members, promoting organic and eco-friendly farming, has established a rigorous tea evaluation system, driving quality and growth across the entire region.
Yunfang Tea Garden
From small green leafhopper-bitten leaves to refined tea extracts, Yunfang leads innovation with a “future tea” vision, inviting tea to be savored from wine glasses and elevating Taiwanese tea to new heights.
Xinyuanchang Black Tea Industry Cultural Center
Taitung’s first officially registered tea factory, since the 1960s has shaped the region’s tea industry. Today it continues to produce fine teas while welcoming visitors as a cultural tourism site, a living archive of Luye’s tea heritage.
Buo-Ya Tea
A perennial winner of the ITI (formerly iTQi) has earned over a hundred medals and the highest honor, the Diamond Award. With an expert touch and 50–60 hours of meticulous roasting, they craft a tea fragrance uniquely their own.
A-Rong Natural Farm
A new-generation tea flavor artisan, crafting the curated TeaHof series — playful, micro-batch celebrations that make tea fun, fresh, and approachable.
Lin-Wang Tea
Starting the tea cultivation journey out of a passion for plants and the land, Lin-Wang commits to sustainable farming and preserving the sun withering technique that is rarely seen in Taitung.
Biluoyuan Tea House
A master of both cultivation and roasting, with a collection of diverse tea cultivars, transforming expertise into flavor design, tailoring teas to meet each client’s unique taste.
Yipin Tea Garden
Weaving time into tea, Yipin has developed a singular philosophy of aged Red Oolong, where floral and fruity sweetness deepens into beguiling woody and orchid-honey notes.
More Than Just Tea
Red Oolong is not confined to the teacup. It can be baked into pastries, infused into cuisine, paired with coffee or spirits, even transformed into fragrance. It is versatile, borderless, made for crossing worlds.
Red Oolong Infused Ice Coffee
Red Oolong Reed Diffuser
Red Oolong Cheese Cap Ice Cream
