Product Overview
A variety of oolong cultivars are grown in Yunnan. On the outskirts of Pu'er city, Yunnan province, you can find Red Phoenix varietal. Red Phoenix combines all the best features of oolong and black tea. Red Phoenix Oolong Tea is manufactured only by tea trees that grow at an altitude of 1500–1600m. These leaves are medium-sized and have a dark and shiny brown, military green hue. When brewed, the tea releases a strong and captivating sweetness. This tea feels smooth and silky on the palate with a long-lasting aftertaste.
A couple of Taiwanese tea producers settled in Yunnan during the 1990s, they established the plantation and some of them still manage them to this day. Hong Oolong tea use tea leaves that are harvested from 1500 meters high mountains that are traditionally for making oolong teas and are processed in a similar manner to oolong but are fully oxidized just like red tea. It is a mixture of non-traditional red tea leaves, fully oxidized and rolled with oolong production methods, giving this tea the floral complexity of a traditional oolong together with the ripe fruit sweetness of a black tea.
The quite dark leaves are rolled into small regular balls. Delicately hand-rolled into small, dark-colored balls with dark edging and oily brilliance. The oxidization is between 70% and 80%.
This is a style of oolong that has a rich, hearty amber-colored liquor due to significant oxidation and roasting. Higher level of oxidation and following baking results are deep and fragrant with flavors of grilled peaches, honeycomb and figs. It has a full-bodied, deep, rich and fruity flavor with hints of blackcurrant and juniper berries and the complex sweetness of raw chocolate and molasses. It makes a pleasant sweetness and well-balanced combination of dried fruit tones (apricot, dates, plums) and a hint of caramel roasted. Very long sweet nutty aftertaste.
Brewing Guide: Brew tea at 95ºC - steep for 3-5 minutes. Try multiple infusions (let the tea steep for approximately 15 seconds longer on each subsequent infusion).