It's All About Tea — yancha

In the previous article, we talked about what defines Oolong tea, as well as Oolong tea's main varieties split by growing region.

Today, we'll focus on brewing requirements and how they impact Oolong tea taste. We'll also highlight signature Oolong teas - like Dan Cong Oolong and Yancha - and see what makes them unique and sought after. Let's dive in! (Read more)

Today we'll talk about a firm favorite among China's 6 tea types - Oolong tea. This remarkable tea is also known under a couple of other nicknames. Some of them include "the perfume of teas" and "the champagne of teas" - all for a good reason! Indeed, Oolong - or Wu Long - is among the most aromatic teas out there. Let's discover the secret behind its charming aroma!

Oolong is a semi-oxidized tea. It stands between non-oxidized green tea and fully oxidized red tea (Hong Cha). It is the last among China's six tea types, created as late as the Qing dynasty. Its name translates as "black dragon" (Wu Long, 乌龙) and is tied to a number of legends on its origins. Oolong originates in China's Fujian province. From there, it quickly spread out to the neighborhoods of Guangdong and Taiwan, shaping the unique Gong Fu Cha tea culture. (Read more)

Tea drinkers worldwide have a special spot in their hearts for the warm, roasted notes of Wuyi Mountain tea (yancha) with its unforgettable Yan Yun. Within the vast history of tea, the Wuyi Mountains are a relatively new growing region. Nonetheless, they continue to produce mesmerizing tea, which we cannot stop talking about. This time, we will go a little more into detail about the different growing regions within Wuyi Shan (Wuyi Mountain) itself.  (Read more)

Both Da Hong Pao and Shui Xian are highly revered Wuyi Oolong teas. They share similar qualities of yan yun, a robust mineral taste, and pleasantly lingering sweetness. Perhaps in the modern tea world, Da Hong Pao rings more bells than its cousin, Shui Xian. Nevertheless, they are both teas worth trying. So what exactly makes them different? (Read more)

One of the things that makes Wuyi Rock Tea different from all other oolongs is the roasting process that it goes through. This process is not only one step, but a few distinguished steps.

When yancha is only in the first stages of processing it's still quite vegetal and floral, much like a green tea. Only at the end of the processing will it gain its characteristic taste that we all love. (Read more)