"Sweet Ginseng" Lan Guiren Oolong Tea (Taiwan)

A young monk came to the wise tea master Lao Cha and asked him: 

– Sifu, I get sick so often, and even when I'm not sick, I feel too weak to get up and go down the mountain. What should I do? How can I improve my health?

– You should drink ginseng, young man.

– But ginseng is so bitter, oh master!

– Then roast it together with Oolong, and you will get a wonderful, healthy, and sweet Oolong. Now go and try it.

Ginseng is a popular medicinal herb throughout Asia, known to improve blood circulation and immunity. It is a go-to remedy in Chinese medicine. However, ginseng is much more intense and slightly bitter when drunk on its own. The combination of tea and ginseng appeared in ancient Chinese medical texts as early as 741 BC. Albeit, the tea gained its well-deserved popularity about 500 years ago when it became a tribute tea for the emperor. Indeed, Lan Guiren refers to "Orchid Beauty" or "Lady Orchid", which many believe refers to one of the Tang Dynasty's emperor's concubines.

When producing Ginseng Oolong, farmers blend the ginseng roots with the oolong tea leaves during the roasting process. After roasting the tea for 6 hours, it starts to possess a strong oolong aroma in perfect balance with the sweet and mellow ginseng flavor. The beauty of this Lan Guiren Tea is that the tea producers don't flavor it artificially but rather use traditional processing methods to enrich it with the ginseng root's natural taste and health benefits. Lan Guiren adheres to the "five flavors" theory of traditional Chinese medicine. The five flavors refer to different tastes: spicy, sour, sweet, bitter, and salty, and Lan Guiren provides a combination of the healing effects each taste relates to.

This Ginseng Oolong gives you a memorable experience from the beginning up to the long-lingering finish. The tight green curls will slowly open into a clear, transparent green tea soup, exuding a rich and intense fragrance. A delightfully sweet taste will unfold with every infusion, bringing nuances of sweet-scented osmanthus, pandan, and rose. A fresh and mellow flavor going down your throat will subside into a long-lasting sweet aftertaste that will stay with you long after the tea tasting. Indeed, even if you drink some water right afterward, the unmistakably sweet ginseng taste will follow you. In perfect harmony with its health benefits, the tea's natural sweetness makes it an ideal choice for people of any age. Furthermore, this ginseng tea has vital energy – Qi. When drunk in the early afternoon, it may help you stay focused and clear-headed throughout the day.

To brew Ginseng Oolong make sure to use boiling water (212℉ / 100℃). Since the tea leaves form very tight knots, it takes quite a few steeps to fully extract this tea's exquisite flavors. We love this tea not only because it is gently energizing but also because we can easily keep brewing it throughout the day.

• Place of Origin: Dong Ding, Lugu Township, Nantou County, Taiwan
• Altitude: 1200m
  
• Harvest Date: October 2024
• Picking Standard: One bud with one or two leaves. Coated with American Ginseng powder
• Roast: Light
• Aroma: Fresh and floral fragrance, subtle ginseng aroma
• Taste: Fresh and sweet taste that is lingering for a very long time 
• Cultivar: Si Ji Chun