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Size: 16 oz. bulk loose tea
Native Name: Gui Hua Oolong
Origin: Guangdong, China Flavor Profile: A light, bright, sweet flavor and a fruity, floral aroma with hints of apple and apricot.
Ingredients: Oolong Tea Leaves. Introduction: Located in the northern part of Chaozhou, close to Guangdong’s border with Fujian Province, Phoenix Mountain is famous for its large, old growth tea trees and distinctive Fenghuang Dancong (Phoenix Select) Oolong tea. It is the highest peak in eastern Guangdong and the indigenous home of the She Ethnic Minority. Gui Hua: Gui Hua (“gway hwah”) is the Chinese name for the fragrant osmanthus flower, which blossoms in the Phoenix Mountain area during tea season and is used in scenting this oolong. Chaozhou Tea Culture: Chaozhou is the birthplace for the art of “Gongfu Cha”, the method used for brewing oolong tea throughout southeast China and Taiwan. Large amounts of leaf are skillfully brewed in a small teapot and the fragrant liquor sipped from tiny, thimble-sized cups. Osmanthus Scenting: After plucking and withering, the tea is rolled sideways and pan-fired creating long, gently twisted, Fenghuang Dancong style leaf. In the final stages of processing, the leaves are baked with fresh osmanthus blossoms “heat-infusing” the tea with the flower’s fragrant essential oils. Oolong teas can be brewed in a variety of styles. For daily drinking, a smaller amount of leaf with a longer steeping time gives a rewarding cup with little effort. This tea's tightly rolled leaf requires fairly hot water (180 to 200 F) to bring out its full taste and unique aroma. Steeping 1 teaspoon of leaf per 8 ounces of water for 3 to 4 minutes will typically yield 2 to 3 satisfying infusions, although some oolongs will provide more. Another common method would be to enjoy the tea Chinese style. Merely place a few leaves at the bottom of a cup or glass, add hot water, and cover. After a couple minutes or so the leaf will unfurl and sink to the bottom of the vessel allowing you to drink from the top. When the water is down to just over the leaves, simply add more water. This style provides many infusions for a small amount of leaf. Of course, the most famous way to drink oolong tea is Gongfu style. (Gongfu is the Chinese term we derive Kung Fu from. It means to do something skillfully.) Though it takes many years to perfect the true Gongfu tea ceremony, a simplified version can be practiced at home.
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