Diva High Mountain Oolong 2026 Spring
This tea is from a garden near the indigenous Atayal people's village Smangus, a remote village in Northern Taiwan known for virgin old growth forests and ancient cypress trees.
The tea broth brews up a delicate golden-jade that is clear and brilliant. I see this tea as a Diva because it reminds me of the great jazz singers of the 20th century. The aroma is harmonically rich and dense with big sweet tones - this year it has intense notes of stone fruit and mango with sweet tones of orchid dancing on top - plus it pulls off a sultry, buttery mouthfeel with refinement and taste.
Initial taste is sweet like sugarcane and is followed by an aromatic aftertaste that blooms in the mouth and into the sinuses with the fruity-florality of honey, then trails off with a honeysuckle refrain. The tail end has this wonderful feeling of pulsating, like the aftertaste comes in waves. Incredible tea making this year.
There's a romance to it; the tones are more saturated than our other light-footed and airy high mountain teas. In that sense it's probably the most flavorful of our lineup this year. If you're looking for a tea that can really belt it out, this is a good choice.
Facts
- Harvest Location : Smangus, Jianshi Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan
- Harvest Date : May 2026
- Cultivar : Qing Xin Oolong
- Farming Method : Sustainable, From a garden regularly tested by SGS as having 0% pesticide residues
- Altitude : 1600 meters