GABA Oolong (Deep Baked)

Deep Baked GABA Oolong is an award winning tea grown and processed in Taiwan for high content of the GABA molecule. It has been heavily roasted, so it has a comforting toasty and nutty flavour with a tart fruity edge.

Brewing guide: 2.5g in 250ml water at 90°C for 3-5mins

£2.60£9.00

(10-50g)

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Origin:Mingjian Township, Nantou County, Taiwan
Elevation:350m
Cultivar:Si Ji Chun 'Four Seasons' (四季春)
Harvest time:November 2022
Sourcing:From the farmer via Taiwanese Tea Master

Description

Deep Baked GABA Oolong from Taiwan, winner of a 1-Star Great Taste Award in 2016.

What the Great Taste judges thought: “Nicely roasted with nuttiness and crisp, roasty notes. It’s rich yet clean and light with some sweetness behind the roasted character.”

Our Award Winning Deep Baked GABA Oolong (深焙佳葉龍烏龍茶) is grown in Nantou County of Taiwan and is fully organic GABA tea that has quite a unique flavour. After the initial processing, it undergoes extensive baking, which is described as ‘Deep Baking’ or ‘Deep Roasting’. This type of finishing is also sometimes referred to as ‘Charcoal Roasted’ because of the unique roasted charcoal flavour. The cultivar used to make this Deep Baked GABA Oolong is the Si Ji Chun ‘Four Seasons’ (四季春) cultivar that is used for our popular Four Seasons Oolong. The current batch is from November 2022 harvest.

We also offer a wide variety of GABA-rich teas, ranging from classic GABA Oolong to the more unique Red Jade GABA and GABA Oolong Cakes!

This Deep Naked Baked GABA Oolong follows typical GABA processing: after picking the leaves are placed into a special deoxidation vacuum machine. During this processing oxygen is removed from the machine by replacing it with nitrogen and the tea is left to slowly oxidise in this unusual environment. The oxidation process happens very slowly due to lack of oxygen in the machine, increasing the GABA content and developing the characteristic GABA flavours. This also positively affects the tannins, greatly reducing them to produce a smoother, less astringent taste. To demystify the acronym in the name, GABA stands for Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid. This molecule, which is mostly found in the human brain, purportedly can reduce stress and anxiety. GABA Oolong tea is also known as Gabaron and Jia Ye Long (佳葉龍).

There are differing opinions on how well our bodies can actually absorb GABA from our food and drink and while some people report feeling particularly relaxed and calm after drinking GABA tea, others do not see any significant difference. So while the effects of this tea are a very personal experience, most will appreciate this tea for the unusual and distinctive taste. While personal experiences vary, many tea drinkers experience a calming and relaxing effect on the body that is combined with clarity of mind from this type of tea. It’s a perfect choice when practicing meditation, yoga and Tai Chi.

Deep Baked GABA Oolong has very tightly rolled dark brown and black leaves that are typical of oolong teas. When brewed it produces a dark umber liquor with a complex smooth, sweet and tart taste and aromas of burning log fires. A very unique cup of tea with a toasty flavour full of notes of roasted nuts and dried fruits.

It is best brewed at 90°C for 3-5 minutes. Brew multiples times to enjoy the developing flavours from each brew of this unique tasting tea.

This Taiwanese Organic Deep Baked GABA Oolong tea was last featured in our November 2023 Curious Tea Subscription Boxes.

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