Wen Shan Competition Bao Zhong Oolong (Fine Grade 2023)

Wen Shan Competition Bao Zhong Oolong is a floral and highly evocative ‘Fine Grade’ oolong from the 2023 Wen Shan Bao Zhong Tea Competition. Lightly oxidised leaves of the Qing Xin cultivar produce a complex liquor with floral and savoury notes and a lasting satisfying aftertaste.

We supply this tea decanted in our usual 10g and 50g kraft zip seal pouches for convenience and sampling.

You can also purchase this tea in original packaging with competition seals:
– 150g sealed containers (cardboard containing a 150g vacuum sealed pack);
– 300g sealed boxes (containing 2 x 150g cardboard containers).

The containers and boxes come with original seals from the competition that authenticate this product. These represent overall better value but also make for outstanding and very exclusive gifts.

The photos represent the batch from spring 2022. The current batch is an April 2023 harvest, batch no. 1317 with best before date of 31 May 2025.

Brewing guide: 2.5g in 250ml water at 90°C for 3-4 mins

£5.00£90.00

(10-50-150-300g)

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Origin:Wen Shan District, New Taipei City, Taiwan
Elevation:Wen Shan, 300-400m
Cultivar:Qing Xin 'Green Heart' (青心)
Harvest time:April 2023
Sourcing:From the farmer via Taiwanese Tea Master

Description

Wen Shan Competition Bao Zhong Oolong (文山包種茶) is a fantastic Competition Grade tea from Wen Shan District, New Taipei City in Taiwan. This batch achieved a ‘Fine Grade’ at the Autumn 2022 Wen Shan Bao Zhong Tea Competition. Made from carefully processed leaves of the Qing Xin (青心) cultivar, it is crafted to be an exemplar representation of this famous tea. The lightly oxidised leaves produce a characteristic floral liquor that has complex and deep savoury flavours. This tea is from the April 2023 harvest.

This is just one of the Taiwanese Competition Grade Oolong teas that we currently have available in our shop.

Every year in Taiwan, local competitions are held to determine the best teas of that season. This particular tea was entered in the Wen Shan Bao Zhong Tea Competition competition in 2023 and achieved a ‘Fine Grade’. This means that while by no means being a top prize-winning tea, it was judged to be an excellent representation of a classic Wen Shan Bao Zhong, worthy of taking a place in the competition.

This oolong has a dark green twisted strip leaf with a characteristic blue tinge. The leaves have a lovely floral aroma and produce a light green-yellow liquor. The flavours are dominated by floral flavours that are reminiscent of orchids and alpine meadow flowers. The aromas are quite heady yet delicate. This gives way to more savoury and umami flavours that are much greener and herbaceous in nature. Some sweetness also comes through on the aftertaste, leaving a comforting lasting impression. This is a really classic representation of the kind of flavours a good and complex Wen Shan Bao Zhong should have.

It is best brewed at 90°C for 3-4 minutes according to your taste and should be brewed multiple times, increasing steeping time with each brew if desired. Traditional gong fu brewing would allow to extract more authentic flavours as well as much more complexity from this tea.