On this occasion we are going to talk a little about Ulong Teas, these Teas could be compared to rose wine, which is neither white nor red, in this case the Tea is neither green nor black.
Ulong tea is a “semi-oxidized” tea (that is, partially oxidized) that is mainly made in China and Taiwan. It is also called Wu Long tea, blue tea or grey tea and its name means “black dragon”, perhaps because of the appearance of the leaves when rolled up. This type of tea is one of the most popular in China, as it is very tasty when prepared in the Chinese way (Gong fu cha).
In this case, the first leaves and buds are not collected (as is done for white and green tea) but the most mature leaves are needed. Once collected, they are withered in the sun, then shaken or beaten in bamboo baskets to break the edges of the leaves and start to oxidize. This oxidation process lasts from 1 1/2 to 2 hours. They are then rolled and dried in ovens, obtaining a partial oxidation of the leaf (from 12 to 20%). In Taiwan, the most oxidized Ulongs are more appreciated, from 60 to 70%. This is why a Ulong from China will have a lighter color and a flavor similar to a green tea, while one from Taiwan will be more similar to a black tea.
Due to its high quality, the leaves of this type of tea should be used for several infusions, since normally the aroma is very noticeable in the first and second infusion but the flavour improves in the third or fourth; the infusion time increases as the infusions increase. The Chinese always prepare it with boiling water, in small teapots (ishing) and with only a few seconds of infusion (maximum 1 minute).
The best tea from Taiwan is a Ulong called Tung Ting, which produces a green-orange infusion with a light and pleasant taste. Another very famous tea from this country is the “Milky Ulong” which has a characteristic sweet and milky taste, obtained from the bite of an insect (Jacobiasca formosana) that causes the leaf to oxidize even before it is harvested.
In China they are produced mainly in the province of Fujian, in the north we find highly oxidized Ulongs such as Da Hong Pao (also called Wu Yi yang Cha or “rock tea”), its name means “red cloak” because the leaves of this variety of Camellia sinensis have a reddish edge and when they are in the plantations it seems that they are covered by a red cloak or layer. With a strong mineral character, this tea is ideal to accompany salty or nutty dishes.
In the south, however, teas with lower oxidation and very aromatic qualities are produced, such as Tie Kwan Yin (Tieguanyin). Its name was given to it by Emperor Qian Long, to whom this tea was paid as a tribute in 1741. He gave it its name when he commented that the tea was “heavy as steel” but at the same time “light, ethereal and persistent” like the goddess of Compassion (Kwan Yin). Originally this tea was reserved for the nobility, but little by little it became more accessible to connoisseurs, poets and philosophers, who have always paid very high prices, as demonstrated by the top price reached in 1996 at the National Tea Competition of China, where 20,000 USD was paid for 500 grams of tea (400,000 pesos for a kilogram of tea!). Although it is difficult for a Westerner to understand how they pay such prices for tea, only when you know the entire production process and the incomparable flavor of these magnificent teas, you understand why they are so expensive: they require very special conditions of soil, rain, temperature and orientation to grow, and then the production process is very precise and requires great skill.
Although it is not unusual for us to pay very high amounts for a bottle of wine, perhaps one day we will see it as normal to pay these amounts for a kilogram of tea!
Olivia Medina
Tea Master, EURO TEA
