Special features in location, cultivation & processing
Thailand has earned a strong reputation for cultivating high-quality tea varieties originally from other countries, with a remarkable focus on pesticide-free cultivation. The country has clearly found a unique niche in this field. To achieve high quality levels, Taiwanese and Chinese tea experts were invited to Thailand some time ago to share their expertise with local tea farmers. Today, the quality of Thai teas is impressively high and often exceeds the general market average in both China and Taiwan. Although they may not always match the absolute top-tier teas from these countries, they offer outstanding value for money.
Oriental Beauty (also known as White Tip Oolong) is one of the rarest and most precious Oolongs in the world. Its unmistakable hallmark is its exceptionally fruity, honey-sweet flavour combined with a relatively high level of oxidation. Both qualities arise from a natural symbiosis with a specific leafhopper species (Jacobiasca formosana) native to Taiwan. Every summer, these insects feed on the leaves and buds of the tea plant, triggering a natural defence reaction in the plant. This reaction produces aromatic compounds that attract a native spider species – the natural enemy of the leafhopper. These protective compounds are also responsible for the tea’s distinctive aroma and wonderfully sweet taste.
The harvest typically begins between mid- and late May. It requires the utmost precision from the pickers, who must select only the bitten buds and leaf pairs – particularly challenging with the Qing Xin cultivar, as its leaves are quite small. Time pressure is also significant, as the bitten leaves must be picked within seven days of the insect bite; otherwise, they lose much of their aroma and flavour. Affected leaves can be recognised by their pale yellow colour, slightly curled shape, and intensely sweet, aromatic fragrance. After harvesting, the leaves are withered – unlike other Oolongs, Oriental Beauty leaves are never exposed to direct sunlight, as this would diminish their natural sweetness. Instead, they are laid out on bamboo mats in the shade and gently dried.
Once the leaves have lost enough moisture and firmness, oxidation begins. During this stage, the leaves are vigorously shaken to rupture their cell walls, allowing natural plant enzymes to interact with oxygen. This causes a light reddish tint to appear on the leaves and enhances their sweetness. Following traditional Taiwanese Oolong methods, the leaves are then wrapped tightly in cloth and pressed together. The cell sap seeps out, coating the surrounding leaves and enriching their flavour. The leaves remain wrapped for up to an hour before being gently dried in an oven at 80°C for three hours. At this stage, the white tips become visible among the brown, leaf-coloured tea. These white tips are the aromatic leaf buds of the tea plant, and their abundance in the finished tea is another key indicator of quality.
