Calling Taiwan the land of oolong is no exaggeration. Taiwanese teas are drunk by virtually all Taiwanese, every day, all over the island and one could call oolong tea the national drink of Taiwan. About 90 % of Taiwanese tea production is made up of oolong teas and this represents about half of world production. This is a country of truly fine tea houses, as well as many skilled tea masters, many of whom brew the tea using the gong fu method and serve the brew in Taiwan's special cup kit with a special, narrow "scented cup". Oolong tea's refining process of rolling and oxidising is complex, so it takes a certain obsession to make really good oolong, and this obsession is plentiful in Taiwan. To satisfy the demanding population, many small tea makers can be found on the island. The skills and flair of these tea makers create unique tea characters and we thus find a great variety of nuanced oolong teas. Ranging from very elegant, light coloured high altitude oolongs like Hehuan Mountain oolong to darker, roasted varieties. Do not forget to try one of the world's most unique teas, Bai Hao, controlled infestation by the insect Jacobiasca formosana paoli triggers a cellular reaction in the leaves that creates a unique character, some compare it to nutmeg tones.
