Oolong

Rolled Oolong tea leaves

Oolong (traditional Chinese: 烏龍; pinyin: wūlóng) is a traditional Chinese tea somewhere between green and black in oxidation. It ranges from 10% to 70% oxidation.

In Chinese tea culture, semi-oxidized oolong teas are collectively grouped as qīngchá (Chinese: 青茶; literally "blue-green tea"). Oolong has a taste more akin to green tea than to black tea: it lacks the rosy, sweet aroma of black tea but it likewise does not have the stridently grassy vegetal notes that typify green tea. The best Oolong has a nuanced flavor profile. It is commonly brewed to be strong, with the bitterness leaving a sweet and pleasant aftertaste. Oolongs produced in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian Province and in the Central Mountains of Taiwan are world famous.

Oolong tea leaves are often processed and rolled into long curly leaves or into ball-like form similar to gunpowder tea. It is commonly served in Chinese restaurants, to accompany dim sum and other Chinese food.

The word oolong means "black dragon" in Chinese. There are three widely accepted explanations on how this name came about.

According to the "tribute tea" theory, oolong tea was a direct descendant of Dragon-Phoenix Tea Cake tribute tea. Oolong tea replaced it when loose tea came into fashion. Since it was dark, long and curly, it was called the Black Dragon tea.

According to the "Wuyi" theory, oolong tea first existed in Wuyi Mountain. This is evidenced by Qing dynasty poems such as Wuyi Tea Song (Wuyi Chage) and Tea Tale (Chashuo). It was said that oolong tea was named after the part of Wuyi mountain it was originally produced.

According to the "Anxi" theory, oolong tea had its origin in the Anxi oolong tea plant. A man named Sulong, Wulong or Wuliang discovered it.

Another tale tells of a man named Wu Liang (later corrupted to Wu Long, or Oolong) who discovered oolong tea by accident when he was distracted by a deer after a hard day's tea-picking, and by the time he remembered about the tea it had already started to oxidize.

 Processing of Oolong

Oolong tea undergoes a few delicate processes in order to produce the unique aroma and taste. Typical Oolong tea is processed according to the following steps:

 Classification and grade

Tea connoisseurs classify the tea by its aroma (often fragrant or flowery), taste and aftertaste (often melony). Oolongs comes in either roasted (炭焙) or light (密香 or 清香).While most oolongs can be consumed immediately postproduction, like Pu-erh, many oolong can benefit from long aging with regular light roasting with a low charcoal fire (烘培, pinyin:hōngpeì, literally: bake cultivation or 焙火, pinyin:peìhǔo, dry roasting by fire).Before roasting, Oolong tea leaves are rolled and bruised to break open cell walls and stimulate enzymatic activity. The process of roasting removes unwanted odours from the tea and reduces any sour or astringent tastes; in addition, the process is believed to make the oolong tea more gentle on the stomach.

 Varieties of Oolong Tea

 Chinese Oolong teas

 Wǔ-Yí mountain (武夷山茶) Fújiàn province

Wuyi Huang Guan Yin tea leaves

The most famous and expensive Oolong teas are made here but the production is still usually accredited as organic. Shui Hsien is mostly grown elsewhere in Fujian.

Da Hong Pao

Big Red Robe in Chinese, a highly prized tea and a Si Da Ming Cong (四大名樅, literally: The Four Great Bushes). This tea is also one of the two Oolongs that make it to the list of Chinese famous teas.

Shui Jin Gui

Golden Turtle in Chinese, a Si Da Ming Cong.

Tieluohan

Iron [Arhat] in Chinese, a Si Da Ming Cong.

Bai Ji Guan

White Cockscomb in Chinese, a Si Da Ming Cong. A light tea with lightly colored leaves.

Rou Gui

Cinnamon in Chinese, a dark tea with a spicy aroma.

Shui Hsien

Water Sprite in Chinese, a very dark tea, often grown elsewhere.

 Fújiàn province

Tiě Guān Yīn

Tiě Guān Yīn or Ti Kuan Yin (鐵觀音)

Iron Guanyin in Chinese, this is a tea from Anxi in South Fujian. It is very famous, in fact a 'Chinese famous tea' and very popular.

 Guangdong province

Dān Cōng (单枞) 

A highly floral unrolled tea with large undamaged leaves that is often scented with various aromas.

 Taiwan

Tea cultivation only began in Taiwan in the mid 19th century and many teas that were produced in Fujian have been since also produced there. Since the 1970s, teas and the industry in Taiwan has developed swiftly and substantially, alongside with the emerging economy. Accordingly, the major buyers of Taiwan tea are usually in the domestic market, with very small quantity left for foreign market.

Qualities of the teas in Taiwan are usually affected by the year and season, growers and areas of production. Different areas have different weather patterns, temperatures, altitudes and soil that ultimately result in the differences of teas. In some mountain areas, teas have been cultivated at ever higher elevations to produce a unique sweet taste that fetches a price premium.

Dòng Dǐng (凍頂)

The name means Cold Summit. Dong Ding is a mountain in Nantou County, Central Taiwan. This is a tightly rolled tea with a light, distinctive fragrance.

Dong Fang Mei Ren (東方美人茶)

The name means Oriental (Eastern) Beauty. Also known as Bai Hao Oolong. This tea is tippy, with natural fruity aromas and a sweet tasting bright red tea liquor.

Alishan (阿里山茶)

This has large rolled leaves that have a purple-green appearance when dry. It is grown in Chiayi County, Taiwan at an elevation of from 3000 to 4500 feet. There is a short period of the day with full sun and this produces a sweeter and less astringent brew. It produces a golden yellow liquid which has a unique fruity aroma.

Pouchong (包種茶)

Also romanized as Baozhong, the lightest and most floral Oolong, with unrolled leaves of a light green to brown color. Originally grown in Fujian it is now widely cultivated and produced in Pinglin Township near Taipei, Taiwan.

 Other oolong teas

• Darjeeling Oolong: Darjeeling tea made according to Chinese methods.
• Vietnamese Oolong

 Brewing

Generally, 2.25 grams of tea per 6 ounces of water, or about two teaspoons of oolong tea per cup, should be used. Oolong teas should be prepared with 180°F to 190°F (82°C-87°C) water (not boiling) and steeped 3-4 minutes.

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