Gǎngkǒu Oolong

This unique oolong comes from Gangkou Village, Pingtung County.  This makes it the southernmost tea growing area in Taiwan.  Further adding to its rarity, this oolong is produced using the seldom grown Xue Li（雪梨 / Snow Pear）cultivar.  According to the Tea Research & Extension Station (TRES) investigation, Gangkou oolong has five flavors: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy and salty.

Dry tea leaves are ocean green, with white downy trichomes.  The tea leaves are loosely rolled in the traditional manner. The dry leaf aroma is slightly salty and grassy, almost like seaweed.  The first round of brewing yields a tea with notes of mung bean cake, plum blossom, sucrose, and just a hint of salt.  The aroma is high, and somewhat like Baozhong  (包種茶). The second round is more floral than the first, but not overwhelming.  The huigan (回甘 / returning sweetness) on the aftertaste is rather unique; it’s sweet at first, but is quickly followed by a splash of sea salt. This further morphs into the unique snow pear flavor this cultivar is named for. A strong floral and fruity sweetness lingers on the palate for many minutes. In the third round, the florality has become even more dominant. The taste of longan and osmanthus flowers is obvious and strong.  Interestingly, this florality is remarkably similar to that of the No.22 Radiant Jade cultivar. Notes of honey, mung bean cake, snow pear, and seaweed are also present.