Oolong Tea

Oolong tea occupies the middle ground between green tea and black tea, produced through partial oxidation (15–85%) that determines whether a given oolong sits closer to the floral-green or toasty-dark end of the flavour spectrum. Major Chinese oolongs include Tieguanyin from Anxi, Fujian — a tightly rolled, jade-green tea with a floral orchid character; Da Hong Pao from the Wuyi Mountains, a heavily roasted rock oolong with a mineral, charcoal-inflected taste; and Dancong oolongs from Chaozhou in Guangdong, which carry distinctive single-cultivar aromas resembling orchid, magnolia or almond. These are brewed gongfu style — in small unglazed clay pots (yixing ware) or gaiwans, with a high leaf-to-water ratio and short, repeated infusions. The same leaves can yield six to fifteen infusions, each slightly different. Gongfu tea preparation is considered an art form in Chaozhou and Fujian.