### Oolong Tea – Description
Oolong tea (also spelled wu-long or wūlóng, Chinese: 烏龍茶, “black dragon tea”) is a traditional Chinese semi-oxidized tea that sits between green tea (unoxidized) and black tea (fully oxidized) in terms of oxidation level and flavor profile.
#### Key Characteristics
- **Oxidation level**: 8–85% (varies widely by style)
→ This huge range is what makes oolong the most diverse tea category.
- **Color of brewed tea**: From pale green-yellow (lightly oxidized) to rich amber or reddish-brown (heavily oxidized).
- **Flavor profile**: Extremely varied – can be fresh, floral, grassy, fruity (peach, orchid, osmanthus), creamy, roasted, nutty, woody, honey-sweet, or even toasty like dark roast coffee.
- **Aroma**: Often very fragrant; high-end oolongs are famous for complex, lingering floral or fruity scents.
- **Caffeine**: Moderate (usually 30–50 mg per cup, between green and black tea).
#### Main Styles of Oolong
1. **Lightly oxidized (10–30%) – “Jade” oolongs**
- Mostly from Taiwan
- Examples: Tie Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy), Baozhong, High-mountain Taiwanese oolongs (Alishan, Li Shan, Da Yu Ling)
- Taste: Fresh, floral, buttery, creamy, green, orchid or lilac notes
2. **Medium oxidized (30–60%)**
- Classic Fujian or Guangdong styles
- Examples: Traditional Tie Guan Yin, Wuyi Rock teas (Da Hong Pao, Shui Xian, Rou Gui)
- Taste: Floral + roasted, mineral (“yán yùn” rock rhyme in Wuyi teas), fruity
3. **Heavily oxidized / roasted (60–85%)**
- Dark, baked oolongs
- Examples: Modern roasted Tie Guan Yin, aged Wuyi rock teas, Oriental Beauty (Bai Hao)
- Taste: Toasty, caramel, chocolate, ripe fruit, woody
4. **Oriental Beauty (東方美人)** – Unique heavily oxidized (60–80%) and bug-bitten Taiwanese oolong
- Honey-sweet, ripe peach, muscatel notes
#### How It’s Made (Simplified)
1. Plucking → Wilting (sun or indoor)
2. Bruising/shaking the leaves in bamboo baskets (oxidizes edges, develops fragrance)
3. Partial oxidation (stopped by “kill-green” heating)
4. Rolling/shaping (balls or twisted strips)
5. Drying & repeated roasting (especially for Wuyi and dark oolongs)
6. Sometimes aging (rare, expensive aged oolongs can be 20–50+ years old)
#### Popular Regions
- Fujian province, China (Wuyi Mountains – rock oolongs; Anxi – Tie Guan Yin)
- Guangdong, China (Phoenix Mountain – Dan Cong)
- Taiwan (world-famous for lightly oxidized high-mountain and rolled oolongs)
#### Brewing Tips
- Water: 85–95 °C (185–205 °F) – not full boiling for greener oolongs
- Gongfu style (small pot, many short steeps) is ideal to experience changing flavors
- Lightly oxidized: 5–7 g per 100 ml, 20–40 sec first steeps
- Dark/roasted: can handle boiling water and longer steeps
In short: Oolong is the most complex and varied tea category in the world – one leaf can produce everything from bright floral green-tea-like brews to deep, roasty black-tea-like cups.
-10%
