Oolong Tea ~ The Black DragonThe word oolong translates to “black dragon”. There are differing versions of how this tea came to be named. One theory is that oolong tea was a descendant of the Dragon-Phoenix Tea Cake, a tea used to pay tribute to the Emperor’s court. The loose leaf oolong replaced the tea cake. Since it was dark, long and curly, it was therefore called black dragon.
The Wuyi theory claims oolong first existed in the Wuyi Mountains and named after the part of the mountains where it was originally produced. Today some of the finest oolongs still come from these mountains in the northern Fujian province.
The Anxi (south Fujian) theory claims oolong tea was named after a man known as Wulong, who discovered the it by accident when he was distracted by a deer after a day of tea-picking. He forgot about the oolong, and by the time he remembered, the tea had already begun oxidation.
Processing is the art of tea, and oolong is the most difficult to process of all the types of tea. It is between green and black tea when it comes to the oxidation process. Oolongs are only partially oxidized. After the leaves are plucked, they are laid out to wither for up to 24 hours, at which time most of the water in the leaf evaporates. The leaves are then tossed in baskets to slightly bruise the edges. This allows only partial oxidation as only a portion of the leaf enzymes are exposed. To stop the oxidation, the leaves are steamed. Depending on the length of the oxidation process, the oolong can be amber in color and more like a black tea or a jade oolong, which is more like green tea, both with varying nuances.
After steaming, the leaves go through a final drying process. Some oolongs are rolled into long curly leaves; others are rolled and pressed into a ball. The oolong is then sorted, graded and packaged. Most oolongs can be consumed as soon as they are produced; however, like pu-erh tea, some oolongs benefit from long aging and light roasting. Roasting removes sour or astringent tastes and makes the oolong more gentle on the stomach.
Wuyi produces some of the most famous and expensive oolong teas. Ti Kuan Yin (Iron Goddess) is one of the most famous.
Dancong oolongs from the Guangdong province are noted for imitating the flavors and frangrances of flowers, like orange blossoms, orchids and ginger flowers.
Tea production began in Taiwan in the mid nineteenth century and has grown at a very rapid rate since around 1970. The varied appearance, flavor and aroma of the oolongs produced on this geographical varied island differ according to weather, altitudes and soil content. The tea produced in the high mountain ranges bring premium prices due to their unique sweetness. Most of the oolong produced in Taiwan is bought and consumed by the Taiwanese. The best brew for oolong tea requires about 2 teaspoons of tea per cup. Water that is 180 to 190 degrees should be used, and the tea should be steeped for 3 to 4 minutes. Oolongs are my personal favorite. This wonderful beverage fills the senses with fragrant floral undertones and buttery sweet smoothness on the tongue.
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