What does the red water from high mountains taste like? High Mountain Hong Shui oolong tea is a remarkable gaoshan oolong from Taiwan with a lot of personality and soul.

As I am a huge fan of gao shan teas, but not really a fan of dong ding oolongs. Maybe I’m still to find the one that will knock me off my feet (I know I will). I’ve tried quite a lot, and not even single one of them had such a remarkable flavor and scent. This was the first hong shui I have ever tried and before doing so, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. How pleasantly surprised I was! Comparing it to dong ding would be completely unfair, traditional or nontraditional.

High Mountain Hong Shui Oolong Tea

I would rather compare it to gui fei, because of the more similar flavor personality and scent. However, I still need to try high mountain gui fei to see the difference/similarity, and I hope to do that soon. I believe it would have more similarity as they are both made of the same cultivar, the previous one was jin xuan.

Name: High Mountain Hong Shui Oolong Tea lot.588
Vendor: Taiwan Tea Crafts (Taiwan)
Tea Type: Taiwanese oolong tea

High Mountain Hong Shui Oolong Tea at Its Best

This qing xin oolong comes from Meishan, Lugu village, and it was grown right on the border height to deserve the name gao shan. This hand-picked tea is medium oxidized and a true delight among Taiwanese teas I have tried in the last ten years. Leaves are medium sized, dark and shiny, brown to dark military green color with brownish shine. They have a very intense scent, very similar to gui fei tea, but more complex, mature, even musky, roasted with spicy background. A bit like those good dark beers. 25 grams costs 6 USD.

High Mountain Hong Shui Oolong Tea

Tasting the Red Water of Taiwan

Brewing: 6 grams, 150ml, around 90 degrees, starting from 30 seconds

Wash the leaves and get knocked down with the most amazing flowery honey spicy mix of scents in the world! I love this tea. It has maturity, sophistication and soul. The flavor, on the other hand, is extremely light, airy, but very determined and full. Color is light brown to ocker.

After the first steeping, scent of the wet leaves get so remarkably beautiful I wish to keep my nose inside the gaiwan forever. Flowery depth mixed with mountain freshness and amazing base made of honey, spices, musk and peach. It leaves a nice aftertaste, you can feel it quite a long time after drinking, not sweet, just very consistent, spicy-musky-caramel taste.

High Mountain Hong Shui Oolong Tea

It offers a lot, at least 6 very good infusions that are all very nice. I wouldn’t say it changes dramatically, it’s very consistent with a bit of tiny extra touch in every steeping. Opulent, decadent, sophisticated, determined, and yet very light and smooth.

You have to be careful with this one though. It can get bitter and it is best to brewed it carefully and when you have time. This tea deserves your time, attention and care. I promise, you will be rewarded.

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