Have you ever thought that you would be able to experience the true beauty of Taiwan through your taste buds while oolong tea surprises you with a full-bodied taste intermixed with scents of honey and flowers? We walk along the shore of Sun Moon Lake in an attempt to break free from the B&Bs and torrents of tourists, we walk deep into black tea plantations in the mountains which made Taiwan famous in the past, in the area that was known as Soalian by the aborigines hundreds of years ago. Have you considered that Assam tea from India can be cultivated into top grade black tea on the beautiful, fertile soil of Shui Soalian, ridding itself of the strong bitterness yet retaining a smooth, strong taste? Follow the Central Cross Island Highway all the way upwards. When the increase in altitude makes it harder to breathe, have you thought about how the world’s highest altitude oolong tea plantations are actually located in Taiwan, producing richly flavored tea whose leaves are often covered in snow at these heights?

This is why Taiwanese tea astounds the world.

Having afternoon tea has always been my favorite pastime. In the past, I would often be elated for an entire day after visiting well decorated cafes or teahouses for gatherings with my friends or business meetings. However, that sort of enjoyment mainly stems from the visual atmosphere which the store creates, while the taste of tea brewed is often overlooked because of lack of knowledge about tea. One of my friends brewed me a cup of authentic Taiwanese tea at a gathering once. He had been a tea connoisseur for many years. I did not pay much attention at first, since I had experienced little difference in the taste of Taiwanese tea prior to this. In addition, I always felt like the complicated brewing methods and overly elaborate tools used to brew Taiwanese tea kept it at a distance from me.

However, this was an entirely different experience. I saw him fish out a small pinch of tea leaves from a plain plastic bag, place it in a simple bowl and add hot water. He then used an ordinary spoon to stroke the tea leaves gently within the liquor. First, he asked that I smell the fragrance of the tea on the spoon. I never would have thought that such an average looking spoon would carry on it an indescribable scent of sweet flowers and honey. He poured me a small cup and my mount was filled with a solid, sweet taste as soon as I took a sip. There was no bitterness usually associated with excessive catechin. This sip of tea was like enjoying the sweetest fruit in midsummer, with traces of honey. I was familiar with the type of tea my friend brewed, Oriental Beauty, but this cup of Oriental Beauty was something I had never experienced before. This one cup of tea sparked my intense interest in Taiwanese tea. While searching for the tracks of Taiwanese tea, I also came to cherish the land I grew up in, the precious island of Taiwan, even more.

During the initial period of forming this brand, while visiting various tea shops we discovered that the Taiwanese tea sold by various companies mainly uses branding, packaging and delicate designs to combat shrinking market prices. However, when we actually opened up these packages and tasted the tea, few conveyed the taste and appearance of true Taiwanese tea. This has been worsened by companies using inferior foreign strains of tea and passing them off as Taiwanese tea. We were unable to enjoy truly excellent Taiwanese tea even in Taiwan.

We love Taiwan and value the land’s future. This is why all teas in Le Vert thé’s collections meet SGS pesticide inspection standards. Over-elaborate packaging is not necessary to emphasize the quality of our tea leaves. We use vacuum foil packaging to ensure the quality of tea leaves. Packaged in small sizes, you will be able to finish tea leaves soon after opening up the package and always enjoy the freshest tea.

 

This is the reason why Le Vert thé’s (Come Buy Tea) original and strongest conviction is to sell premium Taiwanese teas while also introducing others to the true beauty of Taiwan.