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Semi-Fermented
"Recently profiled by Mathew Evans in his Comings and Goings column in"
Vogue Entertaining and Travel, Winter 2002
Oolong or Semi-Fermented Tea is processed in a similar way to Black Tea. The freshly plucked leaves are spread out thinly and withered in the sun for about 30 to 60 minutes. This process is called Sai Qing, and the length of time is determined by the weather and available sunlight. After this stage the tea is transferred indoors and withered at room temperature. This process, Lang Qing, continues for 6-8 hours, with the leaves being gently stirred by hand every hour or so. Some fermentation begins to take place during this process, and the unique and delightful flavour of Oolong begins here. The next step, Sha Qing, involves pan firing to kill the oxidase enzymes and stop any fermentation. After pan-firing, the leaves go through four more processes: Rolling, Second firing, cold rolling and the final firing.
In Taiwan (previously Formosa) the making of Oolong teas is regarded as a precious art, one that requires years of training. From the nursing of the seedling, to planting, to nourishing the bushes, to properly selecting the best time to pluck the leaves, the husbandry of the tea farmer is a legacy passed down many generations. Tea bushes were planted in Taiwan 300 years ago. The plantations are all below 1000 feet. The bushes flush 5 times a year from April to December. The best leaf is picked between end May and Mid August.
Ideally Oolong leaves should be large, lightly to well-rolled leaves, the presence of silver tips is considered a plus and the presence of a lot of stem a negative. Oolong teas are always whole leaf, never broken by rolling. The dry leaf should give a good indication of the degree of oxidation. The aroma of the dry leaf will give an indication of the tea flavour. More heavily fired types have a distinctive bakey note, and tend to produce heavy, less sweet cups. The more highly oxidized types have a distinctive light fruit aroma, and often produce fragrant sweet cups with nuances of peach and almond.
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