How to Brew Taiwanese Oolong Tea: A Simple Ritual
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Great tea doesn't need to be complicated. With good water, the right temperature and a little time, Taiwanese oolong reveals a remarkable range of flavour — often across several infusions.
There is something quietly rewarding about brewing loose-leaf tea.
The leaves begin tightly rolled or gently twisted. Hot water is added. Slowly, they unfold, releasing layers of aroma and flavour that change with every infusion.
Taiwanese oolong is particularly suited to this way of drinking tea. Rather than treating brewing as a precise science, think of it as a simple ritual — one that becomes more intuitive each time you make a cup.
Start with good water
Tea is mostly water, so water quality matters.
Fresh, filtered water is ideal. Very hard or heavily chlorinated water can mask the delicate floral, creamy and mineral notes found in high-quality Taiwanese oolong.
Avoid repeatedly boiling the same water. Start fresh and heat only what you need.
Find the right temperature
Different oolongs respond slightly differently to heat, but you don't need laboratory precision.
For lighter, more floral high-mountain oolongs such as Alishan or Lishan, start around 85–90°C.
For fuller or more traditionally roasted teas such as Dong Ding, you can go slightly hotter, around 90–95°C.
If you don't have a temperature-controlled kettle, simply allow freshly boiled water to rest briefly before pouring.
The important thing is to taste. If the tea feels too intense or astringent, try slightly cooler water or a shorter infusion next time.
Give the leaves room to open
One of the pleasures of Taiwanese oolong is watching the leaves transform.
Rolled oolong leaves can expand considerably once they absorb water, so give them space. A teapot, gaiwan or roomy tea infuser works particularly well.
As a simple starting point, use approximately 3–5 grams of tea per 250 ml of water.
From there, adjust according to your preference. More leaves will generally produce a fuller, more aromatic cup; fewer leaves create something lighter and more delicate.
There is no single perfect ratio.
Steep, taste, repeat
For a simple Western-style brew, begin with an infusion of around 2–3 minutes.
But don't throw the leaves away afterwards.
High-quality oolong can be infused several times, and this is where the tea becomes especially interesting. With each infusion, the character evolves.
The first may be fresh and aromatic.
The next might reveal greater sweetness or body.
Later infusions can become softer, more mineral and remarkably delicate.
For subsequent brews, simply increase the steeping time gradually and allow the leaves to tell you when they are finished.
Or slow things down
If you want to explore your tea more deeply, use a smaller teapot or gaiwan with more leaves and much shorter infusions.
This approach is closely associated with traditional Chinese and Taiwanese tea preparation and allows you to experience how the tea develops over many successive brews.
But don't let equipment become a barrier.
You don't need an elaborate tea ceremony to appreciate exceptional tea.
A cup, an infuser and a kettle are enough.
Notice what changes
Try not to judge an oolong only by its first sip.
Notice the aroma before drinking. Notice how the flavour changes as the tea cools. Notice the texture and the taste that remains afterwards.
Taiwanese oolongs can move between floral, creamy, vegetal, fruity, roasted, honeyed and mineral characteristics depending on cultivar, elevation, season and processing.
Part of the pleasure is discovering those differences for yourself.
Make it a ritual
Perhaps the most important ingredient is time.
Not a lot of it — just enough to stop doing something else for a moment.
Heat the water. Measure the leaves. Wait for them to unfold. Pour. Taste.
Then brew them again.
In a fast-moving day, making tea can become a small point of stillness: a few intentional minutes between one thing and the next.
There is no need to perform the ritual perfectly.
The ritual is simply making the time for it.
Discover the First Collection
Our first collection brings together four Taiwanese oolong teas, each selected for its distinctive character, origin and expression.
From the approachable floral character of Four Seasons to the refined high-mountain profiles of Alishan and Lishan and the deeper character of Dong Ding, the collection offers four different ways to begin exploring Taiwanese oolong.