In many parts of the world, tea lovers believe that until you’ve tried Oriental Beauty, also known as Bai Hao Oolong, you’ve never truly had oolong tea.
How loyal are proponents of this stunning oolong variety? The following translation of a Chinese poem should help illustrate: A cup of Oriental Beauty at the crack of dawn Uplifts the spirit and inspires the heart. A cup of Oriental Beauty after a meal Clears the mouth and helps the stomach. A cup of Oriental Beauty amid the bustle of life Relieves parched throat and dispels vexation. A cup of Oriental Beauty when you're overworked Soothes muscle and bone and dissolves fatigue. While the author of the poem has been lost to time, the tea about which it was written lives on.
Like all oolongs, Oriental Beauty, grown high up in the mountainous tea fields of Fujian Province, is a semi-fermented tea, meaning it falls somewhere in the spectrum between green and black teas. To create the tea, only the fine white tips of freshly sprouted tea are plucked along with the small tender white buds that appear with new growth. The leaves and buds are gently rolled and left to oxidize briefly in the sun, gently darkening them and helping develop their delicate floral character. Next, the leaves are moved to the dryer where they are fired at high heat to lock in their exceptional flavor.
As the poem would suggest, this tea is one that can be served anywhere, for any reason, at any time of day – enjoy the beauty.
This tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times.