✦ Studio Journal 006 ✦
The beauty of single-origin tea
In Taiwan, every tea-growing region has its own specialties, shaped by its landscape and the tea maker’s craft.
From Nantou’s roasted Dong Ding Oolong to the floral high-mountain teas of Alishan and Lishan, fruity Red Oolong from Taitung and honey-scented Oriental Beauty from Emei, Hsinchu, each has a character of its own.
Altitude, climate, soil, cultivar and processing all influence how a tea tastes. That’s the beauty of single-origin tea: every tea tells a story of where it comes from and how it’s made.
We’ve selected six single-origin Taiwanese oolongs, each with its own character, from floral and delicate to rich and roasted.
01 Jin Xuan | Also known as Milky Oolong or TTES #12, this tea is known for its buttery aroma and smooth, milky body. It’s comforting, approachable, and easy to enjoy.
02 Alishan | Bright and floral, with a lingering aroma. One of Taiwan’s most celebrated high-mountain oolongs.
03 Lishan | Grown in one of Taiwan’s highest tea gardens, this tea is lightly roasted with a subtle ripe-fruit aroma and a golden liquor that’s clean and sweet. A balanced cup that never disappoints.
04 Dong Ding | Taiwan’s quintessential heritage oolong. A gentle roast brings out Dong Ding’s signature toasty aroma, balanced by a rich sweetness and a smooth, warm finish.
05 Red Oolong | Crafted using both oolong and black-tea techniques, this tea brews a deep amber liquor with honeyed aroma and velvety smoothness — naturally sweet and perfect for a summer cold brew.
06 Oriental Beauty | Also known as Bai Hao Oolong, this rare Taiwanese tea brews a luminous amber-red cup with notes of honey, ripe fruit, and a lingering natural sweetness. Aromatic and expressive, it’s smooth on the palate and memorable long after the last sip.
Grown at 700–800 m in Nantou, Dong Ding Oolong is known for its rich, roasted flavour and warm, toasty aroma.
Grown at 1,500–2,400 m, Alishan and Lishan are renowned for their high-mountain oolongs, loved for their fresh, floral aromas and smooth finish.
With so much tea to choose from, why buy from us?
Taiwan harvested around 13,553 tonnes of tea in 2024, with generations of growers and makers each bringing their own expertise.
Since we began learning about tea in 2021, we've visited tea-growing regions, spoken with farmers and explored tea science, history and regulations. We soon realised how confusing it can be to navigate conflicting information with no clear place to start.
It took us years to find the right tea partner. We wanted more than great flavour: we wanted deep tea-making knowledge and a scientific understanding of how processing shapes each tea.
We're proud to work with a Taiwanese family-run tea business with five generations of tea-making experience. The sixth-generation owner studied biology, bringing scientific insight to generations of hands-on expertise. Together, this helps us understand not just how a tea tastes, but why.
Tea Processing: Withering
Freshly picked tea leaves are spread out to lose moisture and soften.
Our tea is processed in a facility certified to FSSC 22000 and ISO 22000 food safety management standards, with HACCP-based food safety controls. The facility is also Halal-certified in Taiwan.
Quality and safety are just as important. Every batch is tested, and the team goes beyond the basics, using food-safe, laboratory-grade materials for equipment that comes into contact with the tea. Their commitment to careful processing and quality control gives us confidence in what we share with you.
Our tea partner’s office, lined with books on tea. We spent the whole night geeking out about tea together.
They designed this north-facing tea inspection room for consistent natural light, and even brought the spiral light tubes back from Japan to keep the lighting consistent on rainy days. All to make each tea assessment as precise as possible.
For processes that require working in warm conditions, they custom-made cooling vests with built-in fans to keep their staff comfortable.
We started Toolong Studio to share the Taiwanese oolongs we love. Every tea we choose reflects our curiosity about where it comes from, how it’s made, and what makes it special. We hope you’ll discover a few favourites of your own along the way.
We’ll continue sharing what we learn about tea, from its origins and processing to a little tea science and the art of tea. Follow along if you’re curious to learn more about tea.
