Oolong tea

Wulongcha, which means ‘black dragon tea’, is a large and very diverse category. In order to obtain the very large leaves, oolong teas are picked relatively late. Depending on the region, spring and autumn/winter harvests are made, whereby it is not two leaves and a bud that are picked, but a stem with three to five large leaves, some of which are then processed with the stem in the case of ball-leaf oolong. The fresh leaves are first laid out outside in the shade or in the sun to wither, and later cooled indoors. The biochemical processes during withering allow regular oxidation later on. They are then shaken, which distributes the moisture in the leaf and partially breaks the cell structure. This allows the ingredients to come together with leaf enzymes, which oxidise them, i.e. combine them with atmospheric oxygen. This process is also incorrectly called fermentation; oolong are often referred to as semi-fermented teas. After shaking, the leaves are piled up in portions, oxidised overnight and shaken again in between with increasing intensity. Depending on the frequency of shaking, thickness of the piles, time, temperature and humidity, the leaves are oxidised to a lesser or greater extent; between 10 and 50%. After oxidation, the leaves are rolled and fired in rolling machines and heated rotary drums to stop oxidation. Finally, the teas are dried with hot air, fire or charcoal. Charcoal roasting (or hot air roasting) can also be carried out after drying or even later. Depending on the temperature, the tea is not only dried, but its flavour is also altered. Roasted oolong teas can also be stored and change in flavour in the process. Oolong processing probably originated around 1500 on the Wudong in Phoenix and came to Wuyishan and Taiwan via Anxi.