Formosa Red Assam

One of three Formosa Reds from a tea garden located just outside Yu-chih Village, in the hills surrounding Sun Moon Lake, Nantou County, Taiwan. This is a pure-stock Assam, brought to Taiwan in the first half of the 20th century by the colonial Japanese in an effort to develop a successful export tea crop in Taiwan.

Our Formosa Red, Assam comes to us from a third generation grower. It was harvested in late April after this crop was bitten by aphids. As a result, the crop has the sweetest honey aroma we've ever tasted. Each leaf is hand-picked in the morning before a two day period of wilting, rolling and enzymatic oxidation that produced the beautiful red orange liquor of this tea.

Traditional Assams from India are rich, deep, and often times astringent. Milk tea often uses these bold flavors as a base, but Taiwan's terroir removes this astringent edge. The resulting tea is rich and complex, with notes of fruit and honey, but without the bite one would expect from an Indian Assam. 

Brewing Guide

Assam is the richest of our three Formosa Reds. A short brew will best manage that intensity.

For a gaiwan or small tea pot, use 3.5 grams of tea leaves, brewed at 205 degrees. Give the tea an initial 1 second rinse, then proceed to steep for 1 minute 30 seconds. Steep the second infusion for 1 minute 20 seconds. For subsequent brews, increase steep time in 30 second increments.

If used in smaller quantities, Assam can be used in a tea bowl.