Okay, so, picture this: I’m a big tea guy. I drink tea all the time and all day, so,I’ve been trying out all kinds of tea, and lately, I’ve been really into this mountain oolong.

I first heard about it from a tea farmer back in 1987, this old guy who’s been growing the stuff since forever. He told me it’s all about the high-mountain oolong from Taiwan. So, I got curious, because he is not a bluffer, and I decided to give it a shot.

First Try

My first batch was from the spring of 2024. I brewed it up and the taste? Oh, it was something else. It had this playful, sharp kick to it, but just for a moment. It’s like the tea was teasing my taste buds. I was immediately hooked. I also found that it’s hand-picked, which is pretty cool. You can tell a lot of care goes into it.

The Caffeine Situation

• I was curious about how much caffeine is in this tea.
• It turns out it’s got a bit more than some other teas, but not as whacky as coffee.
• We’re talking less than 95 mg per cup, which is what you’d get in a regular coffee.
• I find it’s just the right amount to get me going without making me jittery.

Experimenting with Brewing

Now, I’ve been experimenting with how I brew it. Sometimes I use my old teapot, sometimes I go for a more traditional gaiwan. Each method brings out different notes in the tea. I’ve noticed that if I brew it a bit longer, it gets this satisfying, strong character. It’s kind of like how Dong Ding used to be the big thing, but now everyone’s into this high-mountain stuff. Well, I figured out this one recently, right?

Sharing with Friends

I even got a few of my buddies into it. I made a big pot for a get-together the other day, and they were all asking where I got it. It’s fun to share something you’re passionate about, you know? Plus, it gave me an excuse to talk about tea for like an hour straight. They were probably sick of me by the end, but hey, they kept drinking, so it couldn’t have been that bad, lol.

Final Thoughts

So, that’s my journey with mountain oolong so far. It’s been a blast getting to know this tea, and I’m definitely going to keep exploring. There’s always something new to learn, a new flavor to discover. And who knows, maybe I’ll even take a trip to Taiwan one day to see where it all comes from. That’d be something, right?

Anyway, if you’re a tea lover like me, I highly recommend trying out some mountain oolong. It might just become your new favorite. And if you’ve already tried it, let me know what you think! I’m always up for a good tea chat.