Taiwan / Formosa

Wikipedia: Taiwan 
Updated: Oct. 29, 2017 

About Taiwan / Formosa

Taiwan, often known in tea circles as Formosa, is an important producer of teas, especially oolong teas. Taiwan is governed by the Republic of China, Zhonghua Minguo(中華民國), the government that fled mainland China following the Chinese civil war.

Taiwan does not produce a very high volume of tea, but its teas are well-represented in specialty tea stores and are well-known among tea connoisseurs. The vast majority of tea produced in Taiwan is consumed in Taiwan. Taiwan has a strong tea culture, and the Taiwanese tea market is considered highly demanding; Taiwan imports some of the highest-quality oolong teas from other countries.

Compared to mainland China, Taiwan has a relatively short history of tea cultivation, starting in the mid-19th century. Although Taiwan does produce green, black, and white teas, it is most famous for the production of oolongs and pouchong teas, and is the origin of many well-known oolongs, including Tung Ting (Dong Ding), and Alishan oolong.

Geography and climate

The eastern two-thirds of Taiwan consist of rugged mountains; most of the population is concentrated in the flat area to the west of the mountains. The climate in Taiwan ranges from a marine tropical climate to a humid subtropical climate in the north of the island and at moderate elevations, and alpine climates at the higher points.

As Taiwan lies on the northern border of the tropics, the climate has a well-defined cooler winter and hotter summer, with the seasons more pronounced farther north, farther inland, and at higher elevations. Total rainfall and humidity is high everywhere in Taiwan, but, echoing the overall pattern of the Asian monsoon, the summer months have heavier rainfall and the winter months are drier. Higher elevations, where much of the tea is grown, have cooler winters and more variable temperatures, and much higher total rainfall.

Tea-Producing Regions of Taiwan / Formosa

Styles of Tea Produced in Taiwan / Formosa

This is a selection, not an exhaustive listing, of the styles of tea most commonly produced in Taiwan / Formosa.

Best Taiwanese Teas

The notion of the "best" Taiwanese teas is subjective, because different people have different tastes. We present the most often-rated and highest-rated teas produced in Taiwan / Formosa, and allow you to draw your own conclusions.

Browse All Taiwanese Teas (239)