Is Imperial Formosa Oolong Tea Available from India or Sri Lanka?

Fans of oolong tea are clamoring to get Imperial Formosa oolong tea. Because oolong teas in general are fairly rare, many people want to look to other sources to find their favorite oolong.

Oolong teas are produced in China, where oolong tea originated, Taiwan, and a small amount is produced in the Darjeeling region of India. Creating oolong tea is a labor intensive process that cannot be managed by large scale tea gardens that produce tea in a mechanized fashion. This is why oolong teas can be rare and harder to find than some other teas.

To produce oolong tea the gardener plucks the tea leaves early in the day by hand as they are ready. This may mean several pluckings over several days, as it is critical that the leaves be plucked at their exact time of readiness.

Next the leaves are spread out in the sun or in sheds to wither. They must be observed so that they are moved when the moisture is appropriately removed.

Next, the leaves are shaken to slightly bruise the edges. This bruising causes the oxidation process to begin.

The tea artisan then wraps the leaves in cloth, forming a ball. The leaves will be tumbled regularly during the remainder of the oxidation period in order to ensure that the oxidation process is even. Some oolong teas will be tumbled every hour during the oxidation period.

Once the oxidation period is completed, when the leaves are about 30% fermented and about 70% green, the leaves are inspected and picked through to ensure that the leaves are not sticking together. Pouchong oolong teas, which come only from Taiwan, are often fermented only about 15%, giving them a flavor much closer to that of green tea than other oolong teas.
Next, the leaves are fired to end the oxidation process. In many cases, oolong teas are fired over charcoal, giving them a bit of a smoky flavor.

Then the leaves are sorted according to grade and sent off for packaging.
So, as you can see, making oolong tea is time consuming, which is why there’s less of it around. Therefore, that Imperial Formosa oolong tea that you love may be more difficult to find. Thus the question, “Can I get Imperial Formosa oolong tea from India or Sri Lanka?”

Well, the short answer is “No”. You can get oolong tea from the Darjeeling region of India, known as Darjeeling oolong. Darjeeling oolong is a very rare and very delicious oolong tea. However, it’s not Imperial Formosa oolong tea.

Imperial Formosa oolong tea can only come from Taiwan. Taiwanese teas are all referred to as “Formosa” teas, because Formosa was the original name for the country of Taiwan. Therefore, all Imperial Formosa oolong tea comes from Taiwan.

As with all other teas, Imperial Formosa oolong tea’s flavor is largely affected by where it is grown. All teas gain a good deal of their flavor from the soil they’re grown in, as well as the climate of the region in which they’re grown. Even the type of trees that grow near the tea garden affect the flavor of the tea produced there.

So, that delicate blend of orange blossoms, chestnuts, dates and cedar that makes Imperial Formosa oolong tea cannot be duplicated with a tea grown anywhere else in the world.

Each region of the world produces teas that are uniquely flavored, and this is one of the things that makes tea so varied and gives us so many unique flavors from which to choose. Every part of the world is home to its own unique soil type, vegetation, climate and tea processing methods. And all of these variables combine to make each tea what it is.

So, you may want to sample an oolong tea from the Darjeeling region of India. You’ll find it very fruity and fragrant, with a distinctly muscatel flavor, like all Darjeeling teas. Like Imperial Formosa oolong tea, Darjeeling oolong can be difficult to find because very little of it is produced. But, when you do find it, it’s likely that you’ll love it.

But, it won’t be Imperial Formosa oolong. This special variety of tea can only be produced in the climate and soil of Taiwan using exactly the oolong processing methods that are used in this region of the world.

So, you may still have to shop around to find the Imperial Formosa oolong tea you’ve come to love. However, this unique tea is well worth the search. Once you’ve found a reputable tea merchant who carries Imperial Formosa oolong tea, it’s likely that they’ll be able to secure this delicious tea for you on a regular basis.

In addition, you may be able to buy your favorite Imperial Formosa oolong tea in bulk, so that you never need worry about running out.

The world of tea is varied and exciting in part because no two teas are exactly the same. Like the humans that enjoy them each tea has its own unique color, personality and flavor. And there’s certainly no reason why we can’t love each and every one of them.