Taiwan Tea Regions: A Map of Where Taiwanese Tea Grows

Taiwan grows tea from the hills south of Taipei to the east coast, but a few regions make almost all the famous teas. The north (New Taipei and Taipei) makes Baozhong and Muzha Tieguanyin; Hsinchu and Miaoli in the northwest make Oriental Beauty; Nantou in the centre is the heartland, with Dong Ding, Gui Fei, Four Seasons Spring, Shan Lin Xi and Sun Moon Lake black tea; Chiayi has Alishan; Taichung's high mountains give Lishan and Da Yu Ling; and Taitung and Hualien in the east make red oolong and honey-scented teas. Knowing the region tells you a lot about what's in the bag.

Taiwan's tea regions at a glance#

The north: Baozhong and Tieguanyin#

The hills around Taipei are one of Taiwan's oldest tea areas. Pinglin makes Baozhong, the lightest oolong on the island: long, twisted leaves and a pale, flowery cup. A short ride away, Muzha and Maokong keep the old roasted Tieguanyin tradition. Sanxia, also in New Taipei, makes some green tea, including a local Bi Luo Chun.

The northwest: Oriental Beauty country#

Hsinchu and Miaoli are hilly, humid and relatively low. In summer, the tea green leafhopper bites the young leaves, and farmers, rather than reaching for the spray, turn them into Oriental Beauty: highly oxidized, open-leaf and honey-scented.

The centre: Nantou, the heartland#

Nantou County grows more tea than anywhere else in Taiwan and covers almost every style: if Taiwanese tea had a capital, this would be it.

• Lugu and the Dong Ding area: rolled and roasted Dong Ding, and bug-bitten Gui Fei.
• Mingjian: the lowlands where most everyday Four Seasons Spring and Jin Xuan come from.
• Shan Lin Xi: a high mountain area with a greener, fresher profile.
• Yuchi: red tea around Sun Moon Lake.

Chiayi: Alishan#

The Alishan range in Chiayi is the best-known name in high mountain tea: softer, more buttery oolongs grown roughly between 1,000 and 1,500 m, and the easiest high mountain tea to find.

Taichung's high mountains: Lishan and Da Yu Ling#

Some of the highest gardens in Taiwan sit in the mountains of Taichung's Heping District along the Central Cross-Island Highway. Lishan grows around 1,800–2,200 m, Da Yu Ling roughly 2,000–2,600 m. These teas tend to be the sweetest, thickest and most cooling, and, not by coincidence, the most often faked.

The east: Taitung and Hualien#

Luye in Taitung created red oolong, a heavily oxidized, rolled and roasted style. Hualien is known for honey-scented, bug-bitten red tea and oolong.

How altitude shapes the cup#

More in high mountain oolong. Altitude isn't everything: Oriental Beauty and Muzha Tieguanyin are low-grown and still excellent.

How to read a Taiwanese tea label#

• Mountain or region: Alishan, Lishan, Pinglin, Lugu.
• Cultivar: Qing Xin, Jin Xuan, Si Ji Chun, Tieguanyin.
• Season and year: spring and winter are the most prized for oolong; summer for bug-bitten teas.
• Roast level: none, light, medium, heavy.

Myths#

"All Taiwanese oolong is high mountain tea." Much of it is grown at low altitude, and some of the best-known teas are low-grown.

"Higher is always better." Higher is different: sweeter and thicker, but not always more enjoyable.

"Taiwan only makes oolong." It also makes red tea (hong cha), green tea and red oolong.

My honest take#

If you want to learn Taiwanese tea, taste by region: one tea from the north, one from Nantou, one from the high mountains. Three sessions will teach you more than any list.

The bottom line#

Taiwan's main tea regions are the north (Baozhong, Muzha Tieguanyin), Hsinchu and Miaoli (Oriental Beauty), Nantou (Dong Ding, Gui Fei, Four Seasons, Shan Lin Xi, Sun Moon Lake), Chiayi (Alishan), Taichung's high mountains (Lishan, Da Yu Ling) and the east (red oolong). Read the region on the label and you'll know what to expect before the kettle boils. More in my Taiwanese tea guide.