The tasty Dah-Yeh (big-leaf) green tea of Formosan Farms has been highly recognised as its unique and smooth aroma of light morning fresh grass. It was the most popular sample requested by business traders in our exhibition stand of 2019 Natural & Organic Products Europe during 7th & 8th April in London.
Dah-Yeh (big-leaf, the meaning of Maderian) Oolong tree is one of the rare tea tree varieties in Taiwan, and only in the east cost of Taiwan. It is confused because the tea tree's name includes a word "oolong", but it can certainly made into different teas, from zero-fermentation green tea, partial-fermentation oolong series, and full-termination black tea. However, this tea tree species have been replaced gradually even in the eastern Taiwan by other high-yield tea trees, such as Jinxuan (Taiwan No. 12, or nickname, milky oolong).
The family farm of Formosan Farms in Ruisui Hualien region decided to keep 100% of Dah-Yeh Oolong tree regardless of competition from other high-yield ones. The three generations of the family still keep hand-picked and hand-processed method with their tea gardens in a local tribe village. Grandmother is 90 years old, but she still looks over the grandson and daughter-in-law to make sure whether they follow all the family tradition of farming and making teas.
During the harvest season, they are working with many local tribal friends for tea-picking. They scatter into small groups and singing happily with their favorite songs individually or collectively.
The level of Jacobiasca formosana bites determines the honey flavour. The more the bites, the smaller the 1-bud-2-leaf size. It is all the nature gift from God. They can only take the gift happily without any exception. The farmers determine the best tea they are going to make immediately after picking. If the leaves are most suitable for a high quality of the famous honey black tea, they will be very happy, and it usually account for less than 10% of all picked fresh leaves.
If the bite of Jacobiasca formosana is not enough or, maybe, none, they are still happy to make the leaves into green tea and oolong tea. That's why sometimes our Dah Yeh green tea contains a little bit honey flavour, if luckily enough. One time when we brew the green tea in a yard, there was a bee flying around the brewed tea leaves and then looking for something, really funny and amazing!
The youngest generation of the family is now in charge of tea processing. He is not good at talking, but he is good at making teas. Formosan Farms Dah-Yeh green tea just launched in our 2019 spring collection, and it has gained so many positive feedbacks in Taiwan and in the UK. Both hot or cold brews are fantastic, because of the tea tree variety, the farm region, and more importantly, the three generations gatekeepers of every leaf in our teacup.
