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While
the best oolongs of Taiwan are harvested in the winter and spring,
the summer harvests of Formosa Oolong are also very noteworthy.
In the west, the names given to this tea are many; Bai Hao Oolong,
Dong Fang Mei Ren, or Oriental Beauty, and Formosa Oolong. Another
type of Formosa Oolong is Gui Fei Mei Ren.
The Gui Fei is a summer tea that depends
a on seasonal tea bug which transfers flower pollen to the tea leaves
adding a honey flavor. Gui Fei is rolled into balls. Its production
method of rolling and baking the tea leaf leaves little kernels
of tea that burst open, more similar to an oolong.

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Formosa Oolong Twisted Leaf
This oolong tea has many other names. Dong Fang
Mei Ren tea; Dōngfāng Meǐrén chá), Oriental Beauty or Bai Hao Oolong
tea, Pong Hong te and Silver tip Oolong to name a few. This Formosa
Oolong (Choice Grade) was produced in Xin Zhu (Hsinchu) County's Bei Pu
in Taiwan. The name Oriental Beauty is said to come from Queen
Elizabeth I of England who reportedly remarked, "What an Oriental
Beauty?" upon first tasting the tea.
It is a summer harvest tea that has a very strong honey taste. This is
a heavily oxidized tippy oolong tea leaf that is picked by hand, using
only the young freshly grown tea leaves and is grown without the use of
pesticides. When brewed the result is a reddish liquor that is
especially sweet and intoxicating.
Best brewed at 180 degrees Fahrenheit Can be rebrewed for several infusions.
| 1/16
pound (1 ounce) |
$8 |
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| 1/4
pound (4 ounces) |
$29 |
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| 1/2
pound (8 ounces) |
$54 |
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| 1
pound (16 ounces) |
$99 |
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Gui Fei Mei Ren Jin Xuan Varietal (tightly rolled)
This tea is from Nantou County, Lugu Township. In
1999, following a devastating earthquake in this area, many of the tea
farmers in the area used an excessive amount of nitrogenous fertilizer
which in turn attracted many of the aphid type leaf hoppers. The Flavor
of this tea depends on the transfer of pollen from nearby flowers to
the tea leaves, giving the tea its unusually sweet flavor.
Gui Fei Mei Ren is named after one of China's four famous beauties,
Yang Gui Fei. She represents a sexy juicy version of beauty due to her
plump nature. Gui Fei is a title given to a king’s favorite wife just
after the queen, indicating a second tier wife position. Yang Gui Fei
lived in the Tang dynasty and was the wife of Tang Ming Huang. There
are many stories about Gui Fei. For instance, it is said that she
bathed in milk. She was one of the king's favorite wives. Her favorite
fruit was Li Zhi, a fruit that grows in the south of China. Gui Fei
lived in central China. The king assigned the fastest horse to
transport his beloved wives ‘favorite fruit so that it would not spoil
before it arrived. Eventually she brought great turmoil to the kingdom
because she has a boyfriend An Lu Shan who was jealous of her
relationship with the king. Lu Shan, took it upon himself to kill the
king, although he never succeeded. Another name for this tea is "Noble
Concubine".
| 1/16
pound (1 ounce) |
$8 |
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| 1/4
pound (4 ounces) |
$30 |
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| 1/2
pound (8 ounces) |
$59 |
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| 1
pound (16 ounces) |
$118 |
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Gui Fei Mei Ren Yen Cha (tightly rolled)
| 1/16
pound (1 ounce) |
$11 |
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| 1/4
pound (4 ounces) |
$40 |
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| 1/2
pound (8 ounces) |
$79 |
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| 1
pound (16 ounces) |
$158 |
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|
 
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Mt Ah Li Mi Xiang Charcoal Baked
| 1/16
pound (1 ounce) |
$15 |
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| 1/4
pound (4 ounces) |
$57 |
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| 1/2
pound (8 ounces) |
$112 |
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| 1
pound (16 ounces) |
$220 |
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|

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Mi Xiang Oolong
| 1/16
pound (1 ounce) |
$15 |
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| 1/4
pound (4 ounces) |
$57 |
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| 1/2
pound (8 ounces) |
$112 |
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| 1
pound (16 ounces) |
$220 |
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|

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Eastern Beauty Top Grade
Beautiful Bai Hao Leaf brings a sweet
spicy aroma. Its liquor is velvety soft in texture; tangy lemon,
sage after finish, left with mint coolness.
| 1/16
pound (1 ounce) |
$16 |
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| 1/4
pound (4 ounces) |
$60 |
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| 1/2
pound (8 ounces) |
$118 |
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| 1
pound (16 ounces) |
$230 |
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Dong Ding Gui Fei Silver Label
| 1/16
pound (1 ounce) |
$20 |
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| 1/4
pound (4 ounces) |
$80 |
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