Different Varieties Of Oolong Tea:

As with most types of tea and herbal drinks in the world at present, there are many different varieties available for purchase. For consumers, this is useful, because it allows them to choose a tea which adheres precisely to their desires. For growers, harvesters, and marketers however, the number of varieties is causing quite a headache, as there are literally hundreds of technically different yet fundamentally similar products to deal with.

In this article, we will look at some of the different varieties of one tea in particular - Oolong tea, which has it's origins in mainland China. After being cultivated there for a number of centuries, production eventually spread to Taiwan also - meaning that yet another growing variety would come about.

Oolong Varieties From China.

Obviously, having been grown in China for a long time, there are naturally more varieties present in this country than any other. Here is a brief breakdown of the major ones:

Fujian Province - Wuyi Cliff Tea

Generally, the most expensive Oolong teas are found in this region. They include:

- Da Hong Pao
- Shui Jin Gui
- Tie Luo Han
- Bai Ji Guan
- Rou Gui

Clearly, these don't mean a lot to the average person, however they are actually all appropriately named based on flavors and "varietal origins". Some translations include "Golden Water Turtle" and "White Cockscomb".

Guangdong Province

Here, only "single bush" tea trees are grown, leading to a very peculiar and particular variety of Oolong tea. It is called the Dan Cong - and is found solely in the Guangdong Province. The main difference with this variety is that the tea leaves contain particular natural chemicals which allow them to mimic the flavor of other wild fruits - something which is unique to this area.

 

Oolong Varieties From Taiwan.

As I pointed out earlier, Oolong tea production spread to Taiwan in the mid 19th century. It was at this time that premium varieties were also brought about as a result of the unique growing conditions of the country. Here is a list of such varieties:

- Dong Ding
- Dong Fang Mei Ren
- Alishan
- Lishan
- Pouchong

Whilst these varieties are all very similar, they do have noticeable difference is underlying taste. 

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