Wulong tea, commonly known in the west at oolong is semi-fermented and considered complicated to produce, which accounts for its highly-prized nature. Wulong tea is considered to have the best of black and green teas.
Tea leaves are left to wilt in the sun from eight to 24 hours and are shaken in bamboo baskets to release the oils and other compounds. They are then left to dry until they have a reddish tone. Finally, there's a firing proces. This light roasting over a charcoal fire is crucial as the it can remove any bitterness.
Wulong is graded according to the season it is picked in. Crops that are plucked during the summer are the most consistent, producing the highest quality teas.
Formosa oolong, grown in Taiwan, is the finest variety available and has been dubbed “the champagne of teas.”
Types of oolong include:
- Bai Ji Guan (White Cockscomb) – very light
- Da Hong Poa (Big Red Robe) – mild, delicate and highly-prized
- Jin Fo (Golden Buddha) – a light brew
- Shui Hsien (Water Turtle) – darker with spicy notes
- Tieguanyin – sweet
PROPERTIES
Oolong tea has more polyphenols, strong in anti-oxidants, than black or green tea varieties. Anti-oxidants are thought to protect against a range of diseases and health problems.
Some reports of weight loss have been attributed to oolong. A study published in the Journal of Medical Investigation found that women who drank wu-long tea after a meal increased their energy output by 10 per cent (!!).
Perhaps you'd prefer better skin as opposed to weight loss. Researchers from Japan's Shiga University of Medical Science found that drinking the tea every day helped clear up skin problems within a month.
Lastly, a study appearing in Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, suggested that those who regularly consumed wulong had stronger immune systems and a reduced risk for infections.
BLACK DRAGON MYTH
By the way, wulong means "black dragon" in Chinese. The origins of this name are sketchy but like any good Chinese myth, it has a ring of truth.
It seems that the process of making oolong was discovered when an owner of a tea estate was frightened off by a large black snake resembling a dragon while he was drying his tea leaves. He fled and left the leaves to dry in the sun.
When the owner returned days later, the leaves had oxidized and he decided to fire them up anyways. The plantation owner was pleasantly surprised when he drank the resulting aromatic beverage.
A more basic explanation is that the leaves look like little black dragons that wake when hot water is poured on them. Believe what you will, this nuanced tea makes a beautiful roar on your palette.
