Hailing from one of the most respected high elevation heritage tea gardens in Taiwan and in short supply, tea from Fushou Shan is the gemmiest of gems.  Expect a forward, bright, buttery nectar of melon and sugar snap pea on the palate complementing its aromatic intensity.  Exquisite structure, mouthfeel, and lingering exhale effects in the throat and mouth.

Just under 5,000 kilos is harvested in the spring at Fu Shou Shan from just 30 acres of 45 year old Qing Xin cultivar bushes between 2200-2500 meters in elevation, making this the second highest gardens next to the remaining Da Yu Ling gardens that weren’t removed between 2011-2016 due to not following land-use regulations. Fushou Shan is considered 自然農法 “natural farming” or uncertified organic, as these higher elevations don’t necessitate extensive pest control; all-natural insect preventatives are applied twice per year, and no chemical fertilizer is used.

Since our first meeting them, the Chen family has gained in their influence in Li Shan and has been partnering with Fushou Shan Farms these last few years to harvest leaves at 2300 meters and process them in their award-winning style.  After sampling the tea for a number of seasons to consistently good results, it seems like the time to offer this year's limited batch to the tea community.

Fushou Shan Farms was founded in 1957 in the greater Li Shan area by the Veterans Affairs Council of Taiwan for retired military folk that choose to work in agriculture, mainly growing fruit and tea.  Its reputation as a high elevation destination for nature-proximal living, high quality natural farm products, and goodwill towards veteran elders precedes itself.

Enjoy this top shelf tea while it's here.  Bundle it with the rest of the Taiwan Series for bit of a discount and taste tour through the mountains and varied styles of Taiwan's oolong culture.