“Is Red Oolong black tea or oolong tea?” With both “Red” and “Oolong” in its name, Red Oolong often leaves people wondering which category it actually belongs to. The answer is actually very simple—Red Oolong is a type of oolong tea!
Is Red Oolong Black Tea or Oolong Tea?
To clear this up, let’s first look at the production differences between black tea and oolong tea.
- Black Tea: Classified as a fully fermented tea, its main production steps include withering, rolling, oxidation (resting), and drying. It skips the kill-green (fixation) step, allowing the leaves to continuously oxidize into a fully fermented tea.
- Oolong Tea: Classified as a partially fermented tea, its production steps include withering, kill-green (pan-firing), rolling, and drying. The kill-green step (high-heat application) halts the tea’s oxidation, making it possible to control the degree of fermentation and create a unique flavor profile. (The image below shows a tea master using a fixating machine for the kill-green process)
The production process of Red Oolong consists of withering, kill-green, rolling, and drying, which is completely identical to the typical oolong tea-making method. Therefore, its classification is beyond a doubt—Red Oolong is oolong tea!
But Red Oolong Brews Up Very Red, Feeling Like Black Tea?
This is because Red Oolong is a heavily oxidized oolong tea, with an oxidation level reaching up to 80%. Along with Oriental Beauty Tea, it ranks among the oolongs with the highest degree of fermentation. Because its oxidation level is close to that of black tea, the dry leaves of Red Oolong are darker, and the brewed tea liquor takes on a reddish hue, leading many to mistakenly think it is black tea. However, no matter how its color changes, Red Oolong remains a member of the oolong tea family!