When talking about the “origin of Honey Black Tea,” many people immediately think of Taiwan’s Hualien and Taitung regions. With its unique flavor, Honey Black Tea is a top-tier Taiwanese black tea. While it did originate in Hualien and Taitung, its production is no longer limited to these two areas today. Let’s explore the origin story and production regions of Honey Black Tea:
Origin of Honey Black Tea
Honey Black Tea dates back to 1999, when the Taitung Branch of the Tea Research and Extension Station developed this tea-making technique. Originally created to revitalize the tea industry in Hualien and Taitung, these two counties became the primary promotion areas. Wuhe Village in Hualien County’s Ruisui Township even became the “hometown” of Honey Black Tea, establishing it as Hualien’s most representative tea.
As Honey Black Tea grew in popularity, its production areas expanded far beyond Hualien and Taitung. New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Nantou, and Chiayi have all joined in producing Honey Black Tea. In fact, as long as a tea garden can attract the Formosan green leaf hopper—our natural tea maker—Honey Black Tea can be crafted.
Is Honey Tea Only Found in Taiwan?
The production of honey tea relies on the bites of the green leaf hopper. This insect is not unique to Taiwan, and similar tea-making methods exist in other countries. For instance, some tea gardens in Mainland China and Vietnam produce teas that mimic Taiwan’s bug-bitten tea, and Vietnam also produces Taiwanese-style Honey Black Tea and Oriental Beauty Tea. Additionally, the famous “Muscatel” note in India’s Darjeeling black tea is likely a natural reaction triggered when tea plants are bitten by insects. While these insects may not necessarily be green leaf hoppers, the production concepts share true similarities with Honey Black Tea.
Honey Black Tea was first promoted in the Hualien and Taitung areas before gaining popularity across major tea-producing regions throughout Taiwan. Today, whether in the eastern regions of Taitung and Hualien, or western areas such as New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Nantou, and Chiayi, this special natural black tea is produced across many regions.