Netizen’s question: A foreign friend specifically asked for Winter Sprout Oolong, but local tea shops didn’t have it. What kind of tea is it, where is it produced, and how does it differ from winter tea? Where can I buy it?
Winter Sprout Oolong: Tea leaves that sprout once more after the winter harvest
Liao Chang Xing: Dongpianzai is the Taiwanese Hokkien pronunciation for Winter Sprout Oolong. It is a tea variety that has only become more common in recent years. Compared to regular oolong tea, its origin, tea cultivar, and production method are all the same. What makes it special is that it is only produced during warm winters, making it relatively rare on the market.
Winter Sprout Oolong primarily refers to the flush of growth that occurs after the winter tea harvest. Normally, tea trees stop growing after the winter harvest and rest until spring arrives. However, due to warm winter conditions, the tea trees mistake it for spring and put out new buds. This is what we call Winter Sprout Oolong.
In earlier years, due to low yields, tea farmers mostly kept it for their own consumption, and very little reached the market. With the recent trend of warm winters, coupled with an increase in the cultivation area of easily sprouting cultivars like Sijichun and JinXuan, Winter Sprout Oolong has begun appearing on the market.
Although they grow in the winter, the mouthfeel of Winter Sprout Oolong is vastly different from winter tea. Some say Winter Sprout Oolong tastes more like high-mountain tea because it also grows during lower temperatures with a slow growth rate, resulting in low bitterness and astringency. Thanks to warm winters, lowland tea can possess the lingering charm of high-mountain tea, which is truly a blessing in disguise for farmers.
Origins of Winter Sprout Oolong
As long as the weather permits, Winter Sprout Oolong is produced across various parts of Taiwan. Lower-lying areas like Lugu Township and Mingjian Township have produced it in recent years. Among them, Mingjian Township is the most famous for Winter Sprout Oolong. There are tea plantations here dedicated to making Winter Sprout Oolong, using the Sijichun tea cultivar along with special harvesting procedures, allowing them to produce Winter Sprout Oolong almost every year.
If you want to buy it directly from the origin, you can visit Lugu or Mingjian Township to inquire, as these are Taiwan’s two major Winter Sprout Oolong production areas. You can also purchase it from Liao Chang Xing, with convenient home delivery and cash on delivery available.
Winter Sprout Oolong FAQ
What kind of tea is Winter Sprout Oolong?
The production process falls under semi-fermented oolong tea. It is defined as “tea leaves that grow again after the winter tea harvest before the tea trees enter hibernation,” which mostly occurs during warm winters and in lower-elevation tea regions. For details, please refer to the Agriculture Knowledge Portal
Is Winter Sprout Oolong an oolong tea?
In Taiwan, the majority of Winter Sprout Oolong is made into semi-fermented oolong tea.
Where is it produced?
It can be found across various parts of Taiwan, as long as the weather is warm enough for the tea trees to sprout again. Currently, it is mainly produced in lower-elevation tea regions such as Mingjian and Zhushan. It is also produced in high-elevation tea regions, and you can occasionally find it in high-altitude areas like Lishan.
What does Winter Sprout Oolong taste like?
It has a faint grassy note, with some describing it as the scent of fresh grass after rain, while others perceive it as a unique cool and mineral aroma. It tastes sweet, smooth, and refreshing, and is rarely bitter or astringent.
What is the difference between Winter Sprout Oolong and regular winter tea?
Tea harvested around the beginning of winter is called “winter tea.” Afterward, the tea trees enter a dormant period due to low temperatures. If it is a warm winter with plenty of moisture, the tea trees may mistakenly think that spring has arrived and will sprout new shoots again. These tender shoots are what we call Winter Sprout Oolong.