Customer Inquiry: What are the characteristics of charcoal-roasted tea? How does it differ from regular high mountain tea, Baozhong tea, and Lishan tea? I’ve heard that roasting isn’t suitable for high mountain tea because it ruins the original aroma. Is that true?
Chang Shing Tea: Roasted tea refers to tea made by putting raw tea leaves through an additional roasting process. Generally, lower-elevation teas go through some degree of roasting, such as Baozhong, Dongding, and medium-to-low elevation oolongs. Some of these lower-elevation teas carry a grassy note; roasting helps eliminate this flavor while bringing out a rich, roasted aroma.
High mountain teas are sometimes roasted as well, but usually only lightly. The higher the tea-growing region, the less roasting is involved. Teas grown above 2,000 meters are rarely roasted. This is because while roasting adds aroma, it can easily strip away the tea’s natural floral notes and signature high mountain fragrance—effectively causing the tea to lose its original character. Therefore, while some high mountain teas are roasted, they tend to come from lower altitudes, as high-elevation teas are rarely roasted.
The main characteristics of roasted tea are its distinct roasted aroma and the reduction of grassy notes, resulting in a smoother, sweeter cup that stands up well to multiple infusions. The original fresh fragrance transforms into ripe fruit and nutty notes. One of the more heavily roasted teas currently produced in Taiwan is Dongding Red Water Oolong, which features prominent roasting characteristics and aromas. If you get the chance, we definitely recommend giving it a try.