Before learning about the characteristics of Fushoushan Tea, you should know that Fushoushan is not a mountain, but the name of an official Taiwanese farm. Fushoushan Farm’s full name is the Veterans Affairs Council Fushoushan Farm. Fushoushan Tea simply refers to the tea leaves produced by Fushoushan Farm. Now you know the first little secret about Fushoushan Tea: to buy real Fushoushan Tea, you can only buy it directly from the farm.
The second little secret about Fushoushan Tea
After the farm started growing tea in the 1980s, the tea has often been in high demand and short supply. Nearby private operators also began jumping on the bandwagon, selling tea under the Fushou Mountain name. Therefore, many teas on the market today bearing the Fushou Mountain name cannot truly be considered genuine Fushou Mountain tea, because the producer is not the Fushoushan Farm. To distinguish these “non-Fushoushan Farm” teas, the tea community refers to these private farm teas as “off-farm tea” or “Fushou Lishan tea”. Regarding Fushoushan Farm off-farm tea, you can check our introduction here: Off-Farm Tea
Because Fushou Mountain tea is so popular and yields high profits, much of the Fushou Mountain tea sold by tea shops is actually Fushou Lishan tea, or even tea from other tea regions.
Characteristics of Genuine Fushou Mountain Tea
Extraordinarily High Tea Garden Elevation
The elevation of the Fushoushan tea gardens ranges from a minimum of 2,300 meters to a maximum of 2,490 meters (Tianchi tea garden pictured below). At 2,490 meters, it is currently Taiwan’s second-highest tea garden (the highest being in HuaGung at 2,520 meters).
The Highest Tieguanyin Variety and Wuyi Tea Trees
Tieguanyin and Wuyi tea are planted in the tea gardens at an elevation of 2,350 meters. High-elevation Tieguanyin and Wuyi are extremely rare (most high-elevation tea tree varieties are Qingxin Oolong). Pictured below is the Fushoushan Wuyi tea garden.
Packaging Features Anti-Counterfeiting Technology
Because there is so much fake Fushou Mountain tea on the market, official farm tea tins feature anti-counterfeit label designs and production-to-sales traceability, with labels that can be scanned via QR code. If there is no label, it is fake Fushou Mountain tea.
Tea Gardens Equipped with Anti-Frost Fans
Due to the extreme altitude, the tea gardens frequently experience frost in winter and spring. To protect the tea trees, the farm pioneered the use of anti-frost fans (used to disrupt the radiation cooling effect), priced at NT$200,000 per unit. This shows just how high the farm’s tea gardens are.
How to Brew Fushou Mountain Tea
We recommend using the standard brewing method for Fushou Mountain tea, which is also the most commonly used method for Taiwan high mountain teas. You will need to prepare 6 g of Fushou Mountain tea, a 100 ml evaluation cup or bowl (or a regular cup if unavailable), a tea spoon, a tasting cup, and 100°C hot water. The evaluation cup, tea spoon, and tasting cup should be preheated.
- Place 6–10 g of Fushou Mountain tea into the evaluation cup, then pour 100°C hot water up to the rim of the cup and let it steep for 3 minutes.
- Use the tea spoon to transfer the tea liquor into the tasting cup for drinking. If you feel the tea flavor has reached its optimal state, pour out all the tea liquor immediately to prevent bitterness caused by over-steeping.
- If the flavor tastes a bit light, you can continue steeping, tasting the tea every minute.
If the steeping result is not ideal, you can also try increasing or decreasing the amount of tea leaves; the standard amount for Fushou Mountain tea is anywhere between 6 to 10 g. Adjust the steeping time accordingly, and after a few tries, you will grasp the characteristics of this tea and achieve the optimal brew. Top-tier Fushou Mountain tea should taste fresh, crisp, sweet, and mellow, with a lingering aroma that stays in the throat for a long time.
Fushou Mountain Tea FAQ
Do you sell authentic Fushou Mountain tea?
No! To buy authentic Fushou Mountain tea, you must purchase it directly from the official farm. Fushoushan Farm Shopping Website
There is no tea on the official website's shelves
Fushou Mountain tea is in high demand and often sells out instantly once listed. We recommend checking the official website frequently during the tea harvesting season, as the farm’s sales department lists items at irregular times.
When is new tea typically released?
First-season tea is around June, and second-season tea is around September.
Is Fushou Mountain tea production very small?
It covers about 11.6 hectares, with an annual yield of around 9,600 kg, which isn’t exactly a small amount, but it is still not enough to meet demand.