Customer Question: What are the characteristics of Zhangshuhu tea that make so many people recommend it? How does it differ from Lishan tea? If I want to buy Zhangshuhu tea, which season offers the best quality?
Chang Hsing Tea: What people love most about Taiwanese high mountain tea is its unique “mountain terroir”—a distinct flavor tied to each specific peak that no other place can replicate. The defining characteristic of Zhangshuhu tea lies in this unique terroir; it is wonderfully aromatic, soothing to the throat, and incredibly appealing. Additionally, the area features sandy soil with excellent aeration and balanced acidity, rich in organic matter accumulated from primeval forests. This results in tea leaves high in pectin and an oily, glossy tea liquor that is exceptionally pleasant to drink.
Compared to Lishan tea, Zhangshuhu tea falls slightly short in its cool mountain essence and lingering sweet aftertaste. This is due to inherent altitude and climate limitations—no tea region in the world can outperform Lishan tea in these aspects. However, in terms of aroma and steeping durability, Zhangshuhu tea is by no means inferior, featuring a glossy liquor and a very comfortable mouthfeel. Thanks to the promotion by local government and production-and-marketing groups in recent years, the quality of Zhangshuhu tea has steadily improved, making it a frequent winner in many tea competitions!
▲ Zhangshuhu tea features plump leaves and a sweet, fragrant flavor.
Like most tea regions, Zhangshuhu tea achieves its best quality during the spring and winter harvests. However, due to local climate conditions, the winter harvest yield is only about two-thirds of the spring harvest, making winter tea more expensive than spring tea.