Message from a tea beginner: Where can I buy good-quality Lishan tea? The Lishan tea bought from tea shops and online stores didn’t taste good, and I’m not sure if it’s due to a poor origin or buying fakes. Are there any recommended origins for Lishan tea, or where can I buy it without worrying about counterfeits?
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Recommended Lishan Tea Origins
The major producing areas of Lishan include Xinjiayang, Cuiluan, and Diaoqiaotou. All three regions yield teas of exceptional quality and volume. They fall into the mid-to-high price range (it’s hard to find cheap Lishan tea), with retail prices ranging from NT$2,800 to NT$3,600 per 600 g. If you are looking for an even higher grade, you can also consider Fushoushan Farm and its surrounding areas (commonly known as “farm-adjacent tea”). This is a top-tier origin for Lishan tea, and naturally, it doesn’t come cheap, with retail prices ranging from NT$4,000 to NT$10,000.
| Origin | Suggested Retail Price | ||
| Xinjiayang | NT$2,800-3,600 per 600 g | ||
| Cuiluan Settlement | NT$2,800-3,600 per 600 g | ||
| Diaoqiaotou | NT$2,600~3,200 per 600 g | ||
| Fushoushan Farm Border | NT$4,000~6,000 per 600 g | ||
Lishan autumn tea is also a great option. Priced at only two-thirds of the spring harvest, its quality is still remarkably good!
Looking for authentic Lishan tea? Where to buy it?
If you are a tea beginner and haven’t found a trustworthy seller yet, the store manager recommends the following three places to buy authentic Lishan tea:
Fushoushan Farm: This is the most famous and expensive Lishan tea brand. Operated by the Taiwan government, Fushoushan Farm exclusively sells Lishan tea produced on its own grounds. Their outer packaging features origin certification and anti-counterfeiting designs, so you don’t have to worry about buying fakes. Priced at NT$7,000-10,000 per 600 g, it sits in the high-end tier and is recommended for tea lovers with a generous budget.
Taichung City Heping District Farmers’ Association: Another official government entity, meaning you don’t have to worry about fake tea. Heping District in Taichung City is home to Lishan. The Heping District Farmers’ Association plays a dual role in guiding tea farmers and promoting Lishan tea, ensuring that the tea they sell maintains a consistent standard of quality. Prices range from mid-low tiers like NT$2,000 per 600 g for Lishan autumn tea to competition teas costing over NT$10,000 per 600 g.
Buying Competition Tea: Tea competitions are held twice a year in the Lishan region (spring and winter). Award-winning entries come with official competition seals, gift boxes, and tracking barcodes. Award-winning Lishan competition teas are graded into Three Stars (NT$6,000 per 600 g), Four Stars (NT$10,000 per 600 g), and Five Stars (NT$20,000 per 600 g). Tea lovers with high budgets can try the Five-Star Lishan Tea King, which has been evaluated by multiple official tea tasters and is guaranteed to be exceptional.
Lishan Tea Recommendation FAQ
Are there any online stores you recommend?
Yes! Shameless self-promotion: Liao Chang Xing. Or you can check out Fushoushan Farm or the Heping District Farmers’ Association.
Do you recommend any Lishan tea shops?
The store manager does not specially recommend any specific Lishan tea shop, so please use your own judgment based on your personal taste. If you don’t have much experience with tea drinking, please bring along an experienced friend or relative, or purchase directly from the farmers’ association.
Recommended Lishan Tea for Gifting
Competition tea or Fushoushan Farm tea comes with official anti-counterfeit labels, high recognition, and credibility. Gifting is all about making a good impression!
Is it recommended for beginners to buy Lishan tea directly from tea factories?
Not particularly recommended. First, large tea factories usually do not accommodate individual retail customers. Second, at small tea factories, the best teas are picked up by tea merchants, and secondary teas (rain-damaged tea or overly mature leaves) are sold at retail. Unless the entire season yields great tea, we don’t suggest beginners buy directly from tea factories, though the chances of that are slim.