Taiwan Tea No. 18 is Taiwan’s most popular black tea variety, but the market pricing can be all over the place. What is actually a reasonable price for it? Here are some buying insights.
Taiwan Tea No. 18 Price: What is a Reasonable Price per 600 g?
Many factors influence the price of Taiwan Tea No. 18 (Ruby Black Tea), including the season, harvesting method, tea garden management, and tea-making craftsmanship, so there is no single uniform market price. Here are the main standards that affect the price:
| Season | Unlike regular oolong tea, Taiwan Tea No. 18 is primarily used to make black tea. For black tea, summer harvest generally yields the best quality, followed by autumn harvest. While spring and winter teas tend to be sweeter, they have a lighter astringency, making them relatively lower in price. |
| Harvesting Method | Just like other tea types, the tenderness of the harvest directly impacts quality. Generally, Taiwan Tea No. 18 (Ruby Black Tea) harvested at the bud-and-two-leaves stage is of the highest quality, though some farmers harvest three or four leaves. These leaves offer a less refined flavor but yield a higher volume, resulting in a lower price point. |
| Tea Garden Management | Practices such as orchard management, types of fertilizer used, and the number of harvests per year all influence the quality and price of the tea leaves. |
| Craftsmanship | Taiwan Tea No. 18 crafted by reputable tea factories is usually more favored by tea merchants and seasoned tea lovers, naturally commanding a higher price. For instance, award-winning tea makers from Yuchi often have clients booking their tea in advance, so their prices are understandably higher than average tea makers—sometimes costing NT$200 to NT$300 more per 600 g. |
Liao Chang Xing Taiwan Tea No. 18 (Ruby Black Tea) Retail Price per 600 g
Spring and winter teas range from roughly NT$1,400 to NT$1,800 per 600 g. Summer and autumn teas range between NT$1,800 and NT$2,600 per 600 g for top-tier Taiwan Tea No. 18. Below is our past pricing for your reference, which does not necessarily represent all market prices.
| Year | Price / 600 g | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Summer Tea | NT$2,400 | Hand-picked bud and two leaves, de-stemmed |
| 2021 Summer Tea | NT$2,400 | Hand-picked bud and two leaves, de-stemmed |
| 2022 Spring Tea | NT$1,600 | Hand-picked bud and two leaves, de-stemmed |
| 2022 Summer Tea | NT$2,500 | Hand-picked bud and two leaves, de-stemmed |
| 2023 Summer Tea | NT$2,500 | Hand-picked bud and two leaves, de-stemmed |
| 2024 Summer Tea | NT$2,500 | Hand-picked bud and two leaves, de-stemmed |
*Teas made with spring tea leaves, harvested as one bud and four leaves without de-stemming, can easily be found for just a few hundred NT dollars per 600 g.
A quick reminder for those new to our teas: higher price doesn’t automatically mean better quality when it comes to Taiwan Tea No. 18 (Red Jade). Pricing also depends heavily on a shop’s marketing strategy—for instance, trendy tourist shops might charge NT$8,000 per 600 g for tea that isn’t even as good as ours. 😊