Winter tea and spring tea are the two seasons yielding the finest quality Taiwan tea. Compared to spring tea, winter tea offers richer aroma and lower bitterness, making it a favorite among many tea enthusiasts. Due to varying elevations, the harvest window for Taiwan’s winter tea is quite broad. Some high-mountain winter teas are even harvested earlier than lowland autumn teas, leaving many tea lovers confused. This article breaks down the harvest schedules across Taiwan’s tea regions to help you when purchasing winter tea.
Lowland Winter Tea Harvest Time
In lowland tea regions like Pinglin, Zhushan, Lugu, and Mingjian, winter tea harvesting generally begins in mid-to-late October and wraps up by the end of November. Because the climate in the south is warmer, some tea regions there may harvest into early December.
Buying Tip: Lowland winter tea starts hitting the market as early as late October, with the prime purchasing window spanning from early November to early December. This is peak season with the widest selection available.
High-Mountain Winter Tea Harvest Time
The higher the altitude of the tea garden, the earlier the winter tea harvest begins. This is because higher altitudes mean lower temperatures, and when temperatures drop below 13°C, the tea leaves age too quickly, resulting in poor processing quality. Therefore, high-altitude regions like Fushoushan Farm (at 2,500 meters) and HuaGung must be harvested as early as possible. As a result, it is quite common for high-mountain winter tea to be harvested even earlier than lowland autumn tea.
The earliest high-mountain winter teas—namely Fushoushan Farm and the HuaGung tea region mentioned earlier—are frequently harvested as early as early September. Lishan tea is generally harvested from late September to mid-October. The next tier, including Cuifeng, Qilai Mountain, and Cingjing, is typically harvested from early October through October 20th. The following tier, including ShanLinXi and Alishan, is harvested from mid-October to early November.
Buying Recommendation: The best time to buy high-mountain winter tea is from late October to early December, right after the leaves have been harvested and processed, when their aroma and flavor are at their peak.
Conclusion: Winter Tea Harvest Schedule
High-mountain winter tea harvest starts in September and wraps up around early November. Lowland winter tea harvest begins in mid-October and runs through late November or early December.