Name: Da Lun Shan Oolong (大崙山）
Year: 2026, spring tea
Variety: Qingxin and Jinxuan cultivar blend
Age of tea bushes is 15 years
Weight: 50 grams vaccumed pack or 10 grams sample

Taiwan Dalunshan Organic High Mountain Oolong – Spring Harvest

There are tea gardens that impress with their altitude, and then there are those that tell a story. This organic Dalunshan High Mountain Oolong offers both.

The tea comes from the garden of Mr. Lin, a tea farmer now in his seventies who still tends his tea fields with remarkable energy and dedication. When I asked him how long he had been making tea, he simply smiled and replied, “Fifty-two years.” A lifetime devoted to a single craft can often be tasted in the cup, and this tea is a beautiful reflection of that philosophy.

Harvested during the spring season, regarded by many Taiwanese tea lovers as the most fragrant and expressive harvest of the year, this tea perfectly captures the freshness and elegance for which Taiwan’s high mountain oolongs have become renowned throughout the world.

Unlike many single-cultivar high mountain teas, this oolong is crafted from a harmonious blend of Qing Xin (青心烏龍)and Jin Xuan (金萱) cultivars. Qing Xin contributes elegant floral aromas, mountain freshness and a lingering sweetness that define Taiwan’s finest high mountain teas, while Jin Xuan adds its signature creamy texture, delicate buttery notes and silky smooth mouthfeel. Together, they create a beautifully balanced tea that combines refinement with exceptional harmony.

A Cup Full of Spring

This Dalunshan represents the modern unroasted style of Taiwanese high mountain oolong. After oxidation, the leaves undergo no roasting, preserving the tea’s remarkable freshness, purity and vibrant spring character, while allowing both cultivars and the mountain terroir to express themselves with complete clarity.

From the very first infusion, the tea reveals a wonderfully sweet and lively character. Fresh green notes evoke young spring leaves and mountain vegetation, accompanied by a creamy, almost milky texture that gently coats the palate. The liquor is velvety, rich and exceptionally comfortable to drink, offering the full, satisfying mouthfeel that only fine high mountain oolongs can provide.

The empty cup reveals delicate floral aromas complemented by evolving fruit notes that become increasingly expressive with each infusion. As the session unfolds, the tea naturally transitions from fresh green elegance towards a softer, fruitier profile while maintaining remarkable purity and balance throughout.

One particularly captivating characteristic is its gentle minerality—a quality not often encountered in unroasted high mountain oolongs. This subtle mineral expression reflects the healthy mountain environment in which the tea trees grow, adding another layer of depth and complexity to the cup.

The finish is long, sweet and refreshing, naturally inviting one infusion after another. Even after countless steeps, the tea retains its vitality, making it a tea to slow down with and savour rather than simply drink.

The Dalunshan Tea Mountain

Dalunshan (大崙山) is located in Lugu Township, Nantou County, in the heart of central Taiwan. The tea gardens lie at elevations of approximately 1,250–1,500 metres, placing them firmly among Taiwan’s celebrated high mountain tea regions.

Although situated only a short distance from the famous Dong Ding tea area, Dalunshan enjoys considerably higher elevations. It is also one of the principal tea-producing areas within the broader Shanlinxi region, alongside Longfengxia, Yangwan, and Xitou. For this reason, exceptional Dalunshan teas are often marketed simply as Shanlinxi High Mountain Oolong.

A Mountain Shaped by Clouds

Dalunshan offers an almost ideal environment for producing exceptional high mountain oolong.

For much of the year, the tea gardens are wrapped in mountain mist and low cloud, reducing direct sunlight and naturally slowing the growth of the tea leaves. Combined with cool temperatures, moderate rainfall and pronounced differences between daytime and nighttime temperatures, these conditions encourage the leaves to accumulate higher concentrations of amino acids while naturally suppressing bitterness.

The result is a tea of remarkable sweetness, purity and the distinctive mountain freshness that Taiwanese tea lovers describe as Shantou Qi (山頭氣)—the unique expression of a tea mountain’s energy and character.

Traditional Taiwanese High Mountain Craftsmanship

Like Taiwan’s finest high mountain teas, this Dalunshan is crafted as a lightly oxidised, unroasted, traditionally ball-rolled oolong. The absence of roasting allows the freshness of the spring harvest, delicate floral aromas, natural creaminess and the pure character of the mountain itself to shine through without distraction.

Expect elegant orchid-like floral notes, hints of fresh spring blossoms, creamy sweetness, buttery smoothness, subtle minerality and a long-lasting sweet aftertaste (Huigan 回甘) that lingers gracefully on the palate long after each sip.

This is an honest and elegant mountain tea crafted by a tea master with more than half a century of experience—a tea that captures both the freshness of spring and the quiet beauty of Taiwan’s high mountains.