Alishan crimson

Ume syrup, orange blossoms, silky
$24.00 CAD

Alishan Crimson is a limited-edition vintage black tea born from a cultivar traditionally reserved for Taiwan’s high mountain oolongs. It offers an elegant bouquet of orange blossom, ume, and a subtle hint of spice—an aromatic expression rarely found in other black teas.

Its delicacy and silk-smooth texture arise from both origin and cultivar. Crafted from the Qingxin Oolong variety, a refined small-leaf cultivar, this tea is sourced from high-elevation gardens (around 1,600 meters) in the Zhangshu Lake area of Alishan, nestled within Taiwan’s central mountain range.

Through Taiwan’s most celebrated small-leaf black tea craftsmanship, the cultivar’s natural floral and fruit character is elegantly revealed. The orange-crimson liquor unfolds with vivid notes of ripe fruits layered with floral aromatics, sweet and refreshing on the palate, and gracefully resilient to multiple infusions (8–9 steeps) without a trace of bitterness.

Black teas made from small-leaf cultivars are known for their gentler, smoother expression, in contrast to the bold intensity of large-leaf varieties. For an unparalleled experience, savor this tea as a cold brew. This allows its intricate floral notes to unfold gradually, ensuring an especially sweet and harmonious infusion that embodies the essence of this exceptional tea.

Brewing guide

GONG FU STYLE

4g tea / 100ml, 85° C water.

Warm your gaiwan, then add dry leaves. Smell the leaves - they release a beautiful sweet and fruity scent as it gets heated up.

The first steep takes only about 15 seconds, as the leaves are twisted and less rolled than oolongs. Add 5 seconds to each additional brew. Adjust your steeping time if you need to: shorter if the tea was too strong, longer if it tasted under-extracted. You can reuse your Alishan Crimson leaves at least six to seven times.

COLD BREW

We love cold brew delicate black tea. The cold extraction brings out all the bright, floral, sweet honey flavours with minimal tannin. We recommend a 1:100 ratio, using 5g of tea on 500ml of chilled filtered or spring water. Chill it in the fridge overnight. Serve chilled.

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