Oolong · Shan Lin Xi, Taiwan
Organic "Red Dragon" Oolong Tea
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Tasting notes
About these tasting notes
These are the tasting notes we and others pick up most often. Palates vary, so you may catch some, all, or different ones — flavor is personal and subjective. Nothing is added: there are no added flavorings in this tea. Any notes you find developed naturally in the tea plant through rediscovered artisanal processing techniques.
About these tasting notes
These are the tasting notes we and others pick up most often. Palates vary, so you may catch some, all, or different ones — flavor is personal and subjective. Nothing is added: there are no added flavorings in this tea. Any notes you find developed naturally in the tea plant through rediscovered artisanal processing techniques.
Effects
About these effects
These are the effects people most often report from this tea. Bodies differ, so treat them as a common guide rather than a promise — most people notice at least one, but what you feel is personal.
About these effects
These are the effects people most often report from this tea. Bodies differ, so treat them as a common guide rather than a promise — most people notice at least one, but what you feel is personal.
“Hong Xin” (紅心, hóng xīn) literally means “Red Heart” in Chinese. You may also see this cultivar called Hong Xin Oolong (紅心烏龍) or simply Hong Xin Tea (紅心茶), while in some Fujian contexts it is known as Hong Tsien. It is a particularly fickle and sensitive tea cultivar, making it difficult to grow and maintain. Compared with more vigorous varieties, Hong Xin tends to produce smaller harvests and requires considerably more care, which is one reason authentic Hong Xin teas are so rare and command a higher price. The cultivar is traditionally associated with specialty teas such as Tieguanyin (Iron Goddess of Mercy), making it especially appreciated among enthusiasts of older tea varieties.
This is a ball-rolled oolong, oxidized to 35% and painstakingly charcoal-roasted to develop its flavor slowly and carefully. Traditional charcoal roasting is a much more labor-intensive process than modern electric roasting, requiring patience and careful attention throughout the roast. The result is a tea with greater depth and a character that can continue to develop gracefully with age. Stored in cool, dark, and dry conditions, this oolong can last for decades, making it something you can enjoy many years from now.
Notes from Staff: This is a special tea because it uses the rare Hong Xin cultivar. You'll notice a very distinct flavor profile, much more subtle and unique than a typical Jin Xuan oolong. Drink these teas with tea friends or during a quiet, peaceful moment alone.
Why charcoal roasting costs more
Most tea today is roasted using an electric method, because it is faster, cheaper, and requires less skill, thus making it more consistent. This tea was roasted the traditional way: by an artisan's hand, over charcoal embers, using low heat over the course of many days under careful supervision. It takes far more knowledge, fuel, and time than electric roasting, but it rewards the tea with deeper flavor and the ability to age gracefully for decades.
Old Mountain Tea Guarantee
Our teas are guaranteed free from harmful chemicals. We source directly from small, clean family farms that take real pride in their work — no middlemen, no anonymous blends. Many of these teas are bug-bitten, and leafhoppers only feed on gardens grown without pesticides, so the leaf itself is living proof the garden is clean. Every tea is grown to organic standards and traceable to the farm that made it.
Origin & Terroir
- Cultivar
About this cultivar
Red Heart Oolong (紅心) should not be confused with Hong Oolong (紅烏龍), the red-style oolong tea processing style from Taitung, Taiwan. The name comes from the cultivar’s distinctive red buds, hence Hong Xin (紅心), or “Red Heart.” Also known as Ying Zhi Hong Xin (硬枝紅心, “Hard Stem Red Heart”), its exact genetic origin is unknown in the TTES/Tai Cha system, but this heirloom cultivar has played an important role in the (TTES) "Tai Cha" Taiwanese tea cultivation, serving as a parent of major cultivars including Jin Xuan (TTES #12) and Cui Yu (TTES #13).
- Hong Xin(红心歪尾桃) (literally "Red Heart")
- Status
- Extremely Rare Cultivar
- Processing method
- Medium Oxidized Oolong - Light Roast
- Charcoal roast level
Why charcoal roasting costs more
Roasted by hand over low charcoal embers across multiple sessions and days, far slower than electric roasting. It deepens flavor and lets the tea age well, which is why charcoal-roasted teas cost more.
- Region
- Da'an Village, ZhuShan Township, Nantou County, Taiwan(Shan Lin Xi)
- Harvest
- Spring 2026(Organic)
- Climate
- Misty, Termperate, Mountanious
- Oxidation level
What oxidation level means
Oxidation is what turns green tea into oolong or black tea — as leaves are bruised and rested, enzymes react with oxygen and deepen their color and flavor. Green tea sees almost none; oolong ranges widely; black tea is oxidized fully.
- Picking style
Why picking style matters
Hand-plucking means workers select each bud and leaf by touch, one at a time — far slower and more expensive than machine harvesting, but gentler on the leaf. As labor costs rise, fewer gardens still pick this way, making hand-plucked tea increasingly rare.
- Hand Plucked
- Bug-bitten level
- 0%
How to brew it
Leaf · 5 g
Water · purified soft water, freshly boiled
First infusion · 2 minutes
Second infusion · 5 minutes
Third infusion · 10 minutes
