Grower: The Huang Family

Tea Maker: The Huang Family

Location: Qilai Mountain in Hualien County, Taiwan

Elevation: 1,800m (5,900ft)

Cultivation: All-Natural (Organic with no certification)

Signature Tea: Qilai High Mountain

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The Huang Family has just begun to invest some serious time and effort into their tea and pear tree farm, which is located at one of the highest elevations in Taiwan; 1,800m. While the family has not yet fully explored their teas and crafting potential, the pristine mountain environment of their fields is yielding them teas of great quality. They say that the presence of pear trees on the farms actively contributes to the fragrance of the tea.

Their current project is to develop a more highly-oxidized version of their tea, or a roasted version of their tea, and to do that independently. Currently they sell their quality, sought-after leaf material to local tea factories, but they can earn more for their tea if they can add value through their own tea crafting.

Thanks to the high altitude and cold temperature, the family does not have to use any pesticides for their garden. However, due to the slow growth in the cold, high altitude environment, the Huang Family only harvests 4 times a year, compared to the 6 times a year at lower elevations. Their Spring and Winter harvest yield the best teas, while the Summer and Fall harvests are processed into black tea.