A very fine version of the Ruby 18, otherwise known as Red Jade, it is intense with surprising licorice notes. The long, dark leggy leaves, contain some lovely buds. The licorice cup also has a cooling menthol effect. There are notes of spice, a hint of caramel, and a whisper of toasted vanilla bean. The dry finish completes what is a very interesting, dynamic experience. In a word, excellent.
Ruby #18 is a unique cultivar from Taiwan, and a relatively new invention, only surfacing in the late twentieth century after over fifty years of research. A cross between a wild Formosa tea plant and an Assam from Burma, it was developed specifically with the intent to make phenomenal black tea.
This tea contains a high level of caffeine | Steep at 212° for 2-3 minutes.
Long Tan is a rural district within Taoyuan County and lies southwest of Taipei County. It has a notable history in black tea production. In recent decades, however, low elevation tea farms on flatter terrain have begun to develop. The larger yield per area ratio is evident due to flatter ground where machine harvesting is possible at a lower elevation where the tea plants tend to grow faster.
Free Sample Offer
If you buy this tea from another vendor, we invite you to try a free sample. Simply email a receipt showing an earlier purchase of the "formosa ruby 18 black" tea to masters@adagio.com and we'll mail you a free sample of this tea to compare. We're convinced that you'll be impressed with its quality and value.
Bao Zhu Fan
How long have you been growing tea and what got your started?
My family was in tea production, but I really didn't know about tea until I married my husband. His family has been making tea over 100 years, so I have been helping them now for almost 30 years.
Can you describe a typical day out in the field?
Wake up at 6 am to cook for my family and go to tea garden plucking tea around 7:00 am, then I will come back inside to process tea around 10:00 am until 6:00 pm, sometimes after I cook dinner I need to go back to work until midnight.
What is your favorite part of growing tea?
Plucking tea, I feel happy when I saw the tea leaf became big and beautiful, it means they are growing up healthy.
Conversely, what is the hardest part of your job?
Plucking work. People think plucking tea is the hardest job, because you have to stay in the sunshine throughout a day. Many of the plucking workers are getting old and it's difficult to find young workers to increase work efficiency.
Are there any tips you can give on how to best brew your tea?
This tea does not need to put into water for a long time, the best flavor and aroma come from the light liquid.
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