Oolong Tea

     Picking            Tossing           Drying             Oxidation           Firing

  Rolling                       Firing             Baking

Oolong tea production is complex and can create a level of complexity of flavour and aroma beyond that of white, green or yellow tea.

The tea leaves are picked and withered with intermittent tossing. Then the leaves are turned in a bamboo drum to bruise their edges and encourage oxidation. Once the desired level of oxidation is reached, the leaves are fired to prevent any further oxidation.

Some tightly rolled oolongs, such as Tieguanyin, are then hand rolled and fired repeatedly to shape the tea and bring the moisture from the inside to the outside of the leaf.

In the case of open leaf oolongs, the leaf is rolled by machine and then fired.

One final baking of the leaf gives it its roasted quality.