"Lugu Pei Ho" or "Heat of Fire from the Deer Valley" keeps a memory of those times when oolongs in Taiwan were processed according to traditional north Fujian method. This is evidenced by the longitudinal twist of the leaf: the spherical twist began to predominate only at the end of the twentieth century.
In the XVIII century, when the Qing troops annexed the island, this area was in the administrative subordination of the Fujian province. A lot of tea plantations appeared in the Deer Valley those time. But local peasants just grew tea and manufactured mao cha, which was sent to the continent for its final processing. The tradition of producing such semi-finished tea, which can be stored for a long time, is still alive today, but for another reason. When, as a result of exceptionally favorable weather conditions, farmers receive high-quality harvest, which they expect to sell at a high price, they do not make the final roasting. Most of the mao cha is laid for long-term storage in sealed clay vessels. Once every few years, vessels are opened and tea is warmed up on charcoal. Such tea is called "Pei Ho".
When dry, these are large dark brown flagella, with ash-purple tint. The fragrance is very discreet, woody. The infusion is transparent, chestnut colour.
The brewed tea has mature, warm, elegant flavor, with woody, cognac, vanilla, coffee, chocolate and honey notes – all shades are thin, light, polished by time. The aroma is complex, deep, sweet, filled with a multitude of fleeting, elusive associations. The taste is extremely soft, silky, sweet, with the finest sourness, melts on the tongue and spreads over the body with gentle, warm waves. Mild, velvety aftertaste.
Brewing suggestions. Brew tea with hot boiling water (95°C) in a gaiwan or a teapot for Taiwanese oolong made of porous clay. The proportion is 5-6 g per 100 ml. The first infusion should last for 8-10 seconds. After that make short infusions (just for a second), increasing the infusion time gradually. You can repeat this brewing method up to 10 times.
Luxurious ceremonial aged tea, which retained a rich taste and deep aroma. It is really worth trying at least once in a lifetime!
