How did Assam tea seeds shape Taiwanese black tea history?
Taiwanese black tea began with Assam tea seeds brought from India in 1923, during the Japanese colonial period. The seeds were distributed to four regions, and Sun Moon Lake, at 600 to 800 meters with humid, foggy conditions, became the most successful production area. The Taiwan Tea Research and Extension Station followed in 1936, and black tea once made up more than half of Taiwan's total tea production.
After 1971, export trade shrank and many farmers switched to oolong. The revival came through new varieties released by the Taiwan Tea Research and Extension Station: TTES No. 18, known as Ruby Black Tea, in 1999, and TTES No. 21 in 2008. Comparing these two varieties shows how far Taiwanese black tea has moved from its colonial roots.
The development of Taiwanese black tea spans the Japanese colonial period's introduction and promotion, the post-World War II export decline, and the variety revival since the new millennium. In 1923, Assam tea seeds were introduced from India, and Sun Moon Lake, with its 600-800 meter elevation and humid, foggy climate, became the most successful production area. In 1936, the Taiwan Tea Research and Extension Station was established, and black tea once accounted for more than half of Taiwan's total production. After 1971, export trade shrank, and tea farmers switched to oolong tea. It was not until 1999 and 2008 that TRES successively released TTES No. 18 (Ruby Black Tea) and TTES No. 21, injecting new vitality into Taiwanese black tea. This article will review this history, compare the flavor characteristics of two representative varieties, and introduce the high-quality Taiwanese black teas recommended by Front Street Coffee.
Taiwan introduced black tea production during the Japanese occupation period (1895-1945). When the Japanese arrived in Taiwan, Taiwan was already producing and exporting tea, although most of it was oolong tea.
To protect their green tea exports, the Japanese prohibited the production of lightly oxidized oolong tea in Taiwan (a lighter, greener, more floral oolong) to avoid competing with Japanese green tea in the global market. Instead, they promoted black tea production to cater to Western tea tastes.
The Origins of Taiwanese Black Tea In 1923, the agricultural department of Taiwan under Japanese rule imported Assam tea varieties from India and distributed the seeds to four different regions for cultivation, three in different parts of Taiwan and one in Japan. The Sun Moon Lake area, with an elevation of 600-800 meters, fertile soil, short sunshine hours, and humid fog, was the most successful black tea production area among the four. In 1936, the Taiwan Tea Research and Extension Station (TRES) officially established a research center in Yuchi Township, Nantou County, dedicated to the cultivation and production of black tea, which continues to this day. Due to the extensive investment and promotion of black tea production during the Japanese period, many tea regions in Taiwan planted black tea for export, including Shimen on the northern coast, Guanxi in the northwest, and southeastern Taitung. Although Taiwan has been famous for oolong tea since the 19th century, by 1937, black tea accounted for more than half of its total production.
The End of Black Tea Exports Taiwan's black tea industry prospered for decades until 1971, when Taiwan was forced to withdraw from the United Nations and development ceased. After World War II, the Japanese occupation ended. Around 1971, high-quality Taiwanese black tea became increasingly expensive in the global market, reducing demand. Many families producing black tea began making oolong tea to suit local tastes. Unfortunately, many went bankrupt, and the heyday of the global black tea trade never returned to Taiwan.
Modern Taiwanese Black Tea At the beginning of the new millennium, Taiwanese locals began to take an interest in black tea because it had a milder effect on the digestive system compared to green oolong teas such as Baozhong or high-mountain oolong. New and younger tea producers collaborated with TRES to create new black tea varieties, such as honey-scented or bug-bitten black teas like Blossom Dearie. TRES also released new varieties, TRES #18 and TRES #21, in 1999 and 2008, both for producing high-quality black tea. Although black tea still accounts for only a small portion of Taiwan's tea production today, the selection and varieties of black tea have grown significantly over the past decade.
Famous Taiwanese Black Teas Several famous Taiwanese tea varieties are used to produce black tea, including in northern Taiwan, Yingzhi Hongxin Very #8 Assam (seed selection from the Indian Assam tea variety Jaipuri), Ruby Black Tea, and TTES No. 21. Today, the most famous is TTES No. 18, also known as Ruby Black Tea. Sun Moon Lake in Yuchi is now Taiwan's main black tea production area, though there are many small-scale tea producers on the island.
Front Street Recommendation: TTES No. 18 Ruby Black Tea has a unique aroma of mint and cinnamon, with a bright red tea liquor, suitable for drinking plain; TTES No. 21 leans toward citrus and floral notes, with a softer mouthfeel. Both are among the high-quality Taiwanese black teas regularly stocked by Front Street Coffee.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
