WHO IS MASTER HONG
Master Hong is a young producer, the fourth generation of a family of tea farmers from Alishan, Taiwan’s most iconic mountain. Besides producing oolong and red tea of very high quality, Hong is also an excellent tea ceremonialist and has been studying the Taiwanese-style chadao ceremony for years. His teas therefore represent the traditional taste of Alishan in a sublime aesthetic form. With his elegance and delicacy, Hong manages to overturn the expectations associated with Alishan teas; he is an aesthete and a poet of the Alishan taste. His way of experiencing tea is unique: he favors cleanness and purity of fragrance and the creamy richness of body in his teas. During his ceremonies white is the dominant color, white like the color that comes to mind as we taste the purity of his teas.
In the heart of the Alishan mountain range, in Shi Zhao, we find the plantations of the Hong family, which has been producing tea on these iconic mountains for four generations. All over the world, Alishan is synonymous with high-quality oolong tea. At an altitude of almost 1,500 meters and on mainly sandy soil, the Qingxin plants, the cultivar used by the Hong family, grow slowly, cradled by the morning and evening mist. Alishan is a very famous terroir and, precisely for this reason, much imitated and counterfeited.
The Hong family produces a limited quantity of tea each season, giving priority to the quality of its teas. The plants are small and grow along a steep mountain slope, where you can stroll along wooden walkways built among the bamboo groves and the vegetable gardens of the houses. A magical place where tea grows better.
Hong’s plantations produce the classic gaoshan oolong from the Qingxin cultivar, also called Qingxin oolong: a ball-rolled, low-oxidation, high-mountain tea, in two quality versions, April and May. Hong’s plantations are all of the Qingxin cultivar. From these plants, the Hong family was among the first to conceive of an oxidized red tea in the Chinese style but with very Taiwanese characteristics. The creamy, milky notes of the plant turn into hints of ripe, sweet fruit, cocoa shortbread and dark chocolate. A truly unique mountain red tea, not easily reproduced and distinguishable from many others. Hong suggests pairing his milky teas, rich in fruity and floral notes, with simple foods such as Taiwan’s yellow sweet potatoes and baked pumpkin.
According to Master Hong, tea represents the connection between the earth and humankind, between nature and civilization. Alishan teas are known for their creaminess and elegance, and Mr. Hong manages to capture these qualities in his creations.
“To rewrite the history of Alishan tea, we want to create a daily ritual of oriental beauty that speaks new languages and tells of new poetic beauties”
MASTER HONG