
Jiumei TeaJiumei Tea
Flavour
Light-fragrance style
Jiumei sits in Xinyi Township, Nantou at about 1,400 m, part of the Yushan area. Clean air and pure water raise it; the dry leaf is jade green and tightly rolled. Brewed, the liquor is a bright honeyed green with a fresh high-mountain cold scent and light osmanthus. Lively and crisp, sweet and smooth, with a fast, lasting return.
Fair priceverified
One jin is 600 g. Below NT$1,200, be sceptical.
A reasonable range is NT$1,800–3,600 per 600 g. Below NT$1,200, ask more questions. Competition-grade lots command a large premium. Ask which association ran the competition, which year, and for the seal.
What to ask when buying this
One region can span 700 m to 1,700 m, with several times the price difference. The same name does not mean the same grade.
Grading standards differ between associations, so awards are not comparable across competitions. Genuine lots come with a seal and certificate.
Spring and winter lots fetch the highest prices and the best aroma; summer and autumn are a step down in both.
If they will not let you taste but want you to buy 600 g of something expensive, walk away. It is the simplest and most effective filter there is.
Specifications
About the origin
The Jiumei settlement in Xinyi Township, Nantou grows an organic Yushan black tea at about 1,600 m, certified organic by National Chung Hsing University and with a high-mountain character of its own.
Elevation: the hills around Jiumei, about 1,600 m.
Method: managed to certified organic practice, with an emphasis on keeping the process clean.
These figures will be updated if they change.
Brewing
Temperatures follow the official category guidance. Source: TRES — Effects of water quality and temperature on tea liquor
Common mistakes with this tea
95°C or above. Too cool and the roast aroma never opens, leaving it flat.
Rolled-ball leaf needs the first infusion to open up; the second is then shorter.
Best drunk within two months.
The most common beginner regret is buying 600 g on the first try. Buy a jin only after you know you like it.
What to eat with it
A chilled jelly has almost no flavour of its own; a heavily roasted tea would bury it. A fragrant, lightly oxidised tea lifts it instead.
Location accuracy: named locality (23.6300, 120.8700). This marks the growing area, not one specific garden.