Shenmu Tea｜Yushan Tea Region　1300 m

Shenmu Tea

AromaBitternessBody

Shenmu Tea

Yushan Tea Region　Shenmu 1300m　Elevation 1300 m

Returning SweetnessFloral

Flavour

Delicate aroma, mellow and sweet

Shenmu lies deep in Xinyi Township at about 1,300 m, near the famous old tree the village is named for. The bush grows under towering timber and fog, and takes something from it. The liquor is a clear honey-yellow with a deep, quiet aroma, woody with a touch of orchid. Thick and full, sweet and mouth-watering, with a long steady finish.

Fair priceverified

1,800–3,600 NT$ / 600 g

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

What is the actual elevation?

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.

Is this a competition tea? Which association, which year?

Grading standards differ between associations, so awards are not comparable across competitions. Genuine lots come with a seal and certificate.

Which season is this from?

Spring and winter lots fetch the highest prices and the best aroma; summer and autumn are a step down in both.

May I taste it first?

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

TypeOolong tea

Leaf styleBall-rolled oolong

CultivarQingxin Oolong

HarvestSpring & Winter

Oxidation / RoastLightly oxidised　Unroasted

CharacterSlightly cooling

Brewing latitudeModerate

ConstitutionGood for warm constitutions

About the origin

Shenmu tea comes from the Shenmu Village area on Yushan in Xinyi Township, Nantou, at 1,200–1,800 m — a rare top-end high-mountain oolong.

Climate: at the heart of the Yushan range, with wide day-night swings and constant cloud, so the bush grows slowly.

Ecology: hemmed in by terrain and hard to develop, the old forest is largely intact and the yield small.

Character: warm and smooth with sweet water, a rich distinctive finish and the air of the mountain in it.

These figures will be updated if they change.

Brewing

Water temp.95–100 °C

Leaf to water3g / 150ml

Infusion times60　45　60　80 sec

Cold brew5 g per 500 ml, 7 h refrigerated

Harvest months4、5、11、12 月

Temperatures follow the official category guidance. Source: TRES — Effects of water quality and temperature on tea liquor

Common mistakes with this tea

Use hot enough water

95°C or above. Too cool and the roast aroma never opens, leaving it flat.

A longer first infusion is normal

Rolled-ball leaf needs the first infusion to open up; the second is then shorter.

Seal it and keep it dark

Best drunk within two months.

Start with 30–75 g

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

Fenguo Jelly夏An amber sweet-potato-starch jelly, springy rather than sticky, often served in the same bowl as douhua.

Aiyu Jelly夏Natural pectin washed from aiyu seeds, served with lemon and syrup. Almost flavourless on its own — the tea supplies the aroma.

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.

This one is Taiwan-only — not available overseasHere are the closest teas we can actually ship you:

Location accuracy: named locality (23.5600, 120.8800). This marks the growing area, not one specific garden.