Taiwan tea

40 Taiwan teas from 8 independent UK tea merchants, from £3.25.

Taiwan (historically Formosa) is the home of the world’s finest oolongs — partially oxidised teas that sit between green and black. High-mountain (gaoshan) oolongs from Alishan and Lishan are grown above 1,000 metres and are floral, creamy and sweet with almost no bitterness; the roasted Dong Ding and the honeyed, heavily oxidised Oriental Beauty show the style’s range. Taiwan also makes excellent black tea from Sun Moon Lake. Harvests peak in spring and winter, and the best lots are hand-rolled into tight balls. For UK buyers, a Taiwanese high-mountain oolong is one of tea’s genuine luxuries — fragrant, smooth and endlessly re-steepable. Look for the mountain and elevation on the packet.